Glaucoma Research Foundation

Staff

Thomas M. Brunner
President And CEO
Tom is the former Executive Vice President of Lumenis, Inc. and he brings more than thirty years of experience in the ophthalmic laser business. Tom has a degree in electrical engineering from Lehigh University and an MBA from University of Delaware. He began his ophthalmic career at Coherent Medical where he was instrumental in the development of lasers for ophthalmic surgery. Tom joined GRF in February of 2003. email

Andrew Jackson
Director of Communications
Andrew manages GRF’s patient education program in collaboration with leading glaucoma specialists nationally. He is editor of the Gleams newsletter, edits and produces GRF’s educational publications, and manages the GRF website — recently redesigned under Andrew’s direction as a model of Internet accessibility for the vision impaired. Before joining GRF in 2003, Andrew worked in nonprofit IT management, ophthalmic marketing, and interactive media. email

Craig Palmer
Director of Development
Craig comes to GRF having served as the State Director of Development for Audubon California, and Director for Development of the AIDS Research Institute at the University of California, San Francisco. He serves on the board of the California Institute for Biodiversity, has been a member of the adjunct faculty of Golden Gate University, and taught at numerous state and national conferences on fundraising, marketing and organizational development in the nonprofit sector. email

Allen B. Poirson, PhD
Director of Scientific Programs & Licensing
Allen is trained in visual neuroscience and has been commercializing scientific and clinical discovery for ten years. He is the former Vice President of Medical Systems at Science and Technology International, and obtained both his BA and PhD at Stanford University. He has published extensively in the areas of biology and medical imaging. Allen joined GRF in March of 2008. email

Catalina San Agustin
Director of Operations
Catalina is responsible for operations and human resources. She manages all state licensing, direct mail programs, database administration, and the processing of donations. Catalina has been with GRF since 1998.

Rosi Bustamante
Development Associate
Born and raised in Tijuana, Rosi has a master’s degree in Non-profit Management from the University of Northern Iowa. Rosi is founder and board vice-president of Terra Peninsular, a land trust in Baja California, Mexico. Previously, she was project liaison for the California Institute for Biodiversity and fundraising consultant for Livable City in the San Francisco Bay Area. She has worked for pedestrian rights on San Francisco’s Citizens Advisory Committee and CC Puede, a community group. Rosi lives with her husband and two small boys in San Francisco.

Tanya S. Marino
Community Relations Specialist
Tanya joins the GRF Staff with a diverse background ranging from Marketing and Client Relations to Media. Some of her responsibilities at GRF include research and coordination for development projects, acknowledging donations, and processing literature information requests. She has a degree in Sociology from Colgate University.

Jennifer Rulon
Research and Education Specialist
Since 2000, Jennifer has utilized her social work degree assisting and supporting individuals requesting glaucoma information and referral. She coordinates the research grant applications and also coordinates all in-office volunteers. Jennifer especially enjoys the close-knit environment of GRF and the sense of camaraderie.

E. Carmen Torres
Development Projects Specialist
Carmen left the world of sales and private industry in 1991 to join the ranks of nonprofit professionals. As a vocational instructor, education center director, and project manager for fund development, Carmen served Goodwill of San Francisco, CET, and The National Audubon Society before joining GRF in 2005. She enjoys music, dancing, and the company of good friends.