IOA Insider Alert:

Board of Directors Election 2025

Ballots will be emailed to IOA members on September 5. Offices up for election include the Chair-Elect, and three (3) director positions.

Candidate for Chair-Elect

Brandon Lernor, O.D.

Dr. Brandon Lernor grew up in Woodridge, Illinois and is a 2008 graduate of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, and a 2012 graduate of the Illinois College of Optometry. While at ICO, Dr. Lernor served as the IOA Student Liaison for three years and also served on the ICO Student Association Board. Upon graduation, he was inducted as a member of the Gold Key International Optometric Society and shortly after he established himself as an independent practitioner in McHenry, Illinois and still practices there today.

His service as a leader in the IOA started in 2014 as a member of the IOA Executive Council, serving as President of the Lake McHenry Optometric Society. Since 2019 he has served on the IOA Board of Directors as the IOA Third Party Director and oversees the Third Party Committee. Since 2023 he has also served as an IOA Key Person Captain and has worked to strengthen the IOA’s Key Person Network which is critically important for aiding legislative efforts by maintaining strong relationships with our state legislators.

As an American Optometric Association member, Dr Lernor has also been actively representing the IOA and Illinois with the AOA. He has attended numerous IOA and AOA events and has advocated for optometry in many meetings with various Representatives and Senators on both the state and federal levels throughout Illinois and in Washington D.C.

Dr. Lernor is also the creator and administrator of the Chicagoland OD Fill-in Network, a Facebook group with a membership of 700+ eye care professionals that helps connect ODs to fill-in and short term job opportunities within the Chicagoland area.

He also volunteers with the Palatine Jaycees at various community events and participates in several Jaycee hosted events throughout the year.

In his spare time Dr. Lernor plays on a baseball team and also enjoys playing basketball, golfing, traveling, and most importantly spending time with his wife Ashley, their new baby girl Evelyn (Evie), their dog Oakley, and their friends and families.

Candidate for Director

Caitlyn McHugh-Glab, O.D.

Dr. Caitlyn McHugh-Glab is an Illinois native and a proud graduate of the Illinois College of Optometry, where she graduated summa cum laude in 2016. During her time at ICO, she was inducted into the Gold Key International Optometric Honor Society, Tomb and Key Honor Society, and Beta Sigma Kappa Honor Society in recognition of her academic excellence and leadership.

Dr. McHugh-Glab currently owns and practices at Focused Eye Care in Buffalo Grove, where she provides comprehensive eye care with a special interest in pediatric vision and myopia management. She is an active member of both the American Optometric Association and the Illinois Optometric Association, and serves as a Change Agent for the Myopia Collective.

Candidate for Director

Jon Reid, O.D.

Dr. Jonathan Reid is a native of Carlinville, IL (& resides there presently). He graduated from the Southern College of Optometry in 2012 and completed a primary care residency at the Salem VAMC in Salem, Virginia in 2013. He returned to Illinois & joined Advanced EyeCare in July 2014.

He currently practices at the Carlinville & Virden Advanced EyeCare locations. He is a member of IOA/AOA, and a Fellow of the American Academy of Optometry. His wife, Maya, is also an optometrist who works at Reid Eye Care in Litchfield. They have three children: Josie, Tommy, & Millie. He is a member of Ss. Mary & Joseph Catholic Church, the Carlinville Rotary Club, and a volunteer youth soccer coach/board member

Candidate for Director

Amanda Gerson, O.D.

Dr. Gerson combines advanced clinical training with a deep commitment to small-town, personalized care. A proud Calhoun County native, she’s honored to serve the Tri-County area; caring for the same families, friends, and neighbors who helped shape who she is today. For Dr. Gerson, eye care is about more than just vision; it’s about connection, trust, and truly knowing the people she serves.

She earned her undergraduate degree in Biology with a minor in Chemistry from Blackburn College in Carlinville, graduating Summa Cum Laude, and received her Doctor of Optometry degree from the Illinois College of Optometry in 2019. While at ICO, she earned numerous awards for academic achievement and clinical excellence.

Her training at the Illinois Eye Institute, one of the largest and most diverse eye care centers in the country, included rotations in primary care, ocular disease, urgent care, pediatrics, and specialty contact lenses. This experience sparked a passion that continues to shape her practice today.

Dr. Gerson is especially passionate about pediatric eye care, believing that early exams set the foundation for a child’s success in school and in life. She also specializes in fitting custom contact lenses, including scleral lenses for patients with corneal disease or irregular prescriptions. She finds great fulfillment in helping patients manage urgent eye problems - providing fast, reassuring care when it matters most.

Outside of patient care, Dr. Gerson is actively involved in advancing the profession of optometry. She serves on the executive council of the Illinois Optometric Association, has led two regional societies, and chairs state-level committees focused on membership and supporting fellow optometrists. In recognition of her service, she was named Illinois’ Young Optometrist of the Year in 2022 and Distinguished Young Alumnus by the Illinois College of Optometry in 2023.

Dr. Gerson now lives in Jerseyville with her husband, Brad, and their three dogs: Gus, Scout, and Stanley. When she’s not in the office, you’ll find her boating on the river, enjoying quality time with family, supporting local events and small businesses, or working on her latest sewing project.