Chief Executive Officer
Maureen O’Keefe was appointed Chief Executive Office of the ACO in 2013. Maureen has held senior executive and board director positions across health, research and education sectors over the past 17 years, with a focus on transformation and growth of organisations to achieve long term sustainability. Previously Maureen was COO at Walter & Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research for 7 years during a period of major expansion, following an earlier career at the University of Melbourne in senior management and major project roles focussed on new initiatives. Maureen is currently Deputy Chair of Vision2020 Australia, a BioMelbourne Network Board Director, member of SA Govt Clinical Pathways committee, and previously appointed to Ministerial Health Consultative Committees – Victorian Cancer Agency and Victorian Clinical Trial Research Council.
mokeefe@aco.org.au
Director of the National Vision Research Institute
Professor Michael Ibbotson obtained his PhD from the University of London in the field of visual neuroscience before accepting a post-doctoral fellowship at the Australian National University (ANU) in Canberra. In 2011, he departed the ANU while Head of the Visual Sciences Department and took up the position as Director of the NVRI and Professor at the University of Melbourne. In 2013, Michael was part of a major research collaboration to successfully fund the Brain Function Centre of Excellence through the Australian Research Council (ARC) that will run until the end of 2020. Previously he was also a member of other major collaborations including a special ARC fund to develop a bionic eye and the Vision Science Centre of Excellence.
mibbotson@aco.org.au
Director of Finance & Corporate Services
With over 15 years of Senior Financial Management and Corporate Services experience, Renaldo brings a fresh approach to the many facets of the Corporate Governance process. A qualified CPA with an extensive background in Community Health, Aged Care, Disability and the Events Management sectors, Renaldo’s career highlights include the successful rollout of integration of CMS data and accounting systems including the implementation of business intelligence tools for value-added operational and strategic reporting. Driven by the motivation to bring automation and cost efficiencies to back office processes, Renaldo aims to provide business partnering support and added value whilst also maximising the profitability of the organisation.
rtomasiello@aco.org.au
Director of Education, Membership and Marketing
Jane Trevaskis was appointed as Director of Education, Membership and Marketing in early 2020. She was previously the Head of Teaching and Quality at the ACO for over 10 years. Jane has over 25 years of experience in education and professional development roles combined with general management experience in the not-for-profit sector. Jane holds a Bachelor of Education, a Certificate IV in Workplace Training and Assessment and a Graduate Diploma in Management.
jtrevaskis@aco.org.au
Director of Clinical Service
Neville Turner graduated as an optometrist from the University of Melbourne in 1990 and begun work at the (then) Victorian College of Optometry as a Staff Optometrist. Over the years he has worked in many different areas of the organisation including managing a metropolitan clinic, involvement with low vision service provision, lecturing and clinical teaching. Whilst working at the ACO Neville has completed further post graduate studies including a Certificate for the Rehabilitation of the Partially Sighted, a Post Graduate Diploma of Advanced Clinical Optometry and a Graduate Certificate of Ocular Therapeutics. Over the past 15 years Neville has undertaken various management roles in the ACO including for IT, reception, business, dispensary services and clinic operations.
nturner@aco.org.au