July 15, 2026
Recently, CooperVision announced that Jennifer Palombi, OD, FAAO, and Felicia Timmermann, OD, MS, FAAO, were promoted to new leadership positions. Dr. Palombi has been appointed as the Director of Professional Affairs for the Americas, overseeing regional strategy, while Dr. Timmermann has taken on the role of Senior Advisor for Myopia Management, U.S..
Review of Myopia Management caught up with Dr. Palombi and Dr. Timmermann to learn how their extensive backgrounds in optometry and pediatric health will support CooperVision’s broader commitment to providing innovative products, clinical resources and legislative advocacy to help practitioners combat childhood myopia.
Review of Myopia Management (RMM): Congratulations on your new roles with Coopervision! Before we dig into what’s new, can you both start with sharing about your backgrounds, how you got started in the eyecare industry and how you first got started working with Coopervision.
Dr. Felicia Timmermann:
Dr. Felicia Timmermann
My interest in healthcare began at an early age, and it was my own optometrist who inspired me to pursue a career in eyecare. After earning my degree from the Illinois College of Optometry, I completed a pediatric optometry residency at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center.
Throughout my career, I’ve gained extensive experience in pediatric eyecare across both hospital and academic settings. Early on, I worked at St. Louis Children’s Hospital within the Department of Pediatric Ophthalmology before relocating to South Florida, where I continued my work in pediatrics at Nova Southeastern University. During that time, I served as the Chief of Kids in Distress (KID) Clinic and later established and directed the Myopia Management Service. Those experiences ultimately shaped my path to CooperVision, where I have the opportunity to support broader awareness, education and advocacy on the importance of pediatric eyecare and myopia management.
Dr. Jennifer Palombi:
I’m based in Ohio and graduated from The Ohio State University College of Optometry. Before joining CooperVision, I spent 20 years in clinical practice in a tertiary-care OD/MD group, specializing first in neuro-ophthalmology and later in specialty contact lenses. During that time, I also developed a passion for professional communication through freelance medical writing.
That combination of clinical and scientific communication experience led me to CooperVision in a Professional and Scientific Communications role. Over time, my responsibilities expanded into education and development, where I served as Director of Education and Development for several years. Earlier this year, I was appointed Director of Professional Affairs for the Americas, where I now lead the Professional Affairs organization across the region.
RMM: What are some of your primary goals for your new roles at Coopervision?
Dr. Timmermann:
In my new role, I’m excited to work with the team to build on the momentum CooperVision has created as a leader in myopia management. We have a unique opportunity to continue raising awareness about the importance of early detection and treatment, while helping more practitioners and families understand the impact myopia can have on a child throughout their lifetime. A key focus for me is expanding education and advocacy, both within the profession and among parents and the broader public. Ultimately, I hope to contribute to making myopia management an integral part of pediatric eyecare and improving long-term outcomes for children today and for future generations.
Dr. Palombi:
Dr. Jennifer Palombi
I was fortunate to step into this role with an exceptionally talented Professional Affairs team that are already recognized as thought leaders in the industry. My focus has been building on that strong foundation—thinking about how we can further strengthen the team, expand our impact on contact lens care, and better support practitioners.
That includes advancing clinical initiatives, engaging in legislative advocacy and ensuring contact lenses remain central to the patient experience. One of the most rewarding aspects of this role is shaping the future of Professional Affairs by putting the right people in the right roles and taking a forward-looking approach to the evolving needs of the profession. A great example is elevating Felicia into a myopia management leadership role, where her extensive pediatric expertise can have an even greater impact.
RMM: What does it mean to you have leadership roles in the myopia management space at this point in time?
Dr. Timmermann:
It is truly an honor to step into this role at such an exciting time in the evolution of myopia management and under the guidance of strong leadership. CooperVision has helped lead the way in advancing innovation and treatment in this category, and I am proud to be part of an organization that remains committed to improving outcomes for children. There is tremendous momentum in this important care, and it’s incredible to see the growing interest from both practitioners and parents who recognize the importance of addressing myopia early. What excites me most is the opportunity to continue expanding education, awareness and advocacy efforts, and to work alongside an incredible team to continue to drive this meaningful change in pediatric eyecare.
Dr. Palombi:
Legislative advocacy is a significant part of my role. CooperVision is a founding member of HCAPS (the Healthcare Alliance for Patient Safety), and one key focus of that partnership is supporting the EDVI Act (Early Detection of Vision Impairments for Children Act), which aims to improve access to comprehensive vision care for children.
Through these efforts, we advocate for policies that help ensure children receive timely access to the care they need. Just as importantly, we support practitioners by helping amplify their voices and advance standards of care that improve patient outcomes. Being able to contribute at both the policy and practice levels is incredibly meaningful.
RMM: Based on your work with The Myopia Collective and the advocacy work involved with that organization, are there any campaigns, initiatives or programs that are planned that you want to talk about?
Dr. Timmermann:
Last year, members of The Myopia Collective traveled to Capitol Hill to advocate for the EDVI Act, and we remain committed to advancing awareness and support for this important legislation. Early detection is critical, particularly in myopia management, because we know that timely intervention can have a meaningful impact on a child’s eye health, both now and in the future.
Recently, we had an expansion with The Myopia Collective, with the addition of 22 Change Agents and 19 Student Change Agents. This expansion reflects the growing enthusiasm and commitment among eyecare professionals, students and other healthcare providers who recognize the importance of addressing childhood myopia. It’s encouraging to see so many individuals coming together around a shared goal of increasing awareness, advocacy, and access to care for children.
RMM: What are some of your long term goals in your new roles with CooperVision?
Dr. Timmermann:
Looking ahead, my goal is to continue advancing myopia management as a standard of care and to ensure that more children have access to evidence-based treatment options. As awareness and adoption continue to grow, we have an opportunity to reach more families and integrate myopia management into routine pediatric eyecare.
A critical part of that effort is education, which includes both peer-to-peer engagement within the profession and direct-to-consumer awareness initiatives that CooperVision has consistently supported over the years. We know that early detection and intervention are key to achieving the best outcomes for children with myopia, which makes it essential to continue sharing that message with the public. When families understand the long-term vision and eye health implications of myopia, as well as the evidence-based treatment options available, they are more likely to seek care early and make informed decisions about their child’s eye health.
Dr. Palombi:
My long-term focus is on building the strongest Professional Affairs organization possible to support both practitioners and patients. A key priority is advancing myopia management while also increasing public awareness and understanding of the importance of eye health.
Equally important is ensuring practitioners have access to the resources and expertise they need to deliver the highest level of care. Ultimately, our goal is to help move the standard of care forward and continue improving outcomes for contact lens patients.
RMM: What are you most excited about in these new roles?
Dr. Timmermann:
I’m excited to continue building strong partnerships with our colleagues in the profession, other eyecare industry leaders, and pediatric and healthcare organizations to drive this shared goal for children. This collaboration is critical to expanding awareness and access to myopia management. There is tremendous enthusiasm surrounding this important care, and I look forward to helping further that progress. My overarching goal is to help ensure that CooperVision remains at the forefront of advancing myopia management by supporting practitioners and increasing public awareness. By working together, we have the opportunity to drive meaningful change that can shape the future of pediatric eyecare, expand access to treatment and improve long-term outcomes for children.
Dr. Palombi:
I’m excited about the opportunity to strengthen partnerships around the key issues facing our profession. That includes collaborating internally across teams—from field sales to marketing—as well as building and expanding relationships with industry organizations.
In particular, I’m energized by the opportunity to advance initiatives that move the profession forward. A great example is our partnership with the AOA through The Myopia Collective, and I look forward to continue to build upon what’s already in place.
