ODs of Industry: Carla Mack, OD, MBA, FAAO, FBCLA

Tell us a little about your background.

I grew up in small towns in Northeast Ohio outside of Cleveland and Akron. From about the age of 3, I was aware I wanted to be in the medical profession. I didn’t have an actual career picked out at that age, but I was acutely aware.

How did you develop an interest in optometry?

My father had two best friends: one was our family optometrist, and one was our dentist. We saw them both on a regular professional basis, and our families were also quite close. At the age of 12, I had a career project that included a presentation and an interview. I had no real interest in dentistry, so I chose to explore optometry (incidentally, my youngest daughter is a second-year dental student and never considered optometry). Once I drew the cross-section of the eye on the poster board, I was hooked and never looked back. Of course, I was already wearing glasses and rigid gas permeable contact lenses. Contact lenses significantly changed my life and boosted my self-confidence, both socially and athletically. In high school, I started working in a practice to see if I liked the work and the environment.

How did you come to be in your current role?

I was a faculty member and the Director of Clinics/Chief of Staff at The Ohio State University. I had been a practicing academic for 13 years and was afforded many opportunities to be a consultant for industry.

I was beginning to be sought out for roles and felt the urge to make a move; however, I didn’t feel prepared for such a drastic change in environment. So, I pursued an executive MBA, and it was one of the best things I ever did. It allowed me to interact with executives across industries and understand the terminology and basics of large and public companies. Once I completed my MBA, I became intentional with what I was seeking: a global role, rather than a US-only role.

I have been in industry for nearly 15 years, starting in global roles in both medical affairs and professional marketing at Bausch + Lomb before joining Alcon 9 years ago. Most recently, I’ve taken on a new role as the Global and US Head of Professional Education and Development.

What does your typical workday look like? What are your main responsibilities?

It varies daily, which I love. There is a mixture of planned team meetings, working sessions, and ad hoc meetings with cross-functional partners, such as executive senior leaders, research and development teams, business development, marketers, corporate communications, and my international professional education and development colleagues.

My responsibility is to set the vision and strategy for my team around the world and work with my global franchise partners and US leadership to bring the voice of the eye care professional to our strategy, pipeline products, possible acquisitions, and new products and programs that are launching. It is important that the voice of the eye care professional is represented to ensure our products, programs, and messages meet the needs of patients and practices.

What are the most rewarding or enjoyable aspects of your job?

I enjoy learning and applying my skills in new and creative ways to influence our business and profession. My roles have allowed me to see the world and interact with optometrists from many countries and understand the differences in our profession regionally and at a country level.

What advice would you give to someone interested in pursuing a career in the optometric industry?

There are many avenues, so explore the options and be intentional with what you are seeking and why you are seeking it. Reach out to those in the industry and establish meaningful connections to learn about the options and ways in. Relationships take time to build and should be a part of the process before you plan to make a move.

What, if any, professional development opportunities have helped you grow in the past year?

I listen to The Genius Life and The Doctor’s Farmacy to grow my overall health and wellness knowledge. My good friend and executive coach wrote a book titled Business Outside about getting out of your comfort zone and into nature to deepen connections and challenge yourself physically, mentally, and emotionally.