EyeCare4Kids Names Maggie Cline as New CEO
The non-profit EyeCare4Kids announced the promotion of Maggie Cline, MPH, to Chief Executive Officer (CEO). Ms. Cline joined EyeCare4Kids in 2022 and served as Executive Director Utah, where she oversaw the delivery of more than 50,000 vision services annually at school clinics, community centers, and other underserved areas across the state. Ms. Cline succeeds board-certified optician Joseph Carbone, who founded the organization in 2001 and will transition to a role focused on international development. Mr. Carbone is celebrating his 50th year in clinical practice in 2025.
EyeCare4Kids is a non-profit organization that provides professional eye care services to low-income, visually impaired children and underserved families across the southwest United States and Africa. The organization aims to eliminate many of the logistical and affordability barriers that prevent vision screenings in children. In addition to school and five community-based clinics, the organization deploys four mobile vision clinics across Arizona, Nevada, Utah, and Idaho to reach the most remote communities and manufactures its own glasses, with hundreds of stylish frames from which children can choose, to ensure delivery of high-quality care.
“The mission of EyeCare4Kids is both professional and personal for me because I used to be one of those kids whose family faced challenges and anxiety navigating the complicated US health and education systems. That’s why I understand how important it is when one person or one organization offers a hand-up, potentially offering a life-changing impact with one act of kindness,” said Ms. Cline. “I look forward to expanding the reach of EyeCare4Kids and thank Joseph Carbone for founding, growing, and leading the organization for so many years.”
In his new role, Mr. Carbone will dedicate more time to forging partnerships in Africa with different countries’ government departments, other NGOs specializing in vision care, optometrists, clinics, lens manufacturers, universities, and schools to develop a collaborative network that creates a scalable, sustainable, and far-reaching solution to support children’s vision health across Africa. Akin to their work in the United States, EyeCare4Kids Africa will build the infrastructure to manufacture, cut, and fit lenses into frames efficiently.
“Over the past 20 years, I’ve seen how our work in Africa helps children to see better, do better in school, and set up opportunities to improve their quality of life. I’m very much looking forward to my next chapter when I can focus on building long-lasting relationships that extend the impact of EyeCare4Kids,” said Mr. Carbone. “I also congratulate Maggie Cline on her well-deserved promotion. Her hard work, dedication, and resourcefulness combined with her compassion will serve EyeCare4Kids well in the future.”