Erin Rueff, OD, PhD, FAAO, Dipl AAO
Associate Director, North America Professional Education

Dr. Erin Rueff earned her Doctor of Optometry degree at the Ohio State University (OSU).
She completed OSU's Cornea & Contact Lens Advanced Practice Fellowship and went on to serve as a clinical instructor at OSU while completing a PhD in Vision Science.

Her research focused on defining the relationship between visual disorders and contact lens discomfort. She continued her academic career at the Southern California College of Optometry at Marshall B Ketchum University (MBKU) where she served as associate professor and chief of the cornea
and contact lens department.

At MBKU she taught in the basic science and contact lens curriculums and specialized in contact lenses, specialty lens design, and dry eye in clinical care. In 2025, she joined Johnson & Johnson as Associate Director of Professional Education, North America.

Rob Sambursky, MD, is a board-certified ophthalmologist and fellowship-trained cornea specialist with more than 25 years of experience in clinical medicine, biotechnology, and executive leadership. He currently serves as CEO of DefEYE, Inc., and previously founded or held executive leadership positions at RPS Diagnostics, Lumos Diagnostics, and Visus Therapeutics.

An accomplished innovator, Dr. Sambursky has authored numerous patents and scientific publications and played a key role in developing, securing regulatory approvals for, and commercializing diagnostic technologies worldwide. He also serves as a strategic advisor and board chair for several ophthalmic companies. Dr. Sambursky earned his medical degree from Boston University School of Medicine and completed his ophthalmology residency and cornea fellowship at Wills Eye Hospital.