BIRMINGHAM – Barbara Evers, an accountant by trade, will take the reins of the EyeSight Foundation of Alabama October 1 as its executive director.

She succeeds the organization’s only other executive director, Torrey DeKeyser, who retires September 30 after holding the post since it was created in 1999. The EyeSight Foundation was founded in 1997 after the sale of the former Eye Foundation Hospital—now Callahan Eye Hospital—to the University of Alabama at Birmingham.

“We are fortunate to have someone of Barbara’s caliber succeeding Torrey,” said EyeSight Foundation Chair Danny McKinney. “Torrey laid a strong foundation, and we expect Barbara will continue to build upon that foundation.  Her experience, her knowledge and her compassion will be assets to our organization and to the eye care community.”

Through the endowment created from that sale, the Foundation offers grant support to promote preventive and routine eye care along with vision screenings and follow-up care, eye care for the indigent, low vision and rehabilitation services, geographic access to eye care, training of ophthalmologists, and eye research of all kinds. 

“Barbara will be instrumental in ensuring we successfully fulfill our mission,” said EyeSight Foundation Immediate Past Chair Spencer South. “She was a clear choice as only our second executive director because she truly understands the work we do here and the impact it has. She shares our vision for the future, and I am confident she will continue to move us forward.” 

Evers served as assistant controller for a faith-based foundation for six years.   She combines that experience with what she calls her “passion for the work of the EyeSight Foundation.”  Vision research, medical education, and access to excellent eye care are “near and dear to her heart.”

“It is a thrill to support research seeking cures for macular degeneration and other eye diseases.  The Foundation also supports medical education as UAB trains the next generation of ophthalmologists.  And we support community-based nonprofits which meet needs among Alabama residents with vision impairment.” Evers understands the importance of quality eye health care as she and her family have benefited from excellent care at Callahan Eye Hospital long before joining ESFA’s staff. “In Outpatient Surgery, in the Emergency Department, and in Callahan clinics, we have received excellent care.” 

When her son was 10, he was struck in the eye with a baseball, and he was rushed to the Emergency Department at Callahan.  She was so impressed by the care her son received in the ED and in Callahan clinics at his many follow-up appointments, she wrote a letter to UAB leadership in appreciation of the “jewel that Callahan represents in Alabama’s medical community.”  She noted that Callahan is one of only two Level 1 Ocular Trauma Centers in the United States with a 24/7 eye emergency department.  “It’s very unusual to have this very specialized eye care facility in our community,” she added.

As executive director of ESFA, she plans to build upon the strong foundation already laid in the vision community. “I want to continue to see our endowment assets grow so that we can continue to support research, education and patient care in Alabama. Though the foundation has awarded more than $70 million in grants since its inception, its assets are roughly equal to the amount it started with 24 years ago.”

  “I cannot think of any health issue which would be more devastating to me personally than vision loss.  I’m thankful the foundation has a solid investment base so we can continue supporting vision causes in our community and throughout the state,” she added.