Amanda Gaez                 

Executive Director, Andrew Dougherty Vision Foundation

  • Role: Executive Director, Andrew Dougherty Vision Foundation
  • Focus: Nonprofit leadership, program development, and global mission coordination
  • Education: AA, Engineering — Institute of Audio Engineering Arts; BSJ, News & Information — University of Kansas 
  • Notable: Oversees ADVF’s international surgical missions and partnerships with global health organizations

Amanda Gaez is a highly effective, mission-driven leader in global health and nonprofit operations. As Executive Director, she guides the Andrew Dougherty Vision Foundation (ADVF) in delivering its sight-restoring programs and ensuring long-term operational excellence.

With years of experience in strategic management and partnership development, Amanda ensures that every mission is efficient, effective, and focused on lasting impact, driving ADVF toward its critical goal of making preventable blindness a thing of the past by 2050.

Strategic Leadership & Program Delivery

Amanda is responsible for the overall strategic direction and program delivery of the foundation. Her expertise in operational excellence and systems management is crucial to maximizing the organization’s reach and effectiveness in underserved communities.

Under her leadership, ADVF has significantly elevated its ability to restore sight by:

  • Training local clinicians to build sustainable eye care capacity.

  • Coordinating complex international medical missions logistics.

  • Deploying technological innovations in partnership with medical experts.

  • Expanding access to high-quality vision care across all operational areas.

Partnership & Collaboration

A key focus of Amanda’s role is building collaborations across sectors—from local governments and international NGOs to private medical device companies. She leverages these partnerships to secure essential resources and logistical support, ensuring that ADVF’s efforts create multiplying and permanent benefits for the communities they serve.

Her mission-driven approach ensures that all collaborations are aligned with the foundation's core values, making a measurable difference at scale.