Administration
A practice like Illinois Retina Associates requires not only excellent physicians, but a dedicated team of administrative professionals working behind the scenes. This includes overall administrative functions, such as financial management, strategic planning, personnel management and office operations. The goal of this team is to provide an environment that’s conducive to referrals, as well as excellent patient and employee satisfaction. These individuals, along with the entire Illinois Retina Associates team, dedicate countless hours to the smooth operation of this renowned retina practice.
Robert Lea, MBA, Practice Administrator
Robert J. Lea, MBA, joined Illinois Retina Associates as CEO in May 2022. Robert oversees all operations at Illinois Retina including its over 150 employees, 13 physicians, and 13 locations. Prior to joining Illinois Retina, Robert served as Practice Administrator for Retina Center Northwest in Silverdale, Washington starting in 2013 and Operations Manager for Wellish Vision Institute in Las Vegas, Nevada starting in 2006.
Robert holds an MBA from UNLV and speaks fluent Spanish. He is currently a member of RetNet, ASRS, AAO, and ASOA; he has presented at various local and national association meetings as well as serves on various administrative boards. Robert is a talented speaker, enjoys volunteering with youth and scouting organizations, and making memories with his wife and three children.
Contact: (708) 915-6808
Rossana Agron, District Manager
Contact: (312) 726-4949
Lynn Ruiz, District Manager
Lynn joined Illinois Retina Associates in 2008 and is the District Manager for our Flossmoor and Orland Park locations. She began her career in the Central Billing Office and went on to become the manager in 2010. She is the Safety and Privacy Officer for the practice and serves on the Corporate Compliance Committee in that role. Lynn also continues to assist in Central Billing operations when needed.
Contact: (708) 647-9211
Mary Frederick, Central Billing Office Manager
Mary is the Manager of our Central Billing Office. She joined the practice in 1999 as a front-desk employee and then moved to the Central Billing Office. Mary is responsible for coordinating all billing for Illinois Retina Associates, including the practice’s five different Medicare regions, numerous insurance companies, and hospital or physician-based organizations. She also serves on the Corporate Compliance Committee.
Contact: (708) 877-1300
Debbie Zelinski, District Manager
Debbie is the District Manager for our Joliet and Hinsdale locations. She joined Illinois Retina Associates in 1998 as a front desk employee. In 2002, her position changed to Financial Assistant when she started working on patient and insurance collections along with her other clerical duties. In 2004, she took on the responsibility of being the Laser Safety Officer for our practice. Since 2005, Debbie had assisted the manager when the manager was not on the premises. In 2021, she was promoted to the position of District Manager. Debbie serves on the Corporate Compliance and Quality Improvement committee. Additionally, she is responsible for the off-site storage of all Corporate and Patient Records and oversees their databases. Debbie has a Bachelor’s degree from the University of St. Francis and was previously a school educator.
Contact: (708) 877-4346
Jill Vander Woude, District Manager
Jill joined our management team in February 2022. She is the District Manager of the Munster, IN and Harvey locations. Jill first began working at Illinois Retina Associates in 2014 as a front desk employee, and soon thereafter transitioned into a clinical role. She found her true passion when she took on a financial role, spearheading our benefits investigation process. Jill continues to be involved with benefit investigating, and is our practice’s HIPAA Compliance Officer and Civil Rights Coordinator, therefore serving on our Corporate Compliance and Quality Improvement Committee.
Contact: (708) 877-4343
Brian Pfeifer, COT, District Manager
Brian is the District Manager overseeing our Skokie and Libertyville locations. He started at Illinois Retina Associates in 2012 as an ophthalmic technician after completing his A.A.S. in Ophthalmic Technology from Triton College. He would go on to become an IJCAHPO Certified Ophthalmic Technician and later, Certified Ophthalmic Scribe. He also serves on the Corporate Compliance Committee as the practice’s EHR Support Specialist and Clinical Auditor. Brian’s interest in ophthalmology developed after having LASIK surgery in the early 2000s and he was introduced to Illinois Retina Associates by his grandfather, a long-time macular degeneration patient.
Gerald Gomez, District Manager
Gerald is the District Manager of our Oak Park and Rush offices. He has over 30 years of multi-specialty Healthcare Administration experience that includes direct care within Radiology, Sleep Medicine, and Pulmonology. With an undergraduate education in Business and Healthcare Administration, Gerald specializes in Medical Practice Operations and is responsible for educating other employees on using progressive thought approaches in achieving high results and encouraging all staff to leverage the capabilities of the EMR and Practice Management applications to drive better outcomes in all facets. Gerald is a proponent of caring for the care providers in the workplace and uses his positive attitude and tireless energy to encourage others to provide the best care possible through their experience, skills, abilities, and above all their desire for the best outcomes for the patients that they support. Gerald is inspired daily by his wife and their two daughters and son. In his free time, Gerald enjoys being a dad and grandfather to his granddaughters and grandsons and the serenity of the open space of nature.
Contact: (708) 877-4337
Joanna Chmiel, MBA, Director of Marketing and Professional Relations
Joanna joined Illinois Retina Associates in 2018 and serves as the Director of Marketing and Professional Relations for the practice. She works closely with providers referring patients to our physicians for retinal diseases. Joanna has an extensive background in healthcare management and administration and has been working in the medical field since 1997.
Contact: (708) 877-1250
Eric Mack, IT Manager
Eric Mack is our IT Manager and a member of the corporate compliance committee. He is responsible
for our computer systems, telecommunications, network security, and infrastructure. Eric joined Illinois
Retina Associates in February 2021. He has over thirteen years of IT experience and has a Bachelor of
Science in Network and Communications Management.
Contact: (872) 766-2666
Luisa Delgado, Accounting Manager
Luisa Delgado joined Illinois Retina Associates in 2019 as Accounts Payable Coordinator. In 2023, she took on the role of Accounting Manager for the practice. She oversees the Accounting Department and is a member of the Corporate Compliance Committee. Luisa has been working in the healthcare environment since 2005 and has a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with a concentration in Healthcare Management
Contact: (708) 915-6964