Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill Area
I am a Precision Engineering Professional with 20+ years experience in R&D, Product & Process development and manufacturing. My experience in technical leadership includes microelectronics integration into micro-optical systems, diamond turning of freeform optics, optical tooling and molding, precision metrology of optical / mechanical components, measurement system development and production systems deployment into regulated environments. I have also held functional leadership roles which included organizational development, R&D leadership, production systems life-cycle management, and collaborative leadership through matrix organizations. Following graduate school, I joined J&J Vision to develop Diamond Turning platforms and processes. The systems and processes developed enabled the launch of Acuvue Advance for Astigmatism and the highly successful portfolio of Astigmatism products with the Blink Stabilized Design. Ultra-Precision machining with Single Point Diamond Turning has historically out-paced off-the-shelf metrology capabilities. This led to my next role to develop metrology for segmented and continuous aspheres with laser interferometry which are used for in-process components enabling the launch of Acuvue Oasys for Presbyopia. In 2010, I became the first Global Metrology Manager for the franchise and shifted into a functional leadership role with technical accountabilities. I created a global team which managed the life-cycle strategy of metrology systems for both Finished Goods Testing (Quality Control) and in-process checks. We developed automated metrology systems integrated with overhead data systems (LIMS) and reduced production scrap rate by improving measurement capabilities.
I founded OPTICOR Precision to bridge the gap between complex optical design and market-ready reality. We don't just manufacture; we partner with innovators to de-risk the delivery of advanced optical systems. Specialties: Single Point Diamond Turning (SPDT), Optical Component Manufacturing, Process Optimization, and Metrology Integration. Data-Driven Quality: Leveraging advanced metrology and bespoke process development to ensure "right-first-time" delivery. Collaborative Engineering: Moving beyond the vendor-client relationship to foster integrated product development that accelerates speed-to-market.
In this role I reestablished the diamond point turning and ultra precision machining lab at Google's main campus in Mountain View, CA. The lab became part of the AR organization and I supported various lightguide development programs with both direct prototyping and optical tooling.
I lead the SmartLens program at Verily Life Sciences where we integrate flexible circuits and microelectronics into contact lenses and IOLs with advanced optical systems. Our goal was to bring Smart Contact Lenses into the market place. We design, build, and test devices which have been made in-house through QMS compliant processes. These include Ultra-precision machining/Diamond Point Turning, Injection Molding, precision micro-optics assembly, permeable conductive coatings, flexible circuit fabrication, chip bonding, assembly, hydrogel casting, metrology and packaging.
I was responsible for establishing the diamond point turning, optical molding and metrology for the Smart Contact Lens projects. I created super-complex tooling and molding that enabled these advanced projects. I have a personal mission to never say 'NO' to a designer. If they dream it, I make it happen.
In 2010, I became the first Global Metrology Manager for the franchise and shifted into a functional leadership role with technical accountability. The team manages the life-cycle strategy of metrology systems for both Finished Goods Testing (Quality Control) and in-process checks. This includes Contact Lens Parameters (ISO 18369, 21 CFR 820), Package Integrity Testing (ISO 11607), and precision components used in the manufacture of contact lenses. The global direct reports support two manufacturing sites, 15+ product lines (both current and legacy), and customer relations. We developed advanced automated metrology systems integrated with overhead data systems (Labware LIMS), high-throughput testing for in-process checks, and reduce production scrap rate by improving measurement capabilities. We also work with manufacturing groups to identify root cause failure of optical systems.
Led a technical team in development of a Rapid Prototyping process for contact lens manufacture in R&D to enable fast concept-to-clinic testing of designs. Led a development team of optical and process engineers to integrate an optical testing method for measuring contact lens parameters in a robust automated device used for QC release while reducing measurement variation and increasing throughput. Developed a method of measuring sub 20um features (form and finish) on plastic molds using white light optical profiling. The method is now critical in the development of injection molding parameters, resin evaluation, and production line yield issues. Developed a process and software to machine freeform sub 15um details using single point diamond turning to enable novel contact lens designs.
Involved in product development from HOQ to CTQs and finished Product Requirements. Developed clinical metrology to assess the impact of glare light sources on patients contrast sensitivity and the correlation to advanced optical solutions in a simulated night-time driving environment. Used latest metrology systems to establish the manufacturing process of aspheric optical components and provide data for tolerance models. Completed Process Excellence Green Belt certification for metrology of aspheric optics and automated the comparison and extraction of feature specific information using 3D laser interferometry.