SAN FRANCISCO, July 30, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Glaucoma Research Foundation (GRF) today announced the appointment of Julie S. Austin, MNO, Vice President Philanthropy.
In this role, Austin will lead GRF’s major and principal gifts program, expand a national portfolio of philanthropic partners and work closely with the Foundation’s executive leadership and Board of Directors to strengthen support for groundbreaking glaucoma research and patient education. Her leadership will help advance GRF’s mission to accelerate the discovery of new treatments and find a cure for glaucoma.
Austin brings more than 20 years of advancement leadership in academic medicine and the nonprofit sector. She joins GRF from Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, where she served as Executive Director for Medical Development, leading a highly successful, institutional-scale medical advancement program and securing multiple seven-figure philanthropic commitments in support of education, research, and endowment priorities. She has held advancement leadership positions at Case Western Reserve University, Kent State University’s College of Aeronautics and Engineering, the Cleveland Foodbank, Achievement Centers for Children, the International Dyslexia Association of Northern Ohio, and Malachi House.
“Julie has a remarkable ability to connect donors with opportunities that can truly change lives,” said Nancy Graydon, GRF’s Executive Director of Development and COO. “As we expand our investment in research aimed at preserving and restoring vision, her strategic leadership, collaborative approach, and passion for our mission will help us build the partnerships needed to accelerate discoveries that will benefit patients for generations to come.”
“Glaucoma Research Foundation is entering an exciting period of growth, with ambitious research initiatives that have the potential to transform how glaucoma is treated,” said Thomas Brunner, GRF’s President and Chief Executive Officer. “Julie’s experience in academic medical philanthropy and her ability to cultivate meaningful, long-term donor relationships will strengthen our capacity to engage visionary philanthropists who want to help speed the next generation of breakthroughs.”
“I’m honored to join an organization with such an extraordinary legacy of scientific innovation and commitment to patients,” said Austin. “I look forward to partnering with donors across the country who share our belief that philanthropy can help accelerate discoveries that preserve vision, restore sight, and bring us closer to a cure.”
Austin holds a Master of Nonprofit Organizations (M.N.O.) from Case Western Reserve University and a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration and Health Services Management from Ursuline College.
About Glaucoma Research Foundation
Founded in San Francisco in 1978, Glaucoma Research Foundation (GRF) is America’s oldest and most experienced nonprofit organization dedicated solely to its mission: to cure glaucoma and restore vision through innovative research. For nearly five decades, GRF has advanced groundbreaking, results-driven research that has transformed the understanding and treatment of glaucoma while producing trusted educational resources relied upon by eye care professionals nationwide. The Foundation’s website, www.glaucoma.org, serves as a leading source of glaucoma information, providing evidence-based resources and support to millions of patients, caregivers, and healthcare professionals each year.
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SOURCE Glaucoma Research Foundation
