Meet Lori Short of Iowa Kidsight / University of Iowa Stead Family Children’s Hospital
How long have you been with your organization?
33 years
What is your organization’s mission?
To enhance the early detection and treatment of vision problems in young children (target population 6 months of age through kindergarten) through screening and public education.
What do you love most about your organization?
The thing I love most about our organization is working with an incredibly dedicated team to help kids see. It can be so simplified but it takes various skills and multiple actions and passions of many people to take it to a state-wide level of success. I can’t think of anything more fulfilling than being surrounded by positive and productive individuals doing something that is so palpable and meaningful.
What’s one thing – either industry/work-related or not – you learned in the past month?
I’m not sure this point is “learned,” but I have noticed an increase in conversation on myopia in the young child as of late. I revisited something in the past month I continue to learn, “Perspective is everything.”
What’s one skill you’d like to develop or sharpen this coming year?
Active listening
When you’re not working, how do you enjoy spending your time?
Practicing yoga, playing with plants, and being at home or the lake with family and friends.
If you could trade places with anyone for a day, who would it be and why?
Two people quickly come to mind – my mother-in-law and Bobby Flay. My mother-in-law is 90. She has a big beautiful family who all adore her and that Bobby Flay, he sure can cook! Or, wait, maybe a drummer in a rock band . . . 🙂
What was the last book you read or movie you watched?
Book: Glucose Revolution (learned about it at NAVP)
Where is your favorite destination you’ve visited, and why?
Lake of the Ozarks – It’s where I have truly relaxed.
Where on earth are you hoping to travel next?
New York perhaps?
What is something unique about you (fun fact) that most people are not aware of?
I worked at the drag strips (and loved it too) during high school.
Iowa KidSight is a joint project of the Lions Clubs of Iowa and the Department of Ophthalmology & Visual Sciences at the University of Iowa Stead Family Children’s Hospital, dedicated to enhancing the early detection and treatment of vision impairments in young children (target population 6 months of age through kindergarten) in Iowa communities through screening and public education.
The goals of the project are:
- Objectively screen vision in infants and young children throughout all of Iowa’s 99 counties–for FREE.
- Educate the public about the risk of undetected vision loss.
- Identify ways to sustain vision screening programs of this type.
To learn more about Iowa Kidsight, you can visit their website or follow them on Facebook.
