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SHORT HILLS, N.J.—New Eyes for the Needy, the Short Hills, N.J.-based nonprofit dedicated to providing eyeglasses to families, children and individuals in the U.S. and in developing countries around the world, announced new appointments to its board of trustees. Kristine Van Amsterdam has been named president of the board. Van Amsterdam has been a member of the New Eyes board for the past six years. She has also served as a director/trustee/advisor for the Walnut Hill School for the Arts, MetroWest Medical Center, MetroWest Mediation Services, and MIT delta v Accelerator.

In 2010, Van Amsterdam retired from a 29-year banking career in the Federal Reserve System. In addition to her policymaking roles at the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston, she has been an active contributor to policymaking in the town of Natick, Mass., where she resides. She has served on the board of selectmen, school committee, town meeting and most recently, the Town of Natick finance committee.

Bob Stein has been appointed a New Eyes board trustee. Stein is no stranger to New Eyes, having served for the past 15 years as co-producer, set leader and performer for Rockin’ for New Eyes, the group’s premier charity event.

Stein, who is semi-retired, and living in Cumming, Ga., most recently served as chief philanthropic development officer, at National Vision Inc. Prior to that, he held various leadership roles at National Vision, including chief professional services officer and SVP, HR and Professional Services.

Stein and his wife Sherry, are co-founders of the LEADER (Lanier Extended Area Drivers Education Resource) Foundation, created to increase youth driver education, and decrease accident rates.

Commenting on the new appointments, Jean Gajano, executive director of New Eyes, said, “I am delighted to welcome our new president, Kristine Van Amsterdam and new board trustee, Bob Stein. They both bring intellectual rigor, passion and dedication to New Eyes’ mission to provide the simple, yet critical, tool of eyeglasses to those in need.

"Kristine has been a board trustee since 2014 and will be an inspiring leader as New Eyes grows its mission to help more financially struggling individuals. Bob will bring deep career experience and knowledge in the optical industry as New Eyes pursues strategic partnerships and alliances to further our mission. We are very fortunate to attract this level of talent and skill as we seek to provide eyeglasses and clear vision to those in need so that they can build better lives for themselves, their families and their communities,” Gajano said.