Board Members

APOMA BOARD MEMBERS

Listed below are the current 2023-2024 APOMA Board members. Most members are elected for two-year terms and are chosen by their peers to represent the APOMA organization.

PRESIDENT

Lee Steneken is President of Esco Optics in Oak Ridge, NJ. Lee grew up in the family business and developed a passion for optics, working in the fabrication shop early on. He has worked hard to refine the business from the ground up. His best achievements come when employees and customers succeed together. Lee loves a challenge and thrives when pushing boundaries in optics.

Mike Mandina

PAST PRESIDENT

Mike Mandina has recently retired from his role as President of Optimax Systems Inc. and is a master optician and entrepreneur. He started two precision optics manufacturing businesses, then joined Optimax in 1991. He serves the local community and global industry through roles in various organizations. Mike is involved in steering the MCC Optics Department Advisory Board Hiring Committee and the Rochester Regional Economic Council’s Photonics Work Group.

PRESIDENT ELECT

Travis Green is currently President of Alpine Research Optics in Boulder, CO and has been in that position since its acquisition in 2011. As a third-generation family member in the precision optics manufacturing industry, Travis also served as President of PFG Precision Optics, Inc. in Ocean Springs, MS from 2002 through 2022. Prior to 2002, Travis had a 20 year career in the financial industry. He holds an undergraduate degree in business from Emory University and a graduate degree in international business from the University of South Carolina.

David Mohring

TREASURER

David Mohring is the Metrology Coordinator at OptiPro Systems. He has over 30 years of experience in the precision optics industry. He holds a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from the Rochester Institute of Technology. David has designed precision automated manufacturing systems and developed advanced fabrication and inspection techniques to address the challenges of making precision optics.

SECRETARY

Zachary Hobbs is Director of Engineering at Sydor Optics; having been with the company since 2008. Zach has been in the precision optics industry for over 20 years; beginning as an optical technician before transitioning into mechanical and process engineering. He holds a B.S. in Electrical/Mechanical Engineering Technology from the Rochester Institute of Technology, as well as completing a New York State Toolmaker Apprenticeship. Zach has also been a co-author on multiple journal publications, technical presentations, and white papers.

AT-LARGE BOARD MEMBER DIRECTORS

Navid Entezarian graduated magna cum laude in applied physics with a minor in applied mathematics from New Jersey Institute of Technology in 2013, the same year he began his career in optics as a manufacturing engineer for Thorlabs. He has worked with local industry partners from New Jersey (ESCO, Coherent, Inrad optics, Thorlabs) and Alexis Vogt from Monroe Community College to develop an optics program at Sussex County Community College to empower the next generation of optical fabricators.

Justin Mahanna

Justin Mahanna is a vice president at Universal Photonics, a global manufacturer and distributor of optical surface preparation materials and machinery. With almost 30 years of diverse polishing experience, Justin has been involved all aspects of the business from hands-on manufacturing, facilities management, to supporting the highest technology applications being performed by world leaders in optics.

Shai Shafrir, PhD., is the Finishing Technology Manager for Precision Glass Solution Business Unit of Advance Optics, Corning Inc. Shai’s body of work at Corning has gained him worldwide experience in glass manufacturing and acknowledgment for providing leading technology solutions implemented in mass production. His current focus is on precision glass wafers and panels fabrication for high performance consumer electronics and IoT applications. He has also held positions at L3Harris, OptiPro Systems, and the Materials Group of the Laboratory of Laser Energetics, University of Rochester. Shai holds PhD (2007) and MS (2005) degrees in Materials Science from the UR, and a Bachelor of Mechanical Engineer from ORT Braude College of Engineering, Israel (2003). He is a primary author/co-author of four US patents and has authored/co-authored multiple journal publications during his career.

Alexis Vogt

ACADEMIC MEMBER

Alexis Vogt, PhD is Endowed Chair and Associate Professor of Optics at Monroe Community College in Rochester, NY. In addition to teaching responsibilities, Dr. Vogt was appointed to her role at MCC in September 2015 to strengthen and grow the optics and photonics program – the nation’s oldest two-year degree program for training technicians to work in the optics and photonics industry. Dr. Vogt received her B.S. and Ph.D. in Optics from the University of Rochester Institute of Optics where her research focused on polarization engineering, coherence theory, and microscopy. Prior to joining MCC, Dr. Vogt was the Applications & Business Development Manager at Melles Griot and previous to that, designed contact lenses and intraocular lenses for Bausch + Lomb.