San Diego Chapter

Chapter Contact

Xavier Garcia

XGarcia@FightingBlindness.org

The Strength of the Foundation is Through Our Communities

The Foundation Fighting Blindness Chapter network unites the blind and low vision community across the country. Our family of volunteers and leaders stands up for those impacted by blinding diseases. From day one, they share the latest research and advancements and provide access to local resources to guide individuals through their personal journey. And together, they celebrate the Foundation’s mission.

We are winning thanks to the dedication of our Chapters, who focus on three key areas: education, resources, and revenue. Through informative sessions, Foundation staff, community, and national experts provide research information, low vision resources, and outreach to our local retinal specialists and eye care professionals. To continue accelerating our mission, each community is invited to be a stakeholder by participating in our fundraising events.

San Diego Chapter Leadership

Name

Role
Elena Kaltsas President
Raquel Alim Vice President
India Kaltsas West Corporate Engagement Chair
Maryam Abdul Sattar Community Engagement Chair
Jane Federle Member at Large

Looking for a chance to make a real difference? The San Diego Chapter is searching for passionate individuals who want to drive research for treatments and cures for blinding diseases. If you're enthusiastic about our mission and eager to be a champion in the community, we'd love to have you on our Chapter Leadership Team! Please contact Xavier Garcia to learn more.

Chapter Events

  • Insights Forum | Thursday, September 24, 2026

    • Sep 24, 2026
    • 11:00 a.m. (EDT)
    • Virtual

    The Foundation Fighting Blindness is pleased to invite you to the upcoming Insights Forum, our quarterly conference call providing updates to the blinding disease community. The focus of this call is to report progress on the Foundation’s mission-related initiatives, highlight recent developments and provide scientific and research updates.

    Insights Forum

  • San Diego Virtual Event with We See Different

    • Sep 30, 2026
    • 6:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. (PDT)
    • Virtual

    Join the Foundation Fighting Blindness San Diego Chapter for a special virtual presentation featuring We See Different, a San Diego-based organization dedicated to supporting people with vision loss and disabilities.

    Community Event

  • Quarterly Vision Webinar: Thyroid Eye Disease (TED)

    • Oct 17, 2026
    • 12:00 p.m. - 1:30 p.m. (EDT)
    • Virtual

    Learn more about Thyroid Eye Disease (TED)

    Foundation Event

  • San Diego VisionWalk

    • Oct 25, 2026
    • 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. (PDT)
    • 3000 N Mission Bay Dr, San Diego, CA 92109

    Join us the 19th Annual San Diego VisionWalk!

    VisionWalk

  • San Diego Vision Connection

    • Oct 28, 2026
    • 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. (PDT)
    • 9449 Campus Point Dr, La Jolla, CA 92037

    Explore the Latest in Retinal Research at UC San Diego

    Community Event

  • San Diego Scramble for Sight

    • Jun 8, 2027
    • 11:30 a.m. (PDT)
    • 17550 Bernardo Oaks Dr, San Diego, CA 92128

    San Diego Scramble for Sight brings our community together for a full day of connection, competition, and purpose, uniting supporters around the Foundation Fighting Blindness’ mission to drive treatments and cures for blinding diseases.

    Signature Event

Additional Resources

  • Find a doctor who sees patients with inherited retinal diseases
  • Learn more about our Vision Warrior program and do-it-yourself events