Foundation Fighting Blindness Appoints Jason Morris as Board Chair

Longtime Board member, parent advocate, and business executive slated to guide next phase of the organization's growth and mission, effective immediately.

COLUMBIA, Md., March 12, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The Foundation Fighting Blindness, the driving force in the global development of treatments and cures for blinding diseases, announced today the appointment of Jason Morris as Board Chair.

Morris has served on the Foundation's Board of Directors since 2017 and, most recently, as Executive Vice Chair. Morris will transition from Interim Board Chair, succeeding the late Karen Petrou, the Foundation's previous Board Chair since 2024.

"As the parent of someone diagnosed with an inherited retinal disease at a young age, Jason Morris understands our mission from every angle," said Jason Menzo, chief executive officer at the Foundation Fighting Blindness. "He brings steady leadership and a deep commitment to the families we serve. We are grateful for his dedication and willingness to step into this role at such an important time for us."

Morris first connected with the Foundation in 2009 after his son was diagnosed at age five with CRB1-associated retinitis pigmentosa. What began with a local chapter meeting in St. Louis quickly became a long-term engagement. Over the years, he has served as Executive Vice Chair, Chapter President, National Trustee, Treasurer, and Board Director. He was also an original board member of the RD Fund, the venture philanthropy arm of the Foundation, and remains active as an observer.

Through their involvement in 17 VisionWalk events and more than a decade of chapter fundraising, including 14 years of annual dinner events, the Morris family has helped raise over $7 million to advance research, expand community engagement, and support the Foundation's work.

"Like so many families, ours came to the Foundation looking for answers and hope," said Morris. "What we found was a community driven by possibility. It's an honor to step into this role and support the organization as it continues accelerating research and expanding its impact for more families today and generations to come."

In addition to his volunteer work, Morris brings more than three decades of executive experience across operations, finance, strategy, and organizational growth. He currently serves as President and Chief Operating Officer of Courtesy Products, LLC, where he oversees a multi-state operation serving the hospitality industry throughout the United States and Canada. Over the course of his career, he has led strategic transformation initiatives, guided companies through acquisitions and restructuring, and built high-performing teams grounded in accountability and long-term sustainability.

As Board Chair, Morris will work closely with the Board of Directors and executive leadership to advance the Foundation's strategic priorities and support its mission to drive research toward treatments and cures for inherited retinal diseases and dry age-related macular degeneration.

About the Foundation Fighting Blindness
Established in 1971, the Foundation Fighting Blindness is the driving force in the global development of treatments and cures for blinding diseases. The Foundation has raised nearly $1 billion toward its mission of accelerating research that will provide preventions, treatments, and cures for people affected by retinitis pigmentosa, Usher syndrome, Stargardt disease, Leber congenital amaurosis, age-related macular degeneration, and the spectrum of retinal degenerative diseases. Visit FightingBlindness.org for more information.

Media Contacts:
Chris Adams
Vice President, Marketing & Communications
[email protected]
(410) 423-0585

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/foundation-fighting-blindness-appoints-jason-morris-as-board-chair-302711613.html

SOURCE Foundation Fighting Blindness