Ophthalmology Residency - Residents

Liya Solomon Ayalew, MD

Liya Solomon Ayalew, MD is from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. She graduated from a six-year college-medical school program at the University of Gondar, School of Medicine, and went on to complete an ophthalmology residency, becoming faculty at her alma mater for three years. With additional training at Tel Aviv University, Israel, and the University of Nairobi, Kenya, Dr. Ayalew has contributed to research and education and developed exceptional surgical skills, particularly in small incision cataract surgeries. She has coordinated teaching wet labs in the Manual Small Incision Cataract Surgery (MSICS) technique for resident physicians and has led a team of ten professionals in six different cataract surgery outreach programs. Dr. Ayalew is board-certified by the International Council of Ophthalmology and the College of Ophthalmology of Eastern, Central, and Southern Africa. She follows in the footsteps of her uncle, who is also an ophthalmologist, and aspires to encompass a passionate commitment to humanitarian efforts. Liya’s hobbies include cooking Ethiopian meals, taking long walks, and participating in aerobics exercise classes. She is fluent in Amharic and English.

Jack Kanouzi, MD

Jack Kanouzi, MD, was born in Barcelona, Spain, and his hometown is the Canary Islands. He graduated from Universidad Europea de Madrid and completed preliminary general surgery training at Yale and Montefiore Einstein. He completed a PGY-2 general surgery residency at Northwell Health in New York. With an additional three-year Plastic Surgery Postdoctoral Fellowship at Yale, Dr. Kanouzi helped develop a microsurgery educational curriculum and a novel objective assessment tool to train more than 16 residents performing live arterial "End-to-end Anastomoses" in hand surgery. During this time, he served as the surgical mission trip coordinator for Hand Help, working with a team to provide surgery in underserved areas in South America to more than eighty children each year. Through these experiences at Yale, he was awarded the Tangredi Excellence Award for embodying teamwork, initiative, attention to detail, and devotion to patient care. He will pursue a career in oculoplastic surgery. Jack is an avid soccer player and fan. He is fluent in Spanish and English.

Emily Gray Robillard, MD

Emily Gray Robillard, MD, is originally from Washington State. She attended medical school at the Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine as part of their inaugural class before going to the University of California, Los Angeles, where she completed a pediatric residency. Dr. Gray has also received a Graduate Certificate of Leadership in Medicine and Healthcare. Prior to medical school, she worked as an Ophthalmic Technician at Moscow Family Eye Care, which sparked her original interest in the field. She is excited to continue her training and is ultimately interested in pediatric ophthalmology. She will pursue board certification in both fields. Inspired by her mom, who served abroad in the Peace Corps and worked as an ICU nurse for over 30 years—all while independently caring for two children—Emily was instilled with the value of serving others. When not at work, she enjoys painting, spending time outdoors, and relaxing with her family.

Christine Lopez Yang, MD

Christine Lopez Yang, MD, grew up in Monterrey, Mexico, where she graduated from an International Baccalaureate (IBO) program at Monterrey Institute of Technology and Higher Education, followed by obtaining her medical degree from the University of Monterrey (UDEM) Faculty of Medicine. In Monterrey, Dr. Lopez completed a four-year ophthalmology residency program, serving as chief resident in her final year. During residency, she participated in a week-long health campaign held at Clinica Esquipulas in Chiapas, Mexico, which provides medical care to many surrounding impoverished indigenous communities. With additional Postdoctoral Clinical Research and Medical Retina Fellowships at The Retinal Vascular Center in Houston, Texas, Dr. Lopez participated as an examiner and certified refractionist in the Diabetic Retinopathy Clinical Research Network. She completed an internship in Internal Medicine at Mount Sinai Hospital Medical Center of Chicago. After completing eight years in the Superior School for Music and Dance of Monterrey (ESMyD) in Classical Piano Performance, she made the tough choice to prioritize her medical studies but continues to maintain her musical passions. Christine also enjoys running, hiking, and visiting national parks. She is fluent in Spanish, English, and Mandarin.