Monty Montoya

September 30, 2020

Monty Montoya has earned global recognition for his persistent passion for eliminating corneal blindness worldwide by transforming how ophthalmologists care for the cornea. He is considered an innovative leader for working tirelessly for the past 20 years to bring sight-restoring transplants to the 10 million individuals waiting in darkness around the globe.

In October 2016, Monty became the CEO of CorneaGen (formerly SightLife Surgical), a mission-driven company seeking innovation and improvements in all dimensions of cornea care. Through partnerships, investments and education, Monty and his team drive research and development of scalable therapeutics for the prevention and treatment of corneal disease. He leads CorneaGen in supporting ophthalmologists and their patients with a spectrum of services, including the latest products and devices, delivery of the highest-quality tissue, surgeon education and advocacy for patient access to care and reimbursement policies.

Prior to taking the helm of CorneaGen, Monty was the CEO of SightLife, and guided its growth from annual revenues of $800,000 to over $40 million while driving positive change in cornea care space. SightLife’s success and impact under Monty’s leadership garnered many accolades, including Northwest EY Life Science Entrepreneur of the Year in 2014 and several Best Places to Work recognitions over the past 15 years.

In 2009, Monty was honored with the Eye Bank Association of America’s coveted Heise Award—an award given to a non-medical individual who has made the greatest contribution to advancing the cause of eye banking. He holds a bachelor’s degree from Arizona State University and an MBA from Duke University.