Women In Optometry will award nine women ODs with a Theia Award of Excellence on Thursday, Nov. 7, 2024, during the American Academy of Optometry in Indianapolis, Indiana. This is the ninth year for this annual awards ceremony.
Each year, WO asks readers and friends to submit the names of women who have been extraordinarily influential in the industry. This year, more than 200 nominations were submitted; the WO advisory board votes for the winners.
Here are the 2024 winners.
LEADERSHIP (Tie) |
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Jarrett Johnson, OD, MPH, of New Orleans, Louisiana |
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Lori Grover, OD, PhD, FAAO, Dipl AAO, of Scottsdale, Arizona |
Dr. Jarrett Johnson
Dr. Johnson owns Primary Eye Care and has served on the SCO Board of Directors, becoming Chairman and earning a Lifetime Achievement Award in 2015. She was crucial in state legislative efforts for scope expansion, receiving the OAL Public Service Award. She serves on non-profit boards like KidSmart and Feed the Secondline, focusing on at-risk populations. During COVID, her office tested and vaccinated the unhoused community and provided eye exams to reduce ER visits, earning her the Vision Monday Eyecare Hero Award and the 2022 NOA Founder’s Award. She currently serves on the VSP Board of Directors and was named OD of the Year 2024 by the Optometry Association of Louisiana.
She says, “I have always believed that it was important to say ‘yes’ to leadership opportunities because it represents an openness to new ideas, a willingness to take calculated risks and a commitment to moving forward even in uncertain times. My mother taught me to move past my comfort zone and embrace new challenges. With this belief as the foundation of my career, I have been able to serve as a leader and team member for numerous optometric organizations.”
Dr. Lori Grover
Dr. Grover served 11 years on the AOA Vision Rehabilitation Section Council, including as Chair, and volunteered across seven AOA-state affiliates, achieving significant legislative, policy and regulatory wins. She has been a key figure on nearly every AOA committee. She led the development of AOA’s evidence-based guidelines, gaining national recognition. Her advocacy extends to various national and state entities, focusing on health equity and gender equality within optometry.
She offers these leadership pearls:
“Explore your passions and opportunities as I have–within our profession and the nation’s health care arena, for women’s elevation or for health equity. Gain success and satisfaction through integrity, honesty, critical thinking and transparency. Be uncompromising in your principles and ethics. Change doesn’t ‘just happen’–be the team role model for trusted action and progress. When something appears unjust, stand up and empower others to do the right thing. Expect nothing less from others in leadership positions. Demand accountability early and often because people who lie about little things lie about big things. Know there will be difficult and disappointing times. When others seek your support, require fact-checking and evidence to critically evaluate aims and outcomes. Reflect your character in your actions and stay positive!”
MENTORING (Tie) |
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Paula Harmon Boone, OD, of Chesapeake, Virginia |
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Jill Saxon, OD, FAAO, of Morristown, New Jersey |
Dr. Paula Harmon Boone
Dr. Boone is the Director of the National Optometric Association’s “Visioning the Future” Historically Black Colleges and Universities Mentorship Program. She was the first African American female licensed to practice optometry in Virginia and has been instrumental in helping pre-optometry students get scholarships. Dr. Boone also mentors many and directs the NOA Mentorship Program.
She says, “Why is mentoring important? Mentoring creates a foundation for empowerment in the process of shared experiences for one to become stronger and more confident. Mentoring provides the opportunity for the discourse of practical and ethical advice. It is an avenue to avoid pitfalls and unnecessary delays in personal and professional growth and development. Mentoring is an essential element in the success of women, military veterans and young ODs.”
Dr. Jill Saxon
Dr. Saxon is the Executive Director of Professional Strategy for U.S. Vision Care at Bausch + Lomb. Beyond her responsibilities in the Vision Care business, she actively participates in the company’s Military Network and Women’s Leadership Network. These resource groups not only enhance company culture and foster broad connections but also inspire personal and professional growth. Through her involvement in these networks and other activities, such as serving as a mentor to students and new optometrists, Dr. Saxon fosters a culture of empowerment and inspiration in all she does.
In sharing her insights on mentorship she says, “When I mentor someone, it’s not just about giving advice or sharing a part of my journey with them. It’s about helping someone reach their dreams, and at the same time, I get to learn new things and see the world from a fresh perspective. What drives me is knowing that I can make a real difference, help shape the future, and leave a positive mark on the people I meet. There’s nothing more rewarding than that, especially when it’s with people from this incredible community we’re all a part of.”
EDUCATION |
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Keshia Elder, OD, MS, FAAO, of St. Louis, Missouri |
Dr. Elder became the fifth dean of the College of Optometry at the University of Missouri–St. Louis in 2022. She is the first Black female in the nation to lead a school of optometry. Prior to coming to UMSL, Dr. Elder served as director of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) at the University of Alabama School of Optometry, where is was also the externship director.
She says, “The field of optometry is dynamic and optometrists serve a special role as primary eye care providers. Optometric education provides an avenue to serve my community by training optometrists and vision researchers who will improve the health of patients and advance research for generations to come. The ability to directly and indirectly help students, colleagues and patients by preparing the next generation of optometrists and vision researchers excites me.”
INNOVATION |
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Jacqueline Theis, OD, FAAO, FNAP, of Richmond, Virginia |
Dr. Theis is the CMO of Light Technologies. She’s helping pioneer unique one-of-a-kind technology using eye movements to help with early identification of neuron-degenerative disorders. Dr. Theis is pioneering work with TBI and other concussion-based issues.
“Innovation in eyecare is not just about adopting new technologies; it is about rethinking how we diagnose, treat, and care for our patients. Telehealth, advanced imaging and artificial intelligence are revolutionizing how we conduct exams, monitor conditions and deliver care, bringing health care services to even the most remote and underserved populations and fostering personalized medicine. But innovation is not only about technology; it is also about mindset. It requires us to challenge the status quo, to question long-standing practices and to explore new ways of thinking. It is about the never-ending commitment to continuous improvement, learning from our experiences, and striving for excellence in all aspects of patient care.”
BUSINESS |
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Carly Rose, OD, FAAO, of Cincinnati, Ohio |
Dr. Rose owns Eyecare on the Square, a full service private practice in Cincinnati, Ohio. She uses Instagram and TikTok to raise awareness to not just her office but to ocular health knowledge and outreach. Dr. Rose has also been picked up by Buzzfeed news. She’s constantly pushing the marketing and innovation needed to promote not just optometry as a whole, but private practice optometry.
Dr. Rose says, “Even in the face of fear of risks, I follow my mission of serving my patients and optometry at large. I hope to spearhead innovation, push our leading edge and advance our profession.”
YOUNG OD |
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Brittany Wright, OD, MS, FAAO, of Denver, Colorado, 2015 graduate of Southern College of Optometry |
Dr. Wright is an Assistant Professor of Ophthalmology at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus. She is the student director for the National Optometric Association. For four years at UMSL, she was professor and coordinator, then director of DEI.
She says, “I am excited by all the ways optometry can connect people with purpose…whether it’s through direct and specialized patient care, policy and public health efforts, entrepreneurship and technology expansion, academic and research development…there’s so much opportunity to find what aligns who you are with what you do! No path in optometry has to be the same, and I have been fortunate to have amazing mentors and sponsors that ‘opened my eyes’ to the broad possibilities optometry can offer.”
INDUSTRY INFLUENCE |
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Maria Sampalis, OD, of Cranston, Rhode Island |
Dr. Sampalis is the founder of the Facebook group Corporate Optometry. She recently joined the board of directors at Virtual Field and is on the World Council of Optometry Legislation, Registration and Standards Committee. She owns Sampalis Eyecare in Rhode Island and founded the Corporate OD Alliance. Dr. Sampalis hosts the Reframing Eye Care podcast.
She says, “I initially started the social media channel to provide a voice for corporate ODs in our industry, creating a space where they could connect and share ideas. Over time, it has evolved into the go-to network for authentic information on corporate optometry, expanding into a platform that offers a career network, podcasts, educational webinars and business resources. It’s been fulfilling to start something from scratch, develop it and continue to grow it strategically. Being able to foster relationships with so many eye care professionals over the years and driving real change and progress in our industry has been genuinely rewarding. This platform has truly become a space where connections are made, ideas are exchanged and the future of optometry is shaped!”
See the photo gallery from the 2023 Theia Awards of Excellence celebration.
