OWL: Advancing Diversity in Leadership
Mark Your Calendar
Managing Stress and Avoiding Burnout (Online)
Wednesday, June 4, 2025
11:00 AM - 12:00 PM EDT
This interactive virtual session will explore the science behind stress and provide practical strategies for building resilience. Hosted by Angela Evans.
OWL SoCal at OTF
Thursday, June 26, 2025
4:30 PM - 7:00 PM PDT
"Failing Forward: Turning Setbacks into Success"
Come and enjoy the OWL SoCal Chapter's educational program, followed by networking with OTF attendees.
Upcoming Events
Leadership Summit
July 24-25, 2025
OWL's annual Leadership Summit is a staple in the event calendar.
We are excited to bring you our 4th Leadership Summit to be held from Thursday July 24 - Friday July 25 in Denver, CO at the Gaylord Rockies Resort.
This upscale Resort & Water Park stands at the edge of the Front Range and is convenient to Denver International Airport. Why not stay a little longer and bring the family to enjoy the Water Park, Resort, Spa and more?!
Our 2025 Summit will center around: “Shaping the Future of Eyecare: Leadership, Innovation, and Impact” - Helping OWL members, and emerging leaders to build their networks, sharpen their skills, explore trends shaping the future of eyecare and create lasting impact.
We're continuing to refine the program and prepare for an interactive, impactful Summit and hope to see you in Denver.
Lock in your spot and sign up today!
Featured Champions

Nysha Blender, OD, PhD
Senior Medical Director, Aurion Biotech
Nysha graduated with an OD degree from the Illinois College of Optometry in 2010. In 2011, she completed a residency specializing in cornea and specialty contact lenses at the State University of New York and the New York Eye and Ear Hospital. She then dedicated nine years to direct patient care in both primary care and surgical settings.
In 2019, she joined the medical affairs team at Ocular Therapeutix, where she acquired clinical, medical, and research expertise related to an intracanalicular insert designed to alleviate pain and inflammation post-ophthalmic surgery. Furthermore, she collaborated closely with the clinical operations team to support site initiation, implementation, training for investigational products and surgical procedures, as well as the enrollment processes for OTX-TIC and OTX-TKI.
In 2023, Nysha took on the role of Senior Medical Director at Aurion Biotech while simultaneously completing her PhD in Biomedicine at Salus University. Over the past 18 months, she has been involved in both medical affairs and clinical development, concentrating on Aurion’s primary asset currently in Phase II for corneal endothelial cell transplant therapy via intracameral injection. Nysha resides in Indianapolis with her husband, Dan, and her two boys, Ari and Logan.

Steve Meyers
Chief Commercial Officer, Ocular Therapeutix
Steve Meyers has over 20 years of commercial experience that includes several buy and bill, specialty pharmacy and innovative technology product launches in highly competitive markets. Mr. Meyers has served in other commercial capacities at leading biotechnology organizations including Regeneron, AbbVie, and Procter & Gamble.
Prior to joining Ocular, Mr. Meyers served as Vice President Sales at Flexion Therapeutics in the orthopedic space.
Mr. Meyers holds a B.S. from Louisiana State University in Cardio-Pulmonary Science.