Michael Onuscheck and Erin Schallhorn Join OWL’s Board of Directors

William B. Trattler, MD, Named Membership Advisor to the Membership Committee

Kansas City, MO – March 15, 2016 – OWL: Advancing Diversity in Leadership (OWL), an association of interdisciplinary ophthalmic professionals dedicated to driving innovation and patient care by advancing diversity in leadership, today announced that Michael Ackermann, PhD; Taryn Conway; Candace Simerson; and John Vukich, MD, have joined OWL’s Board of Directors.

OWL, a national, not-for-profit organization dedicated to driving ophthalmic innovation and patient care by advancing diversity in leadership, today announced that Michael Onuscheck and Erin Schallhorn have joined OWL’s Board of Directors. In addition, William B. Trattler, MD, joins the organization as Membership Advisor to the Membership Committee.

“Michael and Erin are respected leaders within their field, and we are excited to welcome them to OWL’s Board,” says Heather Ready, President, OWL. “We believe their diverse professional and personal experiences, industry expertise, and unique perspective will be a tremendous asset to our organization. OWL is the only professional organization that unites all of the key stakeholders in ophthalmology—industry, consultants, ophthalmologists and practice professionals—to drive diversity in leadership. We have been fortunate to see our membership grow every year, and I am thrilled to work with Bill to continue to grow and diversify the organization.”

Mr. Onuscheck is the Global Franchise Head, Surgical for Alcon. Prior to joining Alcon, Mr. Onuscheck spent 10 years in leadership positions of increasing responsibility at Boston Scientific, including his most recent position as President where he oversaw the company’s business operations in Europe and Russia. Previously, Mr. Onuscheck held a variety of management positions at Medtronic in spinal reconstructive surgery and stereotactic image guided surgery, and various sales and marketing positions for Pfizer.

“Being a part of an organization that enables diverse talent to grow and develop is a simple and long-lasting way to contribute to the success of the eye care community. OWL is a unique conduit that connects people who are interested in growing as individuals and as leaders. This organization helps shape the leaders and future leaders in Ophthalmology and that is worth investing my personal time and effort,” says Mr. Onuscheck.

Ms. Schallhorn is the Executive Vice President of The Fundingsland Group. Her work involves developing and driving strategies to improve patient outcomes worldwide by partnering with international medical societies, industry and physician leaders. Prior to The Fundingsland Group, Ms. Schallhorn held various product and medical marketing positions at VISX / Abbott Medical Optics (AMO) and Alcon. Ms. Schallhorn has been an active member of OWL and currently heads up the Programs Committee. In addition, she was instrumental in the design, implementation, and analysis of the “OWL Ophthalmic Industry Business & Leadership Trends Survey,” which was presented at ASCRS 2015.

“Diversity in the workplace isn’t just a ‘nice to have’ concept – it drives innovation and financial returns for our industry that directly impact patient outcomes,” says Ms. Schallhorn. “I am proud to be part of an organization that provides a platform to share best practices and to learn from leaders in and outside of ophthalmology. OWL’s programs deliver impactful and implementable strategies that can quickly be felt.”

Dr. Trattler is Director of Cornea at the Center for Excellence in Eye Care located in Miami, Florida. A nationally renowned expert in refractive, corneal and cataract eye surgery, Dr. Trattler sits on multiple advisory boards, is an author of numerous articles, abstracts and textbooks, and a Volunteer Assistant Professor of Ophthalmology at the University of Miami’s Bascom Palmer Eye Institute.

“I am honored to have an advisory role at OWL and to help the organization as it continues to grow,” says Dr. Trattler. “It is an exciting time for the organization as it makes strides in advancing leadership in ophthalmology. With its diverse mix of clinicians and industry leaders, OWL offers members the ability to network, exchange ideas and work together to enrich our profession.”

About OWL: Advancing Diversity in Leadership

Founded more than 10 years ago, OWL members represent a diverse group of accomplished professionals and practitioners from across ophthalmology. Based in the belief that diverse leadership results in better outcomes, OWL works across ophthalmology to provide professional and personal development and opportunities for collaboration through extensive programs, events, and online offerings. For more information, visit www.owlsite.org.

Organization Contact
Angela Bedell, Executive Director
abedell@owlsite.org
(913) 269-9642

Media Contact
Lauren Colella, Pascale Communications
lauren@pascalecommunications.com
(215) 350-0535