Awards
Our annual OWL Leadership Awards honors your peers who are advancing diversity in leadership in the following categories:
Visionary Award
OWL’s Visionary Leader Award honors an individual who has paved the way for diversity in their field through significant achievement. Nominees should have demonstrated leadership in their field through their careers.
Catalyst Award
OWL’s Catalyst Award honors an individual who has contributed significantly to helping others advance their career in eye care. Nominees should have demonstrated leadership in supporting the advancement of diversity.
Rising Star Award
OWL’s Rising Star Award honors an individual who is an emerging leader in the ophthalmic space. Nominees should be in their early or mid-careers and demonstrate high potential for making an impact in eyecare.
Nominations are not yet open for the 2026 OWL Leadership Awards. Check back soon!
Nominate Someone for an Award
You will need to provide:
- Your name and email address.
- Your nominee's name and email address under the award category that you are nominating them for.
- A brief statement of why you believe this person deserves this award.
Note: It is a requirement to be an OWL member to be nominated for an award or to nominate someone for an award.
Not sure if your nominee is a member? Don't worry, we'll do the verification. Please submit your nominations regardless. If you'd like to join OWL, you can do so HERE.
Ready to submit your nominations?
Nominations opening soon.
Form closed.
Winners will be recognized at OWL’s Signature Event & Awards Ceremony at AAO 2026 in New Orleans, LA on October 11th ~ more details coming soon!
Some of OWL’s award winners from the past 10 years at the Signature Event & Awards Ceremony during AAO, October 2nd, 2022
Award Winners 2025
The recipients of 2025 OWL Awards (from left): Cherie Fathy, MD, Rising Star, Cathleen McCabe, Visionary Leader and (not pictured) Leo Otero, Catalyst.
Award Winners 2024
The recipients of 2024 OWL Awards (from left): Neda Shamie, MD, Visionary Leader, Ranna Jaraha, Catalyst and Zaiba Malik, MD, Rising Star.
Award Winners 2023
The recipients of 2023 OWL Awards (from left):
Tom Frinzi, Visionary Leader, Tamara Bogetti, Catalyst and Maaza Martin, Rising Star.
OWL Award Winners
2025 Visionary Leader Award
Cathleen McCabe, MD
Chief Medical Officer |Â Strategic Medical Advisor
Eye Health America | Bausch + Lomb
2025 Catalyst Award
Leo E. Otero, MBA
Senior Director of Market Development & Global Advisory Boards for U.S. Surgical Marketing
Alcon
2025 Rising Star Award
Cherie Fathy, MD
Director of Clinical Research for Ophthalmology
Alnylam Pharmaceuticals
2024 Visionary Leader Award
Neda Shamie, MD
Cataract, Refractive, and Corneal Surgeon and Partner
Maloney-Shamie Vision Institute
2024 Catalyst Award
Ranna Jaraha
Co-founder | Executive Director of New Media
YoungMD Connect | Bryn Mawr Communications
2024 Rising Star Award
Zaiba Malik, MD
Medical Director & Therapeutic Lead
Medpace
2023 Visionary Leader Award
Thomas G. Frinzi
President/CEO & Chairman of the Board
STAAR Surgical
2023 Catalyst Award
Tamara Bogetti, MBA
Chief Commercial Officer | Co-Founder
Bryn Mawr Communications | YoungMD Connect
2023 Rising Star Award
Maáza Martin
Senior Director of Marketing
Tarsus Pharmaceuticals
2022 Visionary Leader Award
Jeannette Bankes
President and General Manager, Global Surgical Franchise
Alcon
Alcon
2022 Catalyst Award
Magda Michna, PhD
Chief Global Clinical, Medical and Regulatory Affairs Officer
AcuFocus, Inc.
2022 Rising Star Award
Jacqueline Armani, OD, FAAO, MSL-BC
Regional Director, Medical Science Liaisons – East
Alcon
2021 Visionary Leader Award
Abigail Markward
National Director - PentaVision Live!
PentaVision LLC
2021 Catalyst Award
Arthur Chan, PhD, MBA
Vice President - Medical Affairs
Tarsus Pharmaceuticals
2021 Rising Star Award
Alanna Nattis, DO
Director - Clinical Research | Cornea, Cataract and Refractive Surgeon
SightMD
2020 Visionary Leader Award
Dee Stephenson, MD, FACS
Founder and Director
Stephenson Eye Associates
2020 Catalyst Award
Renee Bovelle, MD, MS
Owner and Medical Director
Envision Eye & Laser Center
2020 Rising Star Award
Kristen Brotherson
Vice-President, Marketing
Alcon US Surgical
2019 Visionary Leader Award
Monty Montoya
President and CEO
CorneaGen
2019 Catalyst Award
Amy Jacobs
Vice President and co-founder
Sandbox Strategic
2019 Rising Star Award
Zaina Al-Mohtaseb, MD
Assistant Professor of Ophthalmology & Associate Residency Program Director Cornea, Cataract & Refractive Surgery
Baylor College of Medicine
2018 Visionary Leader Award
Allison Shuren
Partner
Arnold & Porter Kaye Scholer LLP
2018 Catalyst Award
Brad Fundingsland
President
The Fundingsland Group
2018 Rising Star Award
Jennifer Loh, MD
Founder and Medical Director
Loh Ophthalmology Associates
2017 Visionary Leader Award
Cynthia Matossian, MD
Founder & Medical Director
Matossian Eye Associates
2017 Catalyst Award
Beth Marsh
Global Commercial Strategy Lead
Shire
2017 Rising Star Award
Bindu Manne
Associate Director
Market Development, Shire
2016 Visionary Leader Award
Marsha Link, PhD
Owner & President
Link Consulting
2016 Catalyst Award
William Trattler, MD
Surgeon
Center For Excellence In Eye Care
2016 Rising Star Award
Marjan Farid, MD
Director of Cornea, Cataract & Refractive Surgery and Vice-Chair of Ophthalmic Faculty
Gavin Herbert Eye Institute at UC-Irvine
2015 Visionary Leader Award
Audrey Talley-Rostov, MD
Partner
Northwest Eye Surgeons
2015 Catalyst Award
Laurie Brown
Practice Administrator
Drs. Fine, Hoffman & Sims, LLC
2015 Rising Star Award
Erin Schallhorn
Executive Vice President
The Fundingsland Group
2014 Visionary Woman Award
Jane E. Rady
Divisional Vice President, Business Development
Abbott Medical Optics
2014 Catalyst Award
Georgette Pascale
Founder & CEO
Pascale Communications, LLC
2014 Rising Star Award
Tamara Bogetti
Publisher
Bryn Mawr Communications
2013 Visionary Woman Award
Adrienne Graves, PhD
Board Member
Akorn, TearLab, Aerpio, Encore Vision, Amach Capital Partners
2013 Catalyst Award
Heather Ready, MBA
Director Of Commercialization, Latin America
AcuFocus
2013 Rising Star Award
Sheryl Stevenson
Senior Managing Editor
Ophthalmology Times
2012 Visionary Woman Award
Marguerite McDonald, MD
Ophthalmologist
Ophthalmic Consultants of Long Island