OWL Awards Finalists
Our Awards Nominations Committee selected 9 amazing finalists from our members' nominations for this year's OWL Awards.
Click the button below each candidate to read their nominee statement, then scroll below to vote!
VISIONARY LEADER
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.
Jai Parekh, MD, MBA
Jai G. Parekh, MD, MBA, FAAO
Co-Founder and CEO, EyeCare Consultants of NJ
Jai "DrJ" G. Parekh, MD, MBA
Jai Parekh is co-founder and CEO of EyeCare Consultants of NJ; serves as chief of anterior segment surgery, chair of the research institute, and a member of the board of trustees at St Joseph’s Health Care System; and is a Clinical Associate Professor on the Cornea Service at the New York Eye & Ear Infirmary of Mt. Sinai. His career path reflects a deliberate bridging of medicine, business, and technology. Dr. Parekh drives industry leadership as Chief Commercial Officer at Nordic Pharma Inc-USA, Chief Innovation Officer at EyeCheq, Chief Strategy Officer at Amaros AI, Chief Innovation Officer at Refocus Eye Health, building on his prior role as Chief Medical Officer of Eye Care at Allergan through its acquisition by AbbVie. Beyond this, Dr. Parekh is a founding member of several innovative medical societies: Vanguard Ophthalmic Society, AECOS, and CEDARS-ASPEN. He has previously served on school boards in his local community and remains an active board member for OWL, The Glaucoma Foundation, and The Lighthouse Guild.
“Dr. Jai embodies a leader who lifts people up as he continues to rise,” said a nominator. “He is not only involved at the forefront of technology, but also educating on innovation, donating his time to several nonprofits, and providing insights to many. As a leader, he is committed to all those around him, creating opportunities for innovation, science, and people.”
Ramin Valian
Ramin Valian
Chief Executive Officer, Emmecell
Ramin Valian
Ramin Valian is Chief Executive Officer of Emmecell, where he is leading the development of a regenerative cell therapy platform. He is an ophthalmic industry leader with more than two decades of experience building businesses, advancing new technologies, and bringing innovation to physicians and patients. Prior to joining Emmecell, Mr. Valian spent much of his career at Allergan and AbbVie, where he led the launch of six ophthalmic products and helped build the commercial and market access capabilities needed to support new treatment models in eye care. Working at the intersection of science, medicine, commercialization, and organizational leadership, he has consistently focused on challenging established approaches to help promising ideas become meaningful advances. Mr. Valian has also placed a strong emphasis on building organizations where talented people have the opportunity to lead and grow, such as establishing a Women’s Employee Resource Group and creating opportunities for employees.
He is an OWL Mentor and continues to support the organization in educational programs, as well as serving as one of the first interviewees in the ‘Inside the OWL Studio’ series, discussing the importance of diversity in eyecare. “Ramin has been a huge advocate for women in leadership throughout his career,” said a nominator.
Nivine Woods, PharmD
Nivine B. Woods, PharmD, MBA, CEPA
Senior Healthcare Executive and Strategic Advisor
Nivine B. Woods, PharmD, MBA, CEPA
Nivine Woods is a senior healthcare executive and strategic advisor with more than 25 years of experience leading commercial growth, innovation, and business transformation. Most recently, Dr. Woods served as EVP and Chief Growth & Marketing Officer at EyeCare Partners, a clinically integrated eye care network. Prior to that, she held leadership positions of increasing responsibility at Johnson & Johnson Vision, Abbott, and Alcon, leading global product launches, commercial strategy, and major strategic initiatives. During Abbott's divestiture of Abbott Medical Optics to Johnson & Johnson, she served as Abbott’s Commercial Lead, helping execute one of the ophthalmic industry's most significant transactions. Today, as Founder and Principal of NBW Solutions, she advises emerging life science companies across retina, cataract and refractive surgery, and AI-enabled precision medicine. As a Certified Exit Planning Advisor (CEPA), she brings a unique combination of strategic vision, operational leadership, and deep ophthalmology expertise.
A longtime champion of leadership development, Dr. Woods is Immediate Past President of OWL and serves on the board and finance committee of the Child Creativity Lab. A dual citizen and avid traveler, her international experience continues to shape her global leadership perspective and cultural fluency. As a nominator said, “Nivine has been instrumental in leading the OWL organization to diversify its approach within eye care, enhancing the organization, attracting new membership and support, and ‘drawing more threads’ across the field.”
CATALYST
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. (For example: mentoring/sponsorship of promising individuals; diversity advocacy; or creating a culture of equality).
Margot Goodkin, MD
Margot Goodkin, MD, PhD
VP of Ophthalmology Clinical Development, Annexon Biosciences
Margot Goodkin, MD, PhD
Margot Goodkin is VP of Ophthalmology Clinical Development at Annexon Biosciences and a biopharmaceutical industry veteran with experience throughout the ophthalmic development space. She completed her residency training at the University of Pennsylvania’s Scheie Eye Institute, followed by a glaucoma fellowship at the Bascom Palmer Eye Institute. Previously, Dr. Goodkin held leadership roles at SpyGlass Pharma, Allergan/AbbVie and was a Medical Officer in the Division of Ophthalmic, Neurological and ENT Devices at the FDA. She is the former chair of ARVO's Commercial Relationships Committee, a member of the Research Committee of the Glaucoma Research Foundation, and serves on the Executive Board of the KCNT1 Epilepsy Foundation.
As an advisor to female founders in the healthcare industry via Springboard Enterprises and a mentor in the OWL fellowship program, Dr. Goodkin is a passionate supporter of advancing women in leadership. One nominator pointed out that Dr. Goodkin “has paved the way for diversity in our field with her visibility and the consistency of her presence at the top of a field where women physician-scientists remain underrepresented.” And, according to another nominator, “Throughout her career, Dr. Goodkin has treated the advancement of others in eye care not as a side project but as a deliberate, sustained body of work running alongside her own clinical development leadership. When it would have been easy for her to keep her hard-won expertise to herself, she has chosen instead to actively invest in the advancement of others.”
Kristen Ingenito, MBA
Kristen Harmon Ingenito, MBA
CEO, Market Scope
Kristen Harmon Ingenito, MBA
Kristen Harmon Ingenito is CEO of Market Scope and has nearly two decades of experience in the ophthalmic industry. She began her career at Market Scope in 2005, working across editing, analysis, sales, and marketing before joining an ophthalmic patient education company, where she worked closely with physicians and helped train incoming executives on the business of eye care. She later returned to Market Scope, where she has helped expand the company’s research, products, and services. Ms. Ingenito is a frequent speaker at ophthalmic meetings around the world and especially enjoys working with startups and emerging companies, finding ways to make data impactful and interesting, and connecting people across the industry.
She has been actively involved with OWL for more than a decade and currently serves on its executive board. She chaired the OWL Fellowship program for three years, helping develop the program and match fellows with mentors, and has worked on the Membership Impact Committee and the Programs Committee helping develop programming around leadership and mentorship. “A true leader who keeps the door open as she enters through,” said a nominator, “Kristen's successes translate to those around her and she finds a way to help strangers succeed, understanding that when one person does well, it impacts everyone positively.”
Drew Parks
Drew Parks
National Director of Professional Relations, Sun Pharmaceutical Industries
Drew Parks
Drew Parks is National Director of Professional Relations at Sun Pharmaceutical Industries, where he supports strategic stakeholder engagement and contributes to ophthalmic business development initiatives. He has more than 25 years of ophthalmic industry experience spanning sales, marketing, medical affairs, professional relations, product launches, and business development at Allergan and Sun Pharma. Throughout his career, Mr. Parks has built a reputation for developing high-performing teams, cultivating influential physician and KOL relationships, and translating clinical and commercial strategies into measurable business results. He is an active member of AECOS and OWL, where he has worked tirelessly on committees and approached every initiative with enthusiasm, energy, and a willingness to contribute, according to a nominator.
Inspired by the leaders and mentors who invested in his growth and development, Mr. Parks has made a lifelong commitment to "paying it forward" by mentoring others and helping them achieve their professional goals. “Developing people, fostering leadership, and creating opportunities for career advancement remain central to his leadership philosophy,” said a nominator. “He consistently uses his experience, relationships, and industry knowledge to create opportunities and help others succeed.” Another says Mr. Parks is “committed to supporting individuals from diverse backgrounds and helping them build meaningful connections within the profession.”
RISING STAR
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.
Ryan Brown
Ryan Brown
National Director of Professional Relations - Ophthalmics Business Unit, Sun Pharmaceuticals
Ryan Brown
Ryan Brown is the National Director of Professional Relations for the Ophthalmics Business Unit at Sun Pharmaceuticals, where he leads KOL development, speaker bureau strategy, and strategic partnerships across the optometry and ophthalmology communities in the dry eye space. With 15 years of experience in ophthalmic pharmaceuticals, including prior work building academic strategy at Alcon, Mr. Brown has become a trusted connector between industry and eyecare’s leading clinicians. He chairs the OWL Membership Impact Committee and helped launch the Clinician to Industry Interest Group, reflecting his commitment to strengthening the pipeline between clinical practice and industry leadership. He continues to explore how AI can shape the future of eyecare through his ongoing speaking and thought-leadership work in that space.
A Marine Corps veteran and graduate of the Marine Corps Sergeant’s Leadership Academy, Mr. Brown brings a systems-driven, mission-focused approach to every initiative he leads. A nominator explained that Mr. Brown exemplifies the rising star award: “He is one of those members who makes an impact in all he does. He leads in his professional and personal life.”
Katie Sigg, COT
Katie Sigg, COT, OSA, OSC
Director of Research, Market Scope
Katie Sigg, COT, OSA, OSC
Katie Sigg will soon join Market Scope as Director of Research. She began her ophthalmic career as front desk staff for a practice, moved into the exam lane and the O.R. as a lead ophthalmic technician, and then stepped into leadership, building a practice’s clinical research department from the ground up as its lead research coordinator. Most recently, she was an account executive on the life sciences team at 20/20 Onsite. Ms. Sigg serves as adjunct faculty and a lecturer with IJCAHPO and ASOA. She chairs a committee for OWL’s New England chapter, is an OWL Fellow, Class of 2024-2025, and also serves in leadership for the Boston chapter of Foundation Fighting Blindness.
Drawing on this varied background, Ms. Sigg mentors others, believing that the strongest work in eye care happens when clinical, research, and commercial perspectives are all in the room together. One nominator commented that “Katie has embraced opportunities to grow as a leader while actively contributing to the advancement of women and the broader ophthalmic community.” Another called her an emerging leader with exceptional potential. “What makes Katie especially deserving,” they said, “Is her ability to bring people together around a common purpose. She is deeply committed to the ophthalmic space and consistently demonstrates the energy, curiosity, and leadership qualities that will continue to elevate both the industry and the professionals around her.”
Pierre Simon, MBA
Harry B. “Pierre” Simon, Jr., MBA
CEO, Glaucoma Associates of Texas
Harry B. “Pierre” Simon, Jr., MBA
Pierre Simon is CEO of Glaucoma Associates of Texas, where he leads with a deep commitment to both clinical excellence and transformative impact in eye care. He has spent 19+ years in eye care sales, training, and marketing roles, most recently as Global VP of Surgical Glaucoma Marketing at Sight Sciences, and has led global brands from R&D innovation to commercial launch. Mr. Simon currently serves on OWL’s board of directors, mentors high school students as an advisory board member for the North Dallas Independent School District, and is the former chair of African Ancestry Cultivating Excellence (AACE), an employee resource group. Pierre also serves as the President of S.R. Outreach, a Dallas based non-profit organization that focuses on supporting victims of domestic violence. He is a best-selling author, a TEDx speaker, and an executive coach.
Mr. Simon “consistently brings energy, creativity, and fresh thinking to OWL,” said one nominator. “He is a Rising Star because his impact extends beyond his own contributions as he inspires others to participate and turn their ideas into action, becoming the best versions of themselves.” Another noted that “Pierre has a natural presence and an engaging, impactful way of communicating that draws people in. He leads with intention and a clear sense of purpose, and it’s easy to see how committed he is to creating meaningful change in the field.”
Thank you to our 2026 Visionary Leader Award Sponsor
View previous years' winners HERE.