Content, Inspiration, 
& New Ideas

We were delighted to welcome attendees to beautiful Orlando for our annual Champagne Breakfast , celebrating 2026 OWA award recipients: Susy Yu, OD (Pleiades Award), Liz Friedfeld (Pyxis Award), Alessandra Senici (Polaris Award), and Cathy Firman (Emerging Leader Award). The Champagne Breakfast brought together professionals from across the industry for a morning of connection, inspiration, and celebration. Set in an energizing and welcoming atmosphere, the event offered atte

This year marks Vision Monday’s 24th annual Most Influential Women in Optical report. The Vision Monday editors selected 35 women who are honored in five distinct categories: Executive Suite, Rising Stars, Mentors, Innovators and Above & Beyond. These are women who are continuing to shape the face of our industry from every angle; they are ECPs, executives, sales and marketing professionals, teachers and so much more. But above all, they are women who have had and continue t

MIDO: Milan, Italy The Optical Women’s Association proudly hosted its OWA Global Connection Event at MIDO in Milan, marking an important milestone in the organization’s continued international expansion and its mission to empower women in leadership roles across the global optical industry. The “Leading with Courage: Inspiring Stories of Authenticity” event welcomed a highly engaged audience for a dynamic 45-minute panel discussion followed by an impactful networking session.

The OWA is hosting a global event at 100% Optical in London, England. Shortly thereafter, the OWA will be hosting two events at Vision Expo in Orlando, Florida. We welcome everyone to join us to network with your colleagues and learn more about what the OWA has to offer. OWA Global Event at 100% Optical! Date: Saturday, February 28, 2026 Time: 3:45 PM - 4:45 PM GMT Location:   100% Catwalk at 100% Optical Excel London Royal Victoria Dock 1 Western Gateway, London E16 1XL T

The results of the October 2025 Leadership Scholarship nominations are in! The  Leadership Scholarship Award  recognizes OWA members who have served the OWA with their dedicated committee work and strong commitment to growing leadership roles for women in the optical industry. These grants are used for professional and personal development of the recipients who were nominated by other OWA members. Many thanks go to our OWA  Individual Contributors , whose donations help make

The OWA Unplugged retreat was everything I hoped for and so much more. As someone very new to the optical industry, I wasn’t sure what to expect but hearing from so many inspiring women and having the space to connect with them on a deeper, more personal level, was truly transformative. What stood out most throughout the weekend was the genuine connections. I found myself forming friendships with women from all different walks of life, each with their own stories, strengths,