And just like that…a new year started! For most of us, a year can go by in the blink of an eye. Between work, home, family and friends, a healthcare or fitness regime, the days fly by. When you do stop to think about it, do you find yourself wondering what you actually achieved during that year? We all want to live a meaningful life filled with success and happiness, but few of us know how. Many of us live in the moment, in survival mode, or get caught up in the distractions of everyday life and time continues by us. However, it’s important to stop and ask yourself: Who is in control of your life? Who is telling your story? Are you? Or is someone else? If you are not telling your own story, you are leaving it up to fate and let’s be honest, fate is a terrible writer. Think of it this way – would you get in the car and drive to an unknown destination with no map? No directions? Probably not! A new year is a great time to reset and create your vision for your life and set actionable goals to achieve success. You can move the needle! This will not only give your life meaning but create a sense of forward motion. Rather than focusing on the day to day, define where you want to be and reverse engineer your life to get there. Remember: Success is not a happy accident. “Taking a messy journey to a place you want to go is a lot better than staying in a place you are not satisfied.” – Donald Miller To get started, you need to create your vision and your goals. This might take some time to visualize if you have never done this before and that’s ok! It’s also important to understand the difference between the two. Your vision is your destination. It’s limitless and full of possibility, but the path to get there is unknown. Your goals are how you will achieve your vision. They need to be actionable and create forward motion. This will help give your life a sense of meaning and help you manage your productivity and tasks daily. Here are some tips to get you started: Define your vision: Where do you see yourself in 10 years? 5 years? 1 year? How will you feel? Where will you be living and working? Who is with you? Think about your wants and don’t wants. Apply this to your health, personal life, and work life. Create your goals: Use present tense and be specific. Include a start and/or a by when date. Include how you will feel when you achieve this goal. Identify an accountability partner. Track and Monitor your Progress. Challenge yourself to create your vision, set goals, and track your progress and go from surviving to thriving! Here are some additional resources to help get you started: Books: Hero on a Mission by Donald Miller Win at Work and Succeed at Life: 5 Principles to Free Yourself from the Cult of Overwork by Michael Hyatt Business coaches and/or platforms: Business Made Simple Curate Well Co Boss Babe Written by: Angela Gerber

Welcome everyone! I’m so excited to announce the launch of the new OWA blog, OWA Connects. Two of our biggest initiatives in the coming year are to expand our reach to everyone in the industry and to raise awareness on all the OWA has to offer for our sponsors, members, and individual contributors. The launch of the OWA Blog is one of the many member benefits that will help us get closer to achieving these goals as an organization. Digital communication is constantly evolving and the OWA is maximizing these vehicles to stay connected to YOU! Having a versatile communication platform will help us more easily and frequently share member stories, inspirational messages and educational resources. Our recent survey clearly highlighted that you want to hear MORE from our various authors across the organization and the industry! The Optical Women’s Association is unique, with our members spanning  a wide variety of roles and leadership levels across many different specialties and fields. Launching our very own blog is just another way to highlight the diversity of the OWA and connect our members and supporters  across our large network. I encourage you to subscribe to the blog to stay up to date with the latest happenings at the OWA and with all the talented individuals who make up this amazing industry. I can’t wait to see many of you at our upcoming OWA Events at Vision Expo East next month honoring our 2022 award honorees! As always, we welcome your feedback and wish you a successful year ahead! My Best, Deb Bulken #owaconnects

Company: GPN Technologies Role: VP of Business Relations Years with the OWA: 4 How/why did you first get involved with the OWA? I got started with the OWA at VEE in 2018! I saw the sign up table outside of one of the events and thought, “why not!”  I had only been in my role in the corporate side of this industry for two years and was longing for connection, and really sisterhood in Optometry. I wanted to learn from the female leaders of this industry and I knew the OWA would be the perfect starting point for that! I have a special place in my heart for the OWA and value my membership greatly, as the comradeship and support I have gained from this group of empowered women, has been a huge blessing in my life. What’s your favorite hobby outside of work? Anything in nature! I love to hike, paddleboard, fish, and camp! What does winning the Emerging Leader award mean to you? Winning the emerging new leader award means so much to me.  It represents my hard work and dedication to taking radical action in my career. What motivates you at work or on a personal level? The two things that motivate me the most are my son and seeing others succeed. I absolutely love helping others grow through inspiration and support. It literally lights me up to help people see their full potential. We live in a world where self-doubt and a limiting mindset is common and it’s easy to get down on yourself or think that you’re not worthy of having everything you desire. When I see this in a colleague or a friend, I like to remind them of their power and the gifts that they have to offer this world. I like to support them in achieving their goals by inspiring them to look at the bigger picture of this beautiful life we live. This motivates me to be the best I can be, so I can show others that anything is possible. Couple this with the fact that my son is my entire world and I want him to know that you can do or be anything that you want — well, that’s the icing on the motivation cake! What is one piece of advice you want women to hear? You are worthy! You are worthy of welcoming abundance into your life; through your connections, your hard work, and your mindset. Don’t ever let anyone put boundaries around you by feeding limiting beliefs. You set the boundaries for yourself but be sure to be flexible if there’s an opportunity to welcome in all you desire! Join the OWA in celebrating Katie and the other 2022 award nominees at the OWA’s Champagne Breakfast at Vision Expo East. RSVP Today

Company: Founder/Owner at OD Perspectives, Co-founder and Chief Vision Officer at Performance 20/20, and Partner at Norwalk Eye Care Years with the OWA: 1 How/why did you first get involved with the OWA? I was so inspired reading about the mission of the OWA and how it exists to support women. I was also looking to network and meet women in the optical industry outside of optometry. What would you say to other ODs or practice employees when they ask why they should join the OWA? Joining the OWA has been one of the best decisions I have made. It is so refreshing to interact with women in all different roles and learn so much about the companies we work with. I always come away energized and excited from all the meetings and events and feel like I am part of this amazing group of women who are always looking for ways to help me be better. What does winning the Emerging Leader award mean to you? What an incredible honor this is! To be considered an Emerging Leader by such a strong, powerful group of women is one of the biggest honors of my career. I look forward to continuing to represent the OWA in Optometry and continue to develop my leadership skills. What motivates you at work or on a personal level? I am truly always looking at ways to grow and learn. As an optometrist, I strive to make my office experience more incredible every day and am always working to be more efficient and effective in the exam room. As a business owner, I’m always looking to improve and see what we can do better. I love to learn, and am always reading books on personal development, business, finance, and leadership.  I’m also currently enrolled in a course through the Disney Institute to learn more about creating experience. Athletically, I love a challenge. I was a Division 1 college track and field athlete, and have been a competitive triathlete and endurance athlete. Most recently, I switched gears and now am an Olympic weightlifter. I love to challenge myself to do new things, which keeps life exciting and fresh! What’s your favorite hobby outside of work? My family (2 boys), Olympic weightlifting, running, the beach, reading, & Disney! What is one piece of advice you want women to hear? As a Disney fan, I live by, “If you can dream it, you can do it.”  No matter the goal, dream, or idea – find a group of people who will inspire, support, and guide you, and anything is possible. Join the OWA in celebrating Dr.Stewart and the other 2022 award nominees at the OWA’s Champagne Breakfast at Vision Expo East. RSVP Today

In December the OWA Executive Team was excited to be featured on The Sandbox Story Podcast. In this 45-minute episode, you’ll hear from Deb Bulken, Dr. Lorie Lippiatt, and Janelle Pauli as they talk all about their personal journeys with the OWA, how they got involved, what the OWA has to offer everyone in the industry, and some of their best advice. Whether you’re new to the OWA, or a seasoned-veteran, take a few minutes of your day to listen to these stories and learn the different ways you can get more involved with the organization.

“Don’t try to be young. Just open your mind. Stay interested in stuff. There are so many things I won’t live long enough to find out about, but I’m still curious about them. You know people who are already saying, ‘I’m going to be 30 – oh, what am I going to do?’ Well, use that decade! Use them all!”– Betty White I don’t know about you, but I grew up watching Golden Girl reruns. I personally loved Dorothy, but there was something so special about Rose. After her passing, seeing all the special tributes and quotes I felt inclined to think about how it would feel to be 99! How extraordinary would it be to be in good health and good spirits all the way until the end? After reading many quotes, I felt this one to be the most fitting for how to get there: plain and simple STAY curious and LAUGH. We are already so STRONG, so CAPABLE and so WILLING to do great things. It all starts with our health and wellness. A healthy mind and body are the starting points for an overall happy life. 5 Ways to Stay Curious and Laugh in 2022 It starts with being more PRESENT. When it’s time to work, set your distractions aside. When it’s time to play, set down the smart phone and engage in your adventure. When we are fully present, we can make sure to get in our laughing quota! Movement is KEY. I know, easier said than done, but set aside 20 minutes a day initially to take a walk, stretch in the morning/evening, or find an accountability buddy to keep you on track. Our body craves movement. We have so much more time in our day than we realize. Just think of all those times you pick up your phone to scroll. What if instead, you took a stroll? Our body yearns for endorphins. You know that feeling when you do something kind for someone else? Yes, those are endorphins! Look at your surroundings – can you hold the door just an extra minute? Could you bring someone who is going through a hard time a surprise treat? Could you volunteer in your local community? There is always a way to give back – you just need to look. Don’t wait for the right time to learn a new skill. Stay curious, stay active and strive for more. We can all become complacent in the workplace or at home. If you are feeling stagnant at work, there might be room for advancement. If you are feeling sluggish at home, tweak your nightly routine. Take a walk, go to the park, or have a family game-night. If you personally feel like you need a new hobby, investigate sewing, frisbee golf, or a weekly bible study through your church community. Lastly, we all thrive with intentional interaction. After the last few years, it may seem easier to isolate and scroll through the reels of our feeds to feel connection. That is very isolating and gets us caught up in comparison. Instead aim to find genuine connections with people that serve you and align with your values. We are all busy creatures but carve out time for date-night with your loved one. Meet up for lunch with an old neighbor or grab coffee with a colleague. This is YOUR year, but you know what? All the YEARS have been yours too! You must claim them. As Betty White would say, “Use this decade, use them all!” Written by: Valerie Sink

To assist in renewing connections, making new connections, and personal growth we asked each committee for a summary of what they are planning for 2022. One of the easiest and best ways to get more out of your OWA membership is to join a committee! Volunteering with a committee will help you grow your network and flex some new skills. See what’s in store across the OWA this year. Communications and Website Committee is responsible for the new OWA blog. We’ll be working hard this year to deliver more content, more often, to our members and the industry as a whole. Whether we’re recapping recent OWA events or sharing stories of inspiration you’ll find it all here on the blog. Connection & Enrichment Committee recently released a survey asking for your input. Results from the survey will help drive the direction for our Advisory Groups, quarterly virtual events, OWA Talks, and so much more. Digital Marketing Committee is actively recruiting for additional members (3 of the current committee members are having babies in 2022)! Congratulations! New committee members could assist in activities like: Deep diving into the analytics of what has been working for social media to assist in planning higher engaging posts Working with sponsorship committee to ensure we are providing value for sponsor companies with sponsored social posts Collaboration with communications committee to create social media highlighting the new blog content Communications strategy and overview Proactive planning for large events at Vision Expo with boosted social media and targeted social ads Events Committee is hard at work, planning the upcoming Champagne Breakfast in-person at Vision Expo East to recognize our 2022 award honorees. Prior attendees list this event as a MUST attend! This committee is also paving the way with a virtual International Women’s Day event, and planning for Vision Expo West events including the Connection Series Lunch and Annual Raffle. Membership Committee is committed to holding 24 Regional events in 2022 to spread the good word about all the benefits of Membership in the OWA! These events post to our website as they are confirmed throughout the year and they are slotted to be both virtual and live formats. A special effort is being made this year to meet and engage with more Optometry Students and Opticians! Nominating Committee is always tirelessly working to build the industry’s brightest and strongest board possible to continue the growth and integrity of the OWA.  Interested in the path to OWA leadership? We will be sharing an article sharing insight in a future blog post. Professional Development Fund committee continues to nurture relationships with our valued sponsors. With the support of the OWA Sponsor Ambassadors, the committee is able to drive member growth and maximize sponsor value through increased benefit utilization. Learn more about joining any of the OWA Committees here. Written by: Yvette Carranza

Company and Title: Editor-in-Chief and Editorial Director, Eyecare Business Editorial Director, CLS Director of Social Media, PentaVision What does winning the Pleiades Award mean to you? I am so incredibly honored to receive the Optical Women’s Association’s 2022 Pleiades Award. The work the OWA does for our market is truly invaluable, exciting, and tireless—and it has inspired a sea change in this industry! It has been a privilege to serve on the OWA Board of Directors, oversee the OWA Communications Committee, and to work with the stellar regional team on our Denver events each year. I have had so many incredible female mentors over the years—and I am honored to be able to pay it forward by helping to mentor the young women on our own teams at Eyecare Business and PentaVision. What motivates you at work or on a personal level? It motivates me to strive to make things better and more beautiful on so many levels—to absolutely bring things to the next level. And, to help pave the way for the next generation. What is one piece of advice you want women to hear? Lock in on your passion and follow it; you will thrive (even if it’s just that slice of your job that lights you up). Also—try to be kind and supportive. We all need a little more empathy today. What’s your favorite hobby outside of work? We live in the mountains in Colorado, and love to spend all our free moments skiing, mountain biking, backpacking, and paddle boarding!

On International Women’s Day, March 8th, Judge Karen Ackerson Gauff shared an inspiring presentation with the OWA. You can watch the complete recording here. After her remarks, we spoke further about the women who have supported her and have helped her break the bias. Who empowered you as you found your authentic voice as a woman? You named a lot of women that were behind you, but what were some of those key moments? Some of the key moments had to do with seeing myself through the haze of things. Once I got into foster care, one of my foster family’s daughters, Claudia, was in law school when I came into the family. She authenticated and validated that the big mouth that I have would serve a greater purpose and come in handy someday. She would always say, “You’re going to be a great criminal defense attorney.” And, I’d say, “Oh no, I don’t want to do that because I’ll just end up defending my brothers.” She always found a way to say, “No, there’s a use for your mouth and we’ll figure out how it’s going to be used.” She was the one who through the cloud of things was that light for me. To see that there was a use for what I brought to the table. Judge Sandra Brown Armstrong is a federal judge up in the Oakland area and she illuminated a different light for me because she loves to serve the community. That helped me because I had been told along the way that I might be too outgoing, being a judge is very reserved, and I would need to tone it down. I didn’t know how to do that. She showed me I can serve in the community, be connected to the community I am in, wear the black robe, and serve people on the bench. Along the way, there were different people at pivotal places, but the two of them were two women, who were in big places in my life. You, you mentioned in your remarks about using failures as foundation for success. What are some of those failures that became your foundation? I spent a lot of time pointing out, you know you’re here for a reason, so now let’s find something you can do with that. And most of it is helping others find a detour from going down this same road. For me personally, it could be anything from failures and divorce to just being caught up in other people’s issues. But, I will use the most recent life thing that happened to me. That’s so huge, which is the transition of my 21 year old son, Brandon. As with any mother, I wanted to just die because I didn’t want to be here because I didn’t see my life without him until I found a connection between why I’m still here. And the fact that I can allow his legacy to go on inside of me and through me. That allowed me to start ministry and to use my big mouth as Brandon would. I started a new ministry in response to Brandon’s passing. It is to share God’s word. Not only in a written form, but audibly. So people hear that God wants to talk to them. You mentioned right after was when you were invited to be part of the mental health court, can you tell us about that? When I first got appointed, I had a drug court and I had a misdemeanor court. I’ll make it quick, but to give you some lessons in the difference, our United States judicial system is based on an adversarial process. There are two sides, two parties. There is a defense, and there is a prosecution. The judge is the one who decides who wins. That’s our adversarial system. In 1994, the drug court system started in the United States, it came to Los Angeles and here in Compton as one of the first places. It really flourished in Los Angeles county. That system is that you have a judge, a defense attorney, a prosecutor, and other people on the team that are professionals. They come together to help the judge make the decision that’s best for this defendant, and that’s going to accrue to the benefit of the community. How is this addiction and how is this person’s life off course because of this addiction? Now everybody’s forming a community to help this person and identify who they victimized, help them accept responsibility for that,  and find a way to help them put their lives back together so that in the future it is going to help them and help the community. After I went out on bereavement leave, when I came back, I was given a call and asked if I would expand the drug court model with the community collaborative court. The difference is now it’s more team focused. So it is not only drugs, but it is sexual exploitation, chronic homelessness… it has so many more parts of trauma that we look at and not just drug addiction. What advice would you give to working mothers who want to grow their career without sacrificing family and children? Thank you for that question. I was one of those women because I was a single mother for 13 years, from the time I divorced to the time I remarried. So I know that in having a child with differences was an extra added component I had to get used to and had to gain support. Some of the women I named in my list were the women who were there to support me. You need a sisterhood around you if you’re going to do this. You also need to have workarounds. One of the workarounds I had to learn had to do with mentoring, because mentoring was my life. It was my life before I had Brandon and I didn’t want it to stop, but with him having differences, I had to learn that my mentoring had to be a part of my work. Anytime I mentored someone, they had to come to my job, watch me work, or go to events with me so that it wasn’t taking extra time away from my son. You just have to figure out some workarounds. It is going to feel like you need more than 24 hours in a day, but if you do some workarounds and incorporate some of those things in your day it’ll be less stressful for you. Self-care is really important. My self-care had to come in weird kind of ways. Like get a couple of girlfriends and go to Chuck-E-Cheese so that our children can have a great day and we can sit there and let it all out. So, it’s finding workarounds that give you balance and also allow your children to get what they need, your spouses to get what they need, but that you also can continue matriculating your career as well. Do you want to tell us a little bit about your book? Yes, Courting with Chance Reconciling Memoirs, is because I found my mother’s 96-page manuscript. I could not write my book without considering her, the fact that I’m a judge or I’m anything is a miracle coming from that story of her life and how her life and my father’s life came about. I wrote that book for my 50th birthday thinking that, I’m putting it all out there now, all passed away. And it’s been a rollercoaster in that way ever since, but it’s been an adventure. Written by: Courtney Myers

The OWA was so happy to be back live in New York City at Vision Expo East. Being able to bring back the signature Champagne Breakfast Event and celebrate our 2022 award honorees was the highlight of the show for many attendees. On Thursday, March 31 at Gotham Hall, the OWA and the rest of the industry got up early (maybe a little too early), to celebrate Erinn Morgan, Laura Dorris, Katie Lauver, and Dr. Jennifer Stewart. On top of the signature Champagne Breakfast, the OWA also hosted the Star Awards Cocktail and Networking Event on Friday evening conveniently located at the Javits Center. This event allows more networking opportunities for members and non-members alike. The OWA also hosted a Champagne Toast at the Career Zone event on Saturday at Vision Expo. Below are a few of our favorite photos from the events but be sure to check out the full album of photos here. Gotham Hall – Champagne Breakfast Celebrating the award winners – Dr. Jennifer Stewart, Erinn Morgan, Laura Dorris, and Katie Lauver Cheers! Keynote speaker – Amy Dix Attendees arrive at The Champagne Breakfast Attendees mingle at The Star Awards Cocktail and Networking Event Friends celebrate with Katie Lauver Networking opportunities Connecting with friends and colleagues Written by: Janelle Pauli

Juggling busy work and life schedules means it’s hard for many people to make time to listen to professional development, coaching, or other inspirational discussions. OWA Talks was created to share short podcasts on trending topics when schedules permit and feature influential leaders in the optical industry to help you in your career or inspire you in daily life. This connects to the OWA mission of supporting and promoting professional and personal development of women in all facets of the optical industry. Here are three of the most listened to OWA Talks Podcast episodes: Understanding the Industry with Dr. Millicent Knight The 2020 OWA Pleiades Award Winner Dr. Knight joined the podcast and shared some of her perspectives about how she sees the optical profession moving forward.  Listeners were challenged to understand the industry that we are working in and realize that yesterday is not today, and today is not tomorrow! As she was growing up, Dr. Knight wanted to be her best by helping others see their best, a mission she has kept throughout her successful career. She also offers tips to listeners around being proactive and preparing yourself for disruption and changes coming your way.  Getting out in front of things allows you to help shape and create the future. Listen here: Understanding the Industry with Dr. Millicent Knight “Look for ways to continue to grow and become the best you can be throughout your career. “ -Dr. Millicent Knight Food for Thought with Dr. Beverly Bianes Many of you may know Dr. Bianes from her years of service to the profession and work within OWA.  She is passionate about creating inclusive spaces through programs such as the ‘Coffee Conversations’ virtual connection series and by creating the “Food for Thought” series to help us connect through a passion and love of food. Learn more about her personal experiences and how she created “Food for Thought” to allow OWA members the opportunity to share and experience differences in culture, heritage, and family traditions through the celebration of food. Listen here: Food for Thought with Dr. Beverly Bianes “As we prepare our food with love to share and nourish one another, our healing can begin.”  -Dr. Beverly Bianes Innovation Adaptation in Optometric Colleges with Dr. Howard Purcell If you have ever met Dr. Purcell, you know how he brings contagious energy and passion into everything that he does. In Dr. Purcell’s Podcast, he provides success strategies to help navigate your career: Learn from everyone you can; listen, observe, speak, and collaborate. Take time to research and learn to fill your own gaps. Surround yourself with successful people. Pick your battles; you don’t want to be “that” person who wants to argue about everything. Take chances throughout your career to help you achieve your goals. You will never check all the boxes, but that’s ok. Build a great team around you and work to have the diversity of thought and experiences that will help you achieve great things. Listen here: Innovation Adaptation in Optometric Colleges with Dr. Howard Purcell “Never forget to give back to others; it changes lives no matter what role you play.”  -Dr. Howard Purcell There are many great podcasts on the OWA Talks platform that you can listen to any time  through the OWA website, Apple Podcasts, and Spotify, plus other podcast platforms of choice. OWA members Stephanie Espinosa and Sandra Mohr host the OWA Talks podcasts on the last Tuesday of each month. Written by Dr. Sandra Mohr

If you are like me, you are busy and bogged down by the day-to-day pace. There is always SO much information around us, it has me thinking what is the BEST way to take care of me? I went on a journey almost one year ago to sync my mind, body, and spirit. It didn’t happen overnight but thinking back on this transformation I thought I would share with the OWA ladies. Each month I aim to give tidbits and insight on tangible ways that will help you fuel yourself – if you give them a chance. Don’t look at it as ONE more thing – think of it to fill your cup. You can’t keep pouring from empty- what we put into our mind and bodies we become. Each month I will give: O-ne minute mindset: a quote to ponder, an encouraging story, or just some words of wisdom. This is meant to be put somewhere in your calendar that you can look back and use it to set the tone of your week! W-alk through your month: ideas in which you can fill your calendar with things that will enrich your physical, spiritual, and emotional health A-im to targets for the month: simple goals to set for your month. I hope this encourages you and I look forward to hearing from you along the way! View the OWA’s Food for Thought Recipes. Written by Valerie Sink