Helping Our OWA Stars Shine
Each year, the OWA awards honorees at our annual Champagne Breakfast, for their contributions to the industry. Recipients receive $1000 each to donate to a charity of their choice.
OWA's Star Honorees
Pleiades Award
Each year, our Pleiades Award honors an individual who has shown exceptional support in advancing the leadership role of women in the optical industry. "The Pleiades" is also known as the "Seven Sisters" — referring to the seven brightest stars in the cluster.
According to Greek mythology, each star was named after the seven daughters of Atlas who were turned into stars by Zeus. Together these stars create one of the brightest clusters visible in the northern hemisphere, just as by working together, the women of the OWA have created an organization that is bigger and brighter than the sum of their individual efforts.
Susy Yu, OD, MBA, FAAO, FACHE is a healthcare leader who has dedicated her career to strengthening eyecare delivery, supporting the next generation of clinicians, and advancing the profession through collaborative leadership. As Vision Services Administrator for Vision Essentials by Kaiser Permanente in Southern California, she leads more than 400 optometrists and multidisciplinary teams to expand access, enhance patient experience, and develop value-based care models that reflect the needs of diverse communities.
A champion of digital transformation and future-focused care, Dr. Yu has led systemwide initiatives in eCommerce, virtual care, remote diagnostics, and assistant-driven workflows. Her work has contributed to care redesign, expanded patient access, and reinforced the integration of optometry within broader healthcare systems.
Dr. Yu’s commitment to service is reflected in her extensive board work. She is a former Vice President of the California State Board of Optometry, former President of the National Board of Examiners in Optometry, and former President of the Association of Regulatory Boards of Optometry, where she spearheaded the equivalency of optometric continuing education across health professions and supported interprofessional accreditation. She currently serves on the board of the American Academy of Optometry. Across these roles, she is known for building consensus, mentoring emerging leaders, and having a strategic and systematic perspective.
Dr. Yu was recognized as one of Vision Monday’s Most Influential Women in Optical in the “Executive Suite” category in 2023. In all her leadership roles, she has focused on reinforcing the essential role of eyecare as a component of overall health.
Susy Yu, OD
2026 Honoree
Susy Yu’s Charity of Choice - Optometry Giving Sight
For my charity of choice, I have selected Optometry Giving Sight. As a former board member, this organization holds deep personal meaning for me. Its mission—to grow optometry globally through sustainable education and workforce development—aligns directly with my belief that eyecare is healthcare. Expanding access to comprehensive vision care strengthens education, economic opportunity, and community health worldwide.
Pyxis Award
PYXIS is a constellation in the southern sky known as "The Compass." The PYXIS Award is presented to a member of the OWA who actively participates in the organization and promotes the OWA throughout the optical industry, contributing to OWA's continuing growth.
The recipient of the PYXIS Award is exceptional in her commitment to support and develop the OWA. She helps set direction of the organization by her actions and inspires by her leadership.
Liz Friedfeld is a strategic and trusted industry leader whose career has been shaped by a deep commitment to connection, growth, and purpose. As Head of Business Development for ClearVision Optical, Liz serves as an ambassador for the organization, building meaningful relationships that strengthen partnerships and support independent eyecare professionals.
After a successful career in advertising and a financial start-up, Liz returned to optical with a renewed purpose to carry forward her family’s legacy. She has become a valued mentor for many who are navigating their own leadership journeys, earning recognition as one of Vision Monday’s Most Influential Women in Optical in the “mentor” category and as an OWA Leadership Scholarship recipient. She is well-known for her passion, curiosity, and a genuine dedication to uplifting others.
For more than a decade, Liz has been deeply involved with the Optical Women’s Association, currently serving on the Board of Directors and as Co Chair of the Membership Committee. Under her collaborative leadership, OWA membership has surged to record levels year after year, supported by innovative initiatives and a passionate, dedicated team.
Liz also recently completed her 500-hour Yoga Teacher Training combining her passions for wellness, balance, and community.
Liz Friedfeld
2026 Honoree
Liz Friedfeld’s Charity of Choice - All Hands & Hearts
For more than 20 years, my family has been deeply involved with All Hands and Hearts, an organization dedicated to healing the most vulnerable communities after disaster strikes. They work alongside communities in the U.S. and internationally, adapting to the unique needs and cultures of each place to rebuild not only homes and schools, but hope and long-term resilience. Their enduring commitment ensures no one faces disaster alone and that recovery continues long after the crisis has passed.
Emerging Leader Award
The Emerging Leader Award, created in 2018, is presented to a woman who is a rising star and exemplifies leadership qualities as a new distinctive talent within the optical industry. Examples may be a Millennial or GEN Xer but is not limited to these generations. Unlike the Pleiades and Pyxis Awards, the Emerging Leader Award may not necessarily be presented every year.
Cathy Firman began her optical journey in 2003, stepping into the field as a paraoptometric and quickly falling in love with the profession. Early on, she discovered a passion for eye health, exceptional patient care, and operational excellence—interests that propelled her into roles as Practice Manager and Optical Manager. Along the way, she earned her Certified Paraoptometric Technician credential and became an ABO Certified Optician.
In 2018, Cathy joined GPN Technologies as an Assistant Customer Care Manager and has since grown into the position of Senior Director of Customer Success. Today, she leads the Practice Performance Team, guiding practices in leveraging business analytics to drive smarter decisions and sustainable growth. She is also a proud contributor to GPN VISIONS, where she shares stories, strategies, and data-driven insights with the broader eyecare community.
A dedicated educator at heart, Cathy has developed and facilitated hands-on training workshops that help paraoptometrics build confidence, strengthen their technical skills, and grow their careers.
Beyond her day-to-day contributions, Cathy has a long record of service to the optical industry. She has been an active member of the Optical Women’s Association (OWA) since 2017 and currently serves as Co-Chair of the Events Committee. She also volunteers with the AOA CPC Item & Test Review Committees and previously served nine years on the AOA’s Commission on Paraoptometric Certification, where she helped advance national standards and elevate certification for paraoptometric professionals.
Cathy Firman
2026 Honoree
Cathy Firman’s Charity of Choice - The Finley Project
I chose The Finley Project because it provides the nation's only seven-part holistic support program for grieving mothers, providing crucial assistance during an unimaginable loss. This organization's compassionate care is deeply personal to me, as it supported my cousin's family after the loss of their baby to SIDS.
Recipients Charities Of Choice
Each year, the annual OWA award honorees receive $1000 each to put toward a charity of their choosing. The Charities of Choice selected for 2026 are:
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Optometry Giving Sight - selected by Pleiades recipient Susy Yu
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All Hands & Hearts - selected by Pyxis recipient Liz Friedfeld
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OneSight EssilorLuxottica Foundation - selected by Polaris recipient Alessandra Senici
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The Finley Project - selected by Emerging Leader recipient Cathy Firman
If you would like to make an additional contribution to any of these charities, please visit their respective donation pages.
Even More Awards!
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Visionary Award — This award recognizes a member who is known as a "visionary" in our industry. This influential leader demonstrates progressive thinking and actively cultivates professional development of women, contributing to the successful future of the entire optical industry.
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Pinnacle Award — OWA recognizes a member who has demonstrated long-standing and consistent dedication and commitment to the OWA and to furthering the advancement of the leadership role of women in the optical industry. A pinnacle is the highest point of development or achievement, and the Pinnacle Award honors the person's success, determination and influence. The recipient is one who is recognized for inspiring others to reach aspirational heights and career advancement. Signifying a lofty peak, the Pinnacle Award also symbolizes major OWA milestone years as it will only be bestowed on anniversaries.
Polaris Award
The Polaris Award, presented for the first time in 2026, honors an individual dedicated to promoting the mission of the OWA globally. Long recognized as a universal navigational tool, Polaris, aka the North Star, represents guidance, purpose, and a reminder to stay true to one's path.
Since 1997, the OWA has maintained its course of supporting women in the optical industry. Its success comes from the strength and passion of its members, making it a powerful source of inspiration, leadership, and resilience internationally.
Alessandra Senici is a pioneering leader in the optical industry whose contributions have helped to shape education and drive awareness around topics such as vision care, practice management, and people development. She currently serves as Head of the OneSight EssilorLuxottica Foundation, a registered charitable organization reflecting the global commitment of EssilorLuxottica to eliminate uncorrected poor vision in a generation. The Foundation brings together EssilorLuxottica’s philanthropic, advocacy actions and investments.
Most recently, Alessandra was Head of Leonardo, the most comprehensive digital learning platform for the vision care world, a growing ecosystem she and her team at EssilorLuxottica built from the ground up. To date, eyecare professionals, employees and other stakeholders have enjoyed 13 million hours of content on topics ranging from the digital transformation of the industry to growing the myopia management category.
Alessandra led Investor Relations for Luxottica for over a decade, helping to guide the company through its Italian and NYSE listings. Later, as Head of both Investor Relations and Corporate Communications, she was part of the executive team leading the merger of Essilor and Luxottica in 2018; her steadfast presence has served as an anchor during the company’s most significant moments.
Alessandra Senici
2026 Honoree
Alessandra Senici’s Charity of Choice - OneSight EssilorLuxottica Foundation
OneSight works to ensure that everyone, everywhere has access to vision care. By combining sustainable innovation with social impact, the Foundation strives to eliminate uncorrected poor vision and build a more equitable future for those in underserved communities. The life-changing benefits of good vision can profoundly improve a person’s ability to learn, work, and support their families and communities. This impact is what motivates me in my work, and this is why I am delighted to make this contribution to the Foundation.