Women In Optometry regularly recognizes the accomplishments of women ODs in the profession and in their communities. Have you stepped into a new leadership role or recently won an award? Send us a note: MBijlefeld@jobson.com.
Newsweek announced 56 women optometrists in America’s Best Eye Doctors 2021. A total of 150 optometrists were selected in the 20 most populous states through a survey of more than 10,000 ophthalmologists, optometrists, clinic managers and other health care professionals.
Congratulations to all the honorees!
| #2 | Viola Kanevsky, OD, of New York, New York |  |
| #7 | Anne Mika Moy, OD, FAAO, of Berkeley California |  |
| #9 | Shannon L. Steinhauser, OD, of Phoenix, Arizona |  |
| #11 | April L. Jasper, OD, of West Palm Beach, Florida |  |
| #13 | Kristine M. Eng, OD, of Orinda, California |  |
| #17 | Mina Sehizadeh, OD, of Boston, Massachusetts |  |
| #22 | Jill C. Autry, OD, R.Ph., of Bellaire, Texas |  |
| #25 | Jamie Kuzniar, OD, FAAO, FSLS, of Bloomfield Township, Michigan |  |
| #28 | Ellen Butts, OD, of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania |  |
| #41 | Katarzyna Ciesek, OD, of Hamilton, New Jersey |  |
| #44 | Julie D. Ngo, OD, FAAO, of Sugarland, Texas |  |
| #48 | Shannan E. Brown, OD, of Mishawaka, Indiana |  |
| #49 | Stephanie M. Baxter, OD, of Mishawaka, Indiana |  |
| #50 | Emily DePew, OD, of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania |  |
| #53 | Sarah D. Appel, OD, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania | |
| #54 | Marina Su, OD, FAAO, of Bronx, New York |  |
| #55 | Lisa M. Steward, OD, of Linton, Indiana | |
| #58 | Gloria Chow, OD, of San Jose, California |  |
| #59 | Anita Gulmiri, OD, of Boston, Massachusetts |  |
| #60 | Anna Lange, OD, FAAO, of New York, New York |  |
| #62 | Danica Marrelli, OD, of Houston, Texas |  |
| #63 | Hannah Yecheskel, OD, of Rockville, Maryland |  |
| #64 | Elizabeth F. Ellison, OD, of Gainesville, Georgia |  |
| #69 | Cheryl Schmitt, OD, of Tuscon, Arizona |  |
| #71 | Gloria B. Chiu, OD, FAAO, FSLS, of Los Angeles, California |  |
| #79 | Shauna Lushko, OD, of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania |  |
| #81 | Laurie Sorrenson, OD, FAAO, of Cedar Park, Texas |  |
| #84 | Lauren Sanchez, OD, of Mishawaka, Indiana |  |
| #87 | Rebecca Kammer, OD, PhD, of Irvine, California |  |
| #93 | Julie Manry, OD, of Fort Wayne, Indiana |  |
| #94 | Beverly Miller, OD, of Laguna Niguel, California |  |
| #95 | Thuy Tran, OD, of Bronx, New York |  |
| #97 | Andrea P. Thau, OD, FAAO, FCOVD, FNAP, of New York, New York |  |
| #98 | Yin C. Tea, OD, FAAO, of Fort Lauderdale, Florida |  |
| #99 | Meredith M. Whiteside, OD, FAAO, of Berkeley, California |  |
| #101 | Mary Gouris, OD, of Chicago, Illinois | |
| #103 | Julie Rodman, OD, MS, FAAO, of Fort Lauderdale, Florida |  |
| #107 | Susan Resnick, OD, FAAO, of New York, New York |  |
| #108 | Aleshia N. Luu, OD, of Raleigh, North Carolina |  |
| #110 | Monica Kalia, OD, of Evansville, Indiana |  |
| #111 | Lindsay Greiten, OD, of Tucson, Arizona |  |
| #112 | Autumn Mantel, OD, of Redmond, Washington |  |
| #113 | Renee K. Lane, OD, of De Soto, Missouri | |
| #114 | Nicole D. Pogue, OD, FAAO, of Boston, Massachusetts |  |
| #117 | Judith Schaffer, OD, of Fort Lauderdale, Florida |  |
| #120 | Sonia Joshi Rose, OD, of Fredericksburg, Virginia |  |
| #122 | Marilyn Vricella, OD, of New York, New York |  |
| #124 | Negin Nikahd, OD, of Oxnard, California |  |
| #129 | JulieAnne M. Roper, OD, of Columbia, South Carolina |  |
| #131 | Mindy C. Nguyen, OD, FAAO, of Huntley, Illinois |  |
| #132 | Joanna Cotter, OD, of Miami, Florida |  |
| #137 | Angela Nguyen, OD, of Long Beach, California | |
| #138 | Lori Ann Vollmer, OD, of Venice, Florida |  |
| #141 | Karla Zadnik, OD, of Columbus, Ohio |  |
| #142 | Marie I. Bodack, OD, FAAO, of Memphis, Tennessee |  |
| #145 | Amanda L. Havens, OD, of Los Angeles, California |  |
| #147 | Kelly Malloy, OD, FAAO, Dipl., of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania |  |
Again, congratulations to all 150 ODs selected for this honor. Read the full list here, but a special nod to the top 20, which includes these 15 men:
Arthur B. Epstein, OD, of Phoenix, Arizona
Alan Glazier, OD, of New York, New York
Joseph W. Sowka, OD, FAAO, Diplomate, of Englewood, Florida
Thomas P. Arnold, OD, of Sugar Land, Texas
Oliver K. Lou, OD, of Cedar Park, Texas
Nyok Alan Lee, OD, of Houston, Texas
Marc R. Bloomenstein, OD, FAAO, of Scottsdale, Arizona
Aaron B. Mandel, OD, of Brooklyn, New York
Gregory D. Actipes, OD, of Chicago, Illinois
Andrew Gurwood, OD, FAAO, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Mark Perry, OD, of Orlando, Florida
Barry A. Weissman, OD, of Los Angeles, California
Albert Fonticoba, OD, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Richard Madonna, OD, MA, of New York, New York
Recently, Vision Monday announced the roster for its Most Influential Women In Optical for 2021. The honorees were chosen by Vision Monday editors from hundreds of nominations and were chosen among five categories: Executive Suite, Rising Stars, Innovators, Mentors and Above & Beyond. Read the whole special report here.
Congratulations to all honorees!
Above & Beyond:
| Sherry J. Bass, OD, of New York, New York |  |
| Michelle J. Hoff, OD, FAAO, ABOM, FNAO, of Moraga, California |  |
Executive Suite:
| Valery Sheety-Pilon, OD, of Rancho Cordova, California |  |
Rising Stars:
| Victoria Dzurinko, OD, MBA, FAAO, of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania |  |
| Lauren Fereday, OD, of San Diego, California |  |
| Essence Johnson, OD, FAAO, Dipl ABO, of Heartland, Texas |  |
| Leah Johnson, OD, FAAO, FSLS, of Phoenix, Arizona |  |
| Sathi Maiti, OD, of Seattle, Washington |  |
Innovators:
| Beverly Bianes, OD, of Chula Vista, California |  |
| Karen Carrasquillo, OD, PhD, FAAO, FSLS, FBCLA, of Needham, Massachusetts |  |
| Melanie Frogozo, OD, FAAO, FSLS, Dipl CLCS, of San Antonio, Texas |  |
