OWA Talks Podcast

 Dr. Anne-Marie Lahr shares stories of career diversity for women in Optometry. Whether delivering patient care as a practicing OD, teaching, lecturing internationally or research and corporate options, there are many opportunities. Also hear about new technology of “liquid lens” or vectorial refraction. Better 1 or two?!  Like this episode? Please subscribe and share! iTunes | Spotify | Overcast...

Beginning with a simple post on the company portal, an invitation to join a meeting, and soon after, an interview followed. Now Susan Larsen is off to the races alongside some amazing women to form National Vision’s first Employee Resource Group dedicated to enhancing the lives of women. Like this episode? Please subscribe and share! iTunes | Spotify | Overcast | iHeartRadio |  Amazon Connect with...

In the current environment for our industry, people that work with and for us are our biggest asset and resource. Jamie and the Shyer family built a culture of getting the best team members, in the right “seat on the bus.“ Having a talented, diverse group of people working in the business is the secret to success.  Like this episode? Please subscribe and share! iTunes | Spotify | Overcast | iHeart...

Victoria is passionate about giving back and developing others in our industry. In our business and personal lives we are dealing with continual change. Victoria coaches others toward finding their path of happiness to work through circumstances we are faced with.  Like this episode? Please subscribe and share! iTunes | Spotify | Overcast | iHeartRadio |  Amazon Connect with the OWA: Website | Lin...

Definitions of  'networking' have taken on new meaning and relevance over the past two truly tumultuous years since the pandemic began.. The idea of networking doesn't need to be intimidating or 'formalized' but an enlightening, uplifting and reassuring way to learn, gain new perspectives about yourself, and what your work means to you .  As we look out to 2022, this OWA p...

Deb Bulken is the President of the Optical Women’s Association and also serves as the Vice President of Sales at Luxottica.  She has worked in the optical industry since 1986 through a variety of different leadership roles.  Deb is passionate about supporting the growth and development of women in the industry through mentorship and professional development opportunities. Like this episode? Please...

Selin Olmsted shares wisdom, tips, and strategies for how she created the first independent optical design studio in 2015 based on her desire to help others look their best and seeing a need for designers.  Selin seeks to overdeliver on every project and make her studio indispensable. Located in New York, Selin Olmsted Studio is a B2B eyewear design and product development studio. The studio’s ser...

The past few years have placed many of us in tough situations with no easy answers. Some of us have had to rethink our ideas of what matters most in our personal and professional lives. Dr. Maria Sampalis , our featured podcast guest for November, emphasizes the importance of adopting healthy behaviors and strategies to overcome failed moments, allowing us to persevere through the tough times and...

Join two of OWA’s 2020 Leadership Scholars Cathy Firman and Kylie Matya in this month’s podcast to hear impactful moments from their professional development experiences and how they work to support the OWA’s mission of helping to connect, inspire, and lead in the optical field.  The OWA Leadership Scholarship Award provides funding for each recipient to engage in professional development selected...

Most people won't be doing the same thing at the beginning of their career as they will be at the end. Join us as we talk about how you can best utilize opportunities with contacts and your influence to professionally evolve throughout your career. Carissa Dunphy is an ABO Certified Optician who has been working in the Optical industry since 2008. She works in a thriving 5 doctor private Opto...

Use your drive and passion to create your successful career path through hard work and connections. In this podcast, Dr. Stewart shares her success tips and strategies for creating powerful connections that enable career success.  Dr. Stewart has successfully become a partner at Norwalk Eye Care and has been recognized as one of the Best Eye Doctors in Fairfield County where she specializes in spo...

We are Nancy Gries and Julie Hawkins. We are 50+ year old ladies who met at work two decades ago. Together we have over 50 years’ experience in the optical industry. Over these years we have been honoured to call our mentors and colleagues some of our closest friends. A few year’s ago we both encountered experiences which left us feeling taken advantage of and vulnerable. We both thought; we can e...

What's going on at the schools and colleges of Optometry.?  All 23 Optometry Schools have gone through rapid adaptation during the pandemic to continue supporting their students' successful learning journey.  Committed faculty are to preparing the future of the profession while continuing to grow their skills as the profession continues to evolve.   Dr. Purcell believes that today's...

It's been said that women have the capability of multi-tasking far better than men; but when you're working full time, raising a child, and a pandemic strikes, is it possible to juggle it all?  In this podcast, we hear from Katie Lauver, a busy mom to a high-energy toddler and VP of Business Relations at GPN Technologies.  Katie has been working from home while raising her son both pre a...

The Vision Council, the trade organization representing more than 700 companies in the vision care industry and co-owner of Vision Expo, has been busy planning for Vision Expo East 2021, scheduled to take place for the first time ever in Orlando, Florida from June 2-5, 2021.  Join Ashley Mills, CEO of The Vision Council for an engaging conversation on what to expect at the first major in-person tr...

Every March, we celebrate Women’s History Month to honor women’s contributions in American history and this episode with Dr. Kate Hamm celebrates women while focusing on supporting women to help create a more equal and inclusive workplace.  Dr, Hamm began analyzing various components contributing to the wage gap during optometry school and works to help women become better negotiators with the goa...

Meet Karen Giberson — President and CEO of the Accessories Council, Editor-in-Chief of AC Magazine, and EMMY Award winner! A genuine "retail insider", Karen has years of experience in communications, merchandising, marketing and public relations.  As President & CEO of the Accessories Council, a non-profit advocacy group, she represents a $50B+ industry of over 350 dynamic member com...

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the No. 1 killer of women. It claims more women’s lives than all forms of cancer combined!  Learn how Go Red for Women, from the American Heart Association, educates, promotes awareness, and is positively impacting the health of women related to CVD. Caroline Hickam, Director of Go Red for Women with the American Heart Association  Caroline is the Director of Go Red...

Ever wonder how optical trade magazines ACTUALLY work? Join Dee Carroll, editor-in-chief of INVISION and longtime optical editor, for a no holds barred, fully transparent conversation on the behind-the-scenes nitty gritty on what gets in, what gets left on the editing floor … and why. She will address misconceptions about how trade magazines work, and how INVISION magazine – and the other optical...

According to the 2020 McKinsey Women in the Workplace study, 865,000 women left the workforce last month, compared to only 216,000 men. Today, more than 1 in 4 women are contemplating downgrading their careers or exiting the workforce entirely. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic and the choices working women are having to make, America is at a turning point, where companies now risk losing not just wome...

2020 was a year of many unexpected twists and turns. At the start of the pandemic, many of us were left asking....what does this all mean? When will it end? Is life ever going back to normal? The lack of certainty day to day left us feeling overwhelmed, stressed and anxious. And I knew I wanted to help.  The 30in30 challenge was designed as a social networking outreach effort. To create new connec...

Today, now more than ever, staying on top of current fashion + eyewear trends can give you an edge in your work in the eyewear industry. Join Erinn Morgan, Eyecare Business magazine's Editor-in-Chief + Editorial Director, to get the quick lowdown on the season's three most enticing, on-trend, and saleable eyewear trends—plus the key fashion trends they align with. She'll also share...

The world is dealing with a pandemic and our nation is faced with yet another challenge creating division, anger and frustration. We witnessed a man, George Floyd, die on social media. His death was followed by rioting and looting across our nation. These events broke our hearts. Many felt the need to do something. Some marched in protest. Others expressed their feelings on social media. I turned...

COVID-19 has forced the delivery of health care to change. The return to our clinics requires new rituals and a significant shift in our patient interactions. One of our major goals is to avoid infection and prevent the spread of infection, which requires minimal talking, covered faces, and short visits. How can we maintain our relationship with our patients? What is the value of our words, our fa...

If you are like every business owner, executive or sales person, when the lockdown happened you understood how important it was to be able to connect virtually to your patients and customers. Now virtual and digital communications are the norm. Connecting, networking and selling online will be the way of the future. What do you need to do to build a personal and business profile and where should y...