(L to R) Lori Archer, Megan Molony and Kayla Ashlee.

  
DALLAS—The Optical Women’s Association (OWA) has announced its 2025 OWA award honorees. Lori Archer, CEO of UnitedHealthcare Vision, will receive the Pleiades Award, recognizing her dedication and support in advancing the leadership role of women in the optical industry. Megan Molony, chief merchandising and managed care officer for National Vision, will be the Pyxis Award honoree, acknowledging her service and commitment to growing the OWA and promoting it throughout the optical industry. Kayla Ashlee, CEO and founder of Spexy, will receive the Emerging Leader Award, given to rising stars within the optical industry who display exemplary leadership qualities.

Dr. Lorie Lippiatt, OWA president, said, “On behalf of the entire OWA board of directors, I would like to congratulate our 2025 awardees. Each year at the highly anticipated Vision Expo East Champagne Breakfast, we honor select women who have had a meaningful impact on their peers,companies, the OWA membership and our beloved industry. Lori, Megan and Kayla have all made impressive contributions over the course of their respective careers."

Dr. Lippiatt continued, "They share in common the passion and desire to see women excel in leadership roles, and they set an amazing example of what 'great' looks like. I am inspired by each of their stories, the intense dedication they have for our industry and the support and direction they have provided to so many. I invite you all to join me in celebrating with them in February.”

The award recipients will be honored at the OWA’s annual Champagne Breakfast on Wednesday, February 19, 2025, during Vision Expo East. Sponsored by EssilorLuxottica and the OWA, this event will be held at the Hyatt Regency Orlando. 

Archer is an experienced executive with UnitedHealthcare Vision, a division of UnitedHealth Group. As chief executive officer, Archer is responsible for business strategy, execution and operations in this diversified organization serving commercial, individual and government clients. A compassionate leader with nearly 30 years' experience in nearly every aspect of the vision insurance and optical business, Archer has a proven track record of leading the delivery of member-centric vision benefits with unmatched choice in access to care.

She has twice been recognized by Vision Monday's Most Influential Women in Optical, most recently in the Executive Suite category (2020) and in the Mentors category (2008). Prior to her current position, Archer has held a variety of leadership roles within UnitedHealthcare including sales and client management, client operations and product strategy and execution. She is chair-elect on the board of directors of the National Association of Vision Care Plans (NAVCP), a 2024 member of the Global Myopia Awareness Coalition (GMAC) and a member of the OWA.

Molony joined the optical industry in 1995. Since then, she has worked for some of the largest global optical companies, including both Luxottica and Essilor, as well as National Vision, where she served in several key leadership roles across multiple functions. Those functions include merchandising, product development, customer experience, strategic planning, pricing strategy, managed care, operations and innovation.

She joined National Vision in 2017. As National Vision's chief merchandising and managed care officer, Molony has strategic oversight of product, pricing, visual merchandising and managed care. She is instrumental in sourcing high-quality, low-cost products to deliver a broad assortment across all National Vision brands and drive revenue through strong vision care partnerships. In addition to her role at National Vision, Molony has been actively involved in the OWA since 2016, and now serves as vice president and co-chair of the Professional Development Fund Committee. She also serves on the board of the NAVCP.

Ashlee, the CEO and founder of Spexy, is also an international optometric speaker and a certified optician. Her direct and relatable approach to training has set her apart in the optical industry. Ashlee took her knowledge of industry coaching and adapted it to reach any eyecare office that is hungry to grow by putting her training in an online video learning platform called Spexy.

Ashlee and her team train opticals to form a connection with patients through each experience. This has led to Ashlee being selected as one of the Most Influential Women in Eyecare in 2024 by Vision Monday magazine. Ashlee invented a tool called FrameTurn for independent opticals which allows opticals to have access to frame inventory coaching and guidance based upon each optical’s own unique sales numbers and has proven to be a massive profit builder for the independent retailer.