NEW YORK—Women In Optometry has announced that it will award nine women ODs with a Theia Award of Excellence on Thursday, November 7, 2024, during the American Academy of Optometry’s Academy 2024 in Indianapolis, Ind., according to an announcement from WO. This is the ninth year for this annual awards ceremony. Each year, Women In Optometry asks readers and friends to submit the names of women who have been extraordinarily influential in the industry. This year, more than 200 nominations were submitted; the WO advisory board votes for the winners.

This year’s winners are:

Leadership: Jarrett Johnson, OD, MPH, of New Orleans, La., and Lori Grover, OD, PhD, FAAO, Dipl AAO, of Scottsdale, Ariz.

Mentoring: Paula Harmon Boone, OD, of Chesapeake, Va., and Jill Saxon, OD, FAAO, of Morristown, N.J.

Education: Keshia Elder, OD, MS, FAAO, of St. Louis, Mo.

Innovation: Jacqueline Theis, OD, FAAO, FNAP, of Richmond, Va.

Business: Carly Rose, OD, FAAO, of Cincinnati, Ohio.

Young OD: Brittany Wright, OD, MS, FAAO, of Denver, Colo., 2015 graduate of Southern College of Optometry.

Industry Influence: Maria Sampalis, OD, of Cranston, R.I.


Among these nine winners are a number of independent ECPs who have made waves in the industry, championing independent eyecare and continually showing what independents can accomplish. Here is a look at this year’s honorees, as reported in Women In Optometry:

Jarrett Johnson, OD, MPH, of New Orleans, La., owns independent office Primary Eye Care in New Orleans, where she also sees patients. During the height of the COVID pandemic, her office tested and vaccinated the local unhoused community and provided eye exams to reduce ER visits. This work earned her the Vision Monday Eyecare Hero award and the 2022 NOA Founder’s Award.

Alongside her work as an independent ECP, Dr. Johnson has served on the Southern College of Optometry board of directors, becoming chairman and earning a Lifetime Achievement Award in 2015. She was crucial in state legislative efforts for scope expansion, receiving the OAL Public Service Award. She serves on non-profit boards like KidSmart and Feed the Secondline, focusing on at-risk populations.

Carly Rose, OD, FAAO, of Cincinnati, Ohio, owns Eyecare on the Square, a full-service independent practice in Cincinnati, where she also sees patients. Part of Dr. Rose’s impact is her use of social media, mainly Instagram and TikTok, both to spread the word about her practice and to bolster ocular health knowledge and outreach. Her work on social media has appeared in BuzzFeed News, according to Women In Optometry.

Maria Sampalis, OD, owns and practices at Sampalis Eyecare in Cranston, R.I. In addition, she champions independent ECPs through her work as founder of the Corporate OD Alliance, which is dedicated to empowering the corporate OD and helping them stay independent and reach their full potential.

These outstanding women, alongside this year’s other winners, showcase the power and impact of independent optometry. Head over to Women In Optometry for a full bio from all nine of this year’s winners, including exclusive quotes from each one.