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VisionMonday’s Most Influential Women 2017

2017 was the 15th iteration of Vision Monday’s special report on influential women in the optical industry. Honourees were divided into four categories: executives, mentors, rising stars and innovators.

Among those honoured in the Mentors category was Canadian Nancy Dewald, National Manager of Training and Development at Eye Recommend.

Dewald worked at Luxottica for 10 years in various positions, including eyecare director for the Canadian market and regional manager before joining Eye Recommend in 2013. Dewald says of her approach towards being a mentor: “In all I do, I try to leave people in a better place than before I have encountered or worked with them. Sometimes it is giving them hard to hear feedback, a sincere compliment, training or simply someone to listen to them. The simple things can make a huge difference.”

Click here to view the Women of Influence special article.

Click here to view a list of the 589 past winners.

2017 Honourees

Executive Suite

  • Carol Alexander (Johnson & Johnson Vision)
  • Leslie Amodei (Optos)
  • Emily Ashworth (ABB Optical Group)
  • Amanda Davis (Brien Holden Vision Institute)
  • Lisa Fawcett (CooperVision)
  • Cheryl Massa (Davinci Equity Group)
  • Ashley Mills (The Vision Council)
  • Heidi Pham-Murray (Eye Designs Optometry)
  • Karen Roberts (Carl Zeiss Vision International)
  • Andrea Thau (Dr. Thau and Associates)

Rising Stars

  • Vidya Baliga (DentaQuest)
  • Hillary Bliss (National Vision Inc.)
  • Tiffany Burkhalter (VSP Global)
  • Cha-Ling Delgado (Luxottica North America)
  • Jaclyn Frumkin (Eye Q Eyewear)
  • Jessica Goebert (De Rigo REM)
  • Kristin O’Brien (Vision Source of Green Valley Ranch)
  • Laurel O’Connor (Think About Your Eyes)
  • Christina Perraud (MyEyeDr.)
  • Sheree Rajan (Essilor of America)
  • Lindsay Ruhe (The Vision Council)
  • Amanda Sabin (Costa Sunglasses)
  • Shauna Thornhill (Amarillo Vision Specialists)
  • Sarah Wells (Eyecare Partners/Clarkson Eyecare)
  • Lindsay Wright (Armed Forces Optometric Society)

Mentors

  • Linda Atwood (Coachwood Lab and Training Center)
  • Robyn Crimmins (VSP Optics Group)
  • Nancy Dewald (Eye Recommend)
  • Liz Friedfeld (ClearVision Optical)
  • Jennifer Jackson (Tura Inc.)
  • Heather McHale (Marchon Eyewear Inc.)
  • Deborah Rich (Marchon Eyewear)
  • Ann Small (Essilor of America)
  • Lorrie Sorrenson (Lakeline Vision Source)

Innovators

  • Diana Canto-Sims (Buena Vista Optical)
  • Julie Collins (Alcon)
  • Jane George (Frames Data Inc./Jobson Optical Group)
  • Alysia Gradney (Vision Source)
  • Melissa Hunfalvay (RightEye)
  • Kristin McLaughlin (Silhoutte Optical)
  • Bridgitte Shen Lee (Vision Optique)

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