- Optometrist of the Year Nominees & Recipients
- William Van Essen Award Nominees & Recipients
- Distinguished Legislator Award Recipients
- Dr. Jerry Davidoff Memorial Award Recipients
- H. Ward Ewalt, O.D., Meritorious Service Award Recipients
- George Gottschalk, Jr. Memorial Award Recipients
- Donald H. Evans, O.D. Award Recipients
- Joseph Ricci Memorial Award
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Young Optometrist of the Year Nominees & Recipients
Young Optometrist of the Year Nominees & Recipients
Annually, societies may select one of their own to receive their society's Young Optometrist of the Year award, and submit the name to POA for the annual state Young Optometrist of the Year award. This award is presented to an individual who has been in practice for 10 years or less. The state recipient is then nominated for the annual AOA Young Optometrist of the Year award.
Recipients of the Young Optometrist of the Year Award
| Year | Nominees * Denotes State Recipient |
Local Society |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Ashley Maglione, O.D. Kelsey Harnish, O.D. Samantha Spinnato, O.D. Katherine Morris, O.D. *Ellen Butts, O.D. |
BMOS |
| 2023 | Joseph Ellwood, O.D. Kristin Goodling, O.D. *Tara Kays, O.D. Allison Stemko, O.D. Gretta Brown, O.D. Emily Dean, O.D. |
BMOS |
| 2022 | Ben Foreman, O.D. *Marie Gwinn, O.D. Nora Conway, O.D. Holly Caputy, O.D. |
BMOS |
| 2021 | Shana Zeitlin, O.D. Drue Bahajak, O.D. *Molly Ann Clymer, O.D. Gretta Brown, O.D. James Lawson, O.D. |
BMOS CPOS CPOS (Nominated in last 5 years) SWOS WPOS |
| 2020 | Monica Cook, O.D. Ryan Edmonds, O.D. Lara Match, O.D. Jonathan Andrews, O.D. *Erick Henderson, O.D. |
BMOS CDOS CPOS LCOS WPOS |
| 2019 | Monica Cook, O.D. *Tara O'Rourke, O.D. Jonathan Andrews, O.D. Holly Caputy, O.D. |
BMOS CPOS LCOS WPOS |
| 2018 |
Shana Zeitlin, O.D. |
BMOS CPOS NEPOS SWOS NEPOS (previous year nominee) |
| 2017 | Heidi Sensenig, O.D. *Erin Draper, O.D. Erin Heinly, O.D. Daniel Strybos, O.D. James Deom, O.D. Shauna Lushko, O.D. |
BCOS BMOS CPOS LCOS NEPOS WPOS |
| 2016 | Jacquelyn Horst, O.D. Shana Barrett Zeitlin, O.D. Molly Clymer, O.D. Ashley Wagner, O.D. Lorrie Cheng, O.D. Joseph Ozbold, O.D. *Maura Massucci, O.D. |
BCOS BMOS CPOS NEPOS PCOS SWOS WPOS |
| 2015 | Karen Heaney, O.D. Jessica Young, O.D. Christie Cardellino, O.D. *Jennifer McGrath, O.D. |
BCOS MCOS SWOS WPOS |
| 2014 | Leah M. Stevens, O.D. *Kara J. Shirley, O.D. |
SWOS WPOS |
| 2013 | Karen E. Rule, O.D. *Michelle L. Beachkofsky, O.D. Christine M. Weld, O.D. Andrea N. Russell, O.D. Jesse Jones, O.D. Ashley M. Mastrine, O.D. Michael T. McGrath, O.D. |
BCOS BMOS CPOS MCOS PCOS SWOS WPOS |
| 2012 | *Lori Gray, O.D. Mary E. Good, O.D., F.A.A.O. Vladislav Petcov, O.D. Andrea N. Russell, O.D. Matthew R. Sheridan, O.D. Joseph A. Terravecchia, O.D. |
BMOS CPOS LCOS MCOS SWOS WPOS |
| 2011 | Stephen E. Hess, O.D. Mario J. Saracino, O.D. *Matthew A. Mastrine, O.D. Jimmy T. Nguyen, O.D. Jessica L. Young, O.D. Shannon L. Mihalacki, O.D. |
BMOS CPOS MCOS PCOS SWOS WPOS |
| 2010 | Lori Gray, O.D. Michael P. Higgins, O.D. Michelle F. Skumanick, O.D. *Jessica L. Young, O.D. |
BMOS CPOS NEPOS SWOS |
| 2009 | *Stephen E. Hess, O.D. Andrew L. Leitzel, O.D. Jarett A. Mazzarella, O.D., F.A.A.O. Charlene Maloney, O.D. |
BMOS CPOS SWOS WPOS |
| 2008 | Lori Gray, O.D. Leslie E. O'Dell, O.D. Rebecca L. Schoonover, O.D. *Rebecca L. Wincek-Bateson, O.D. |
BMOS CPOS NEPOS SWOS |
| 2007 | * Vivian M. Descant, O.D. Sherry L. Winn, O.D. Christine M. Weldon, O.D. Veronica A. Wolf, O.D. |
BMOS NEPOS PCOS SWOS |
| 2006 | Stephen Hess, O.D. Matthew Link, O.D. Nicole Beckish, O.D. Soshella Jalaluddin, O.D. Ryan Imler, O.D. Emily Zane, O.D. *Daniel F. Russell, O.D. |
BMOS CPOS NEOS PCOS SWOS WPOS SWOS |
| 2005 | John A. Lieto, O.D. Soshella Jalaluddin, O.D. Daniel F. Russell, O.D. *Michael J. Cross, O.D. |
CDOS PCOS SWOS WPOS |
| 2004 | Vivian Descant, O.D. Kimberly F. Boyer, O.D. Ryan D. Imler, O.D. Gerald S. Bell, O.D. *Lisa Buraks, O.D. |
BMOS CPOS SWOS WPOS (PCOS nominee from 2001 & 2002) |
| 2003 | Steven Eiss, O.D. Lora Smith, O.D. Robert Haak, O.D. Greg Caldwell, O.D. Richard Santasania, O.D. Ryan D. Imler, O.D. *Maria Eger, O.D. |
BMOS CPOS CDOS MCOS NEOS SWOS WPOS |
| 2002 | Todd Pierzchala, O.D. Lisa Buraks, O.D. *Rebecca Knorr, O.D. |
BMOS PCOS WPOS |
| 2001 | John Godfrey, O.D. Shelby Sieber, O.D. Talitha D’Italia, O.D. Tammy Warmouth, O.D. Lisa Buraks, O.D. Keith Hilliard, O.D. *Danielle DesGroseilliers Staresinic, O.D. |
BMOS CPOS CDOS NEOS PCOS SWOS WPOS |
| 2000 | Randall Bumsted, O.D. *Michael Cymbor, O.D. Scott Rutkoski, O.D. Kimberly Riggs, O.D. Noah Eger, O.D. |
CDOS MCOS NOS SWOS WPOS |
| 1999 | Marianne Boltz, O.D. Daniel Toocheck, O.D. *Carl J. Urbanski, O.D. Karen Solofsky, O.D. Gina Dyda-Owens, O.D. Kimberly Riggs, O.D. |
CPOS CDOS NEOS PCOS SWOS (society tie) SWOS (society tie) |
| 1998 | Michele Shade-Hinchliffe, O.D. Richard Hope, O.D. Wendy Strouse Watt, O.D. Robert Strohecker, O.D. Sandra West, O.D. *Dawn Hornberger, O.D. |
BMOS CPOS MCOS NOS PCOS (nominee from 1997) |
| 1997 | Dawn Hornberger, O.D. *Andrew Gurwood, O.D. James Grove, O.D. R. Bruce Catando, O.D. Peter Theodorous, O.D. G. William Orren, III, O.D. Mark Shust, O.D. Kimberly Riggs, O.D. Philip J. Schaville, O.D. |
BCOS BMOS CPOS CDOS MCOS NOS PCOS SWOS WPOS |
| 1996 | Maria Parisi, O.D. Mark Boas, O.D. Debra Wolaniuk, O.D. Laurie Labuda, O.D. *Janice Bianchi, O.D. |
BMOS CDOS LCOS SWOS WPOS |
