March 22, 2023 — The American Optometric Association (AOA), the American Optometric Student Association (AOSA), and Optometry Cares—The AOA Foundation have announced the recipients of the organizations’ 2023 awards: the AOA awards, AOSA Student of the Year, National Optometry Hall of Fame, Dr. W. David Sullins Jr. InfantSEE Award, and the Paraoptometric Professional awards.
 
Selected from a robust field of nominees from state associations and the Armed Forces Optometric Society, recipients will be honored during Optometry’s Meeting in Washington, D.C., from June 21-24.

• The Distinguished Service Award: Glen Steele, O.D.
• The Optometrist of the Year Award: Jon Pederson, O.D.
• The Young Optometrist of the Year Award: Amy Puerto, O.D.
• The Optometric Educator of the Year Award: George Veliky, O.D.
• The Student of the Year Award: Caitlin Parks
• The Paraoptometric of the Year Award: Brandy Yeack, CPOA
• The Paraoptometric Community Service Award: Brianne Speaks, CPOA
• Paraoptometric Lifetime Achievement Award­: Roberta Beers, CPOT; Beverly Roberts, CPOT; and Erlinda Rodriguez, CPO
• The Apollo Award: the Health Care Alliance for Patient Safety
• National Optometry Hall of Fame: Joseph Shovlin, O.D.; Siu Wong, O.D., MPH; and Mitchell Scheiman, O.D., Ph.D.
• Dr. W. David Sullins, Jr., InfantSEE Award: Andrea Thau, O.D.

 
To learn more about the 2023 recipients, click here.
 
For more information: aoa.org.