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Stacey Abler

VICE PRESIDENT OF DIGITAL MARKETING & MEDIA
National Vision
Duluth, Georgia

CHOSEN BECAUSE… “Over the last five years, she has risen to the level of VP of marketing because of the results she has been able to deliver leading our digital efforts.”

Stacey Abler credits the love and support from her husband and parents for inspiring her to focus on becoming a better version of herself every day.

In 2010, she accepted the challenge to move the retail brands of National Vision into the world of digital marketing. Today, she is responsible for overseeing all aspects of digital marketing for America’s Best Contacts & Eyeglasses and Eyeglass World.

Before working with National Vision, Abler founded and operated a group of websites for Army spouses and families. “It started as a personal blog and soon turned into much more, allowing me to communicate with and support Army families across the country and around the world.”

She considers one of her greatest strengths to be her ability to get things done.

“If I put my mind to a project, I will accomplish it or die trying. One of my favorite quotes is ‘People who say it cannot be done should not interrupt those who are doing it’” by George Bernard Shaw.

To women who are just breaking into the optical industry, Abler’s best advice for them is to find a trusted mentor because “as a woman, being strong and vocal in the corporate world isn’t always well-received. A mentor can provide objectivity and advice that has been validated through their own experiences.”

SHE SAYS… “Many people like to say, ‘think outside the box.’ I prefer to think there is no box… Fear of failure can stop innovation, learning and growth, which is a disservice to yourself and the business you work for.”


Jennifer Brown

DIRECTOR OF BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT, NORTH AMERICA
Luxottica
Port Washington, New York

CHOSEN BECAUSE… “Over her 10-year career with Luxottica, Jennifer has focused exclusively on independent optometry. She has developed a keen understanding of the needs of this group and is very passionate about her work on their behalf.”

Fashion led Jennifer Brown to her passion in optical. “I have always seen eyewear as a fashion accessory, which is what inevitably led me to Luxottica.”

Brown has been in optical for 15 years, starting out as a sales consultant servicing the independent channel. While her current responsibilities include all commercial programs and incentives for Luxottica Wholesale North America’s independent optical channel, her goals are to provide tools and resources for independents to thrive in the changing market.

Her quick thinking and competitive nature, as well as her belief in collaboration, have allowed Brown to excel in her leadership role, but through it all she tries to make an impact every day and challenge others to push their limits. In 2015, she was awarded the Above and Beyond award from Luxottica for her contributions.

She believes that it’s an exciting time in optical for everyone and her advice for women just starting out, “Would be to aim high. The optical industry is healthier than ever and women are uniquely suited to lead here.”

SHE SAYS… “I believe that every day can be a game changer. I try to be open to ideas, even when they make me uncomfortable.”


Siobhán Burns

LICENSED OPTICIAN AND OWNER
The Eyeglass Lass
New London, Connecticut

CHOSEN BECAUSE… “Siobhán has used her many talents to rapidly become one of the most recognized and unique optical boutiques in Connecticut. Her inventory of vintage eyewear and current frame styles offers an opportunity for her customers to make a unique statement.”

For Siobhán Burns, what started out as “just as job” became her life, and 13 years later she has gone from needing a job in college to becoming The Eyeglass Lass.

After working at the same location for 10-and-half years, testing out two other locations and working at an independent location for a few months, what Burns wanted was to move back home and open her own location. She made the jump in March 2014 and opened her own location three months later.

“Talk about a whirlwind! I sit back once in a while and can’t believe I pulled that off. I went from having my lucky PD ruler and an idea for a shop name to owning my own independent optical boutique overnight. And I wouldn’t change a thing.”

While only being open for less than a year, the local newspaper, the day, awarded her store second place in the region for Best Optical Shop and this year, The Eyeglass Lass went home with the first place honor.

Burns makes a difference by genuinely listening to her customers and ultimately helping them become more confident by the time they pick up their new eyewear.

As for advice she’d give to women entering optical, “Take chances! There is so much happening in our industry that we need to stay on top of. It isn’t just one thing that is important; it all matters.”

SHE SAYS… “I feel like everyone I encounter in my life inspires me in one way or another.”


Veneeta Eason

SENIOR DIRECTOR, DEMAND GENERATION AND BRAND MARKETING
Zeiss
San Diego, California

CHOSEN BECAUSE… “Since coming on board, Veneeta has created an atmosphere of innovation and technology leadership that the entire company has followed. She has brought many new ideas to a company that needed to take a new approach in communicating to customers and consumers.”

Veneeta Eason is a global marketing expert who has been connecting people and products through technology for more than a decade. Working across B2B and B2C channels, she has built a reputation for developing and implementing innovative marketing and business strategies that generated double-digit growth for companies like Hewlett Packard and Eastman Kodak. In 2012, she joined Zeiss to lead the company’s demand generation, brand and communications programs.

Armed with a bachelor’s degree in engineering and an MBA from the University of Michigan, Eason always dreamed of working for a high tech company. “When I discovered that Zeiss, the leading company in precision optics, was right in my backyard, I saw an opportunity to devote my marketing passion and skills to empower ECPs to deliver comprehensive vision innovation for the best patient care possible.”

Today, Eason oversees planning and marketing for the company, including branding and new product launches, public relations and trade shows. “I’ve led the go-to-market of numerous new product lines, including our breakthrough Zeiss DriveSafe, Zeiss Blue Protect AR coating and our Zeiss Precision line of progressives that help address digital eye strain,” she said.

SHE SAYS… “When you put the customer front and center, you will deliver on your brand promise. That is how I define winning—it starts with a great team and a strong strategy, and ends with a satisfied customer and patient.”


Sandra Fortenberry, OD, FAAO

ASSISTANT DEAN FOR PROFESSIONAL ADVANCEMENT
Rosenberg School of Optometry University of the Incarnate Word
San Antonio, Texas

CHOSEN BECAUSE… “Dr. Fortenberry is assistant dean at RSO where she was heavily involved in getting the school’s accreditation. She is on the Executive Committee of the Texas Optometric Association (TOA), she serves on the Continuing Education Committee for AOA and she is CE chair for TOA. She has shown great potential as one of our future leaders that will be great for our profession.”

Sandra Fortenberry, OD, has been influenced by women her whole life. Her mother pushed her to get an education and be independent, while her childhood optometrist was the one who inspired her to go into the optometry field.

Today, she pays it forward as the assistant dean for Professional Advancement at Rosenberg School of Optometry where she hopes to make a difference in her student’s lives by showing that they can have fulfilling careers while still keeping family and values a priority.

Dr. Fortenberry has also been a practicing OD for almost a decade. She is a partner at Texas State Optical, and was named the Young Optometrist of the Year by the AOA and the TOA in 2013.

SHE SAYS… “I excel at my job because I explain things well to my patients. In my role at the school, I use the same techniques: treat others with respect and be forthcoming in my thoughts. I am typically known as the one who will say what everyone else is thinking.”


Kerry Giedd, OD, MS, FAAO

FOUNDER AND PRESIDENT
Eola Eyes
Orlando, Florida

CHOSEN BECAUSE… “In addition to caring for Eola Eyes patients, Dr. Giedd enjoys consulting as a clinical investigator for contact lens industry research.”

Whether it’s managing a multimillion dollar practice, consulting or caring for her patients, Kerry Giedd, OD, is all about balance—or at least, tries to be. “Although I try to manage my time wisely, like many people, I often feel there aren’t enough hours in the day,” said Giedd. “By designing a business model from the start that fosters work-life balance, I’ve been able to maintain my passion for patient care and business management.”

Giedd graduated from the Ohio State University College of Optometry in 2000. Three years later, she founded Eola Eyes, a private practice where she and two partners put the focus on contact lenses. She and the practice have earned various recognitions, including CooperVision Best Practices for 2015 and the Vision Monday Design and Retail Excellence (D.A.R.E.) Award for eco-achievement in 2011. Independently, Giedd was named the SBA Women in Business Champion of the Year for the District and State of Florida in 2012.

Along with operating a thriving contact lens practice, Giedd is actively involved in the AAO and AOA, serves on the editorial board of Primary Care Optometry News, has served as a principal investigator for various clinical research trials, and frequently serves as a consultant, speaker and author within the contact lens realm.

SHE SAYS… “Find your niche in the industry and commit yourself to serving that niche better than anyone else.”


Lisa Hanson
QUALITY MANAGER
Vision Ease
Ramsey, Minnesota

CHOSEN BECAUSE… “Her strong customer focus, drive for continuous improvement and commitment to learning make her extremely effective with Vision Ease customers.”

As the quality manager for Vision Ease, Lisa Hanson is responsible for both the quality assurance and quality control programs, most notably the Six Sigma program. As the company’s Six Sigma specialist, she works with manufacturing, engineering and R&D to improve and maintain the quality and performance of Vision Ease products for customer standards. Her team is also responsible for developing the quality of Vision Ease suppliers and qualifying new raw material and equipment partners.

Hanson leads the team that qualifies new project launches and serves as the company’s quality expert and industry liaison. “We execute various tests and conduct several audits on the products every day, strategically designed to protect our customer and ensure that they are receiving the best product possible,” she said.

“With my Six Sigma background, I am able to help people make data driven decisions through proper analysis and interpretation techniques. I am also able to see when processes are broken and can initiate changes to improve those processes.”

Hanson is fascinated by the number of women who have become involved in the lens manufacturing process, adding, “There are still lots of opportunities for women to take on higher level leadership roles in manufacturing.”

SHE SAYS… “Sometimes the road to the future is not always clear. But being able to influence and drive the team in that forward path on a continual basis is critical to keeping pace with the company’s needs.”


Jayme Hyman

MARKETING MANAGER
Visual Eyes Eyewear
Longwood, Florida

CHOSEN BECAUSE… “Jayme Hyman goes above and beyond for all customers, big or small. She has put together huge marketing programs with the Stand Up 2 Cancer marketing team as well. It is great to work with a young woman like Jayme and see the positive impact she has on our optical community.”

Jayme Hyman’s background in public relations gave her a strong foundation for her marketing manager position at Visual Eyes Eyewear Inc., where her primary focus is on consumers and how to reach them directly. In the marketing department at Visual Eyes, she had to learn how to reach the customer through a distribution channel, a process she found challenging.

Despite the difference in approach, Hyman educated herself about the optical industry and went on to lead the team to launch the company’s first website. Six years later, Hyman has connections to industry veterans—including colleagues, frame buyers at retail chains and lab owners. Though she is self-driven and detail oriented, she realizes the importance of teamwork, not only for her colleagues, but for customers and sales representatives.

With the role of women changing in the workplace, Hyman is hopeful that there are opportunites for women to rise to the leadership ranks.

SHE SAYS… “I think it is important not to feel intimidated by gender and statistics. Prove to your successors that women can thrive in the optical industry. We can thrive, we can empower and we can conquer.”


Jaimee Palkovicz

MARKETING COORDINATOR
i-see Optical Lab
Blackwood, New Jersey

CHOSEN BECAUSE… “Jaimee is a graduate of Rider University, and has been with i-see Optical for three years, but she grew up in the industry. At an early age, Jaimee loved glasses, and fashion, and brings that passion to the 40-year-old independent eyeglass lab. Jaimee leads the way in bringing a new energy, and direction to i-see Optical.”

Though Jaimee Palkovicz was around opticians her whole life, she tried her hand at corporate administration before she decided to work as a marketing coordinator for her family’s business. With the awareness that the fashion and retail aspects of the optical industry evolve with technology and Millennial trends, she decided to use her strengths as a social media buff to create an online presence for i-see Optical Lab Inc. Today, she coordinates all aspects of marketing, including the company’s social media platforms, meetings and customer outreach.

Since she started working in her family’s lab, Palkovicz has been featured in numerous industry magazines. She was also instrumental in the opening and launch of i-see Optical’s mirror coating center and AR coating center.

SHE SAYS… “My greatest challenge is the things I don’t know. There are people in this industry who have more experience than I do. All I can do is continue to educate myself, use the resources I have and continue to learn. I am not in this business to watch. I am in this business to lead the next generation.”


Heather Revens

ASSISTANT VICE PRESIDENT
CareCredit
Costa Mesa, California

CHOSEN BECAUSE… “Heather has been instrumental in building the CareCredit brand in the optical industry by developing marketing and educational programs and events. She has also expanded CareCredit’s reach by creating marketing partnerships with associations and other companies in the industry.”

As the assistant vice president of optical marketing to providers that offer CareCredit, Heather Revens’ responsibilities include developing strategic marketing plans to support the company’s network of optical providers. CareCredit allows patients and customers the ability to purchase health care products and services using a credit card that features deferred interest on purchases.

Revens has been in marketing for some 20 years, 10 of them specializing in health care marketing. During the past five years with CareCredit, Revens helped develop ad campaigns for providers, organizes Lunch N’ Learn seminars at trade shows like Vision Expo and is currently working on a new ad campaign for CareCredit.

Revens said, “I have a passion for creative problem solving that provides benefits to the company, provider and patients alike. This passion motivates me to develop new, out of the box solutions.”

Revens has always been interested in the unique combination the optical industry has with health and beauty. “Just like people don’t have one pair of shoes for all occasions, people shouldn’t have only one pair of glasses for all occasions.”

SHE SAYS… “I am inspired by Sheryl Sandberg’s philosophy which says, ‘Don’t wait for the perfect moment, take the moment and make it perfect. Speak up. Believe in yourself. Take risks.’”