I am committed to doing my part to create as many opportunities as possible for woman to excel and live their best lives. Being an Individual Contributor is one way of investing in the future of our industry by supporting our deserving members leadership journey.

I have had the honor and privilege of working with some incredible leaders and innovators, many of whom are women. I have also observed the unique difficulties and challenges many women face in the workplace. It is clear to me the OWA is doing important and much-needed work to celebrate the current and future contributions of women in the optical industry while focusing on its mission of supporting and promoting the professional development of women involved in all facets of the optical industry.

As a female in the optometry industry, there is no organization I would rather support than the OWA. The OWA promotes the growth of women through their mission: to connect, inspire and lead. With luncheons, networking events, workshops, inspirational articles, podcasts and awards produced each year, the OWA shows women in this industry that with hard work and mentorship, anything is possible. I'm proud to be an individual contributor of the OWA, as I know my contribution will go to support the females in this industry to reach their goals. An organization filled with powerhouse women and amazing resources, there is an opportunity for everyone to rise up and become the leader they want to be. The OWA has a huge place in my heart, and I'm happy to support their efforts with my contribution.

The OWA is an amazing organization filled with passionate individuals dedicated to helping women succeed through personal development, networking, and mentorship. By donating to the individual contributors' fund, I am choosing to directly influence the advancement of women through scholarship and help provide the skills they deem most valuable. This program benefits the individual and our landscape: establishing more opportunities, more thought leaders, more role models, and more movement towards true gender equity. I'm thrilled to contribute.

I contribute to the Individual Contributor program as I choose to support the OWA with an additional level of support. This support directly aligns with the mission statement of supporting the leadership role of women in the Optical Industry by providing Leadership Scholarship Awards to deserving women in the Industry.

The OWA's commitment to supporting, developing, and celebrating women continues to be such a positive beacon in the optical industry. What truly captivated me is how the OWA balances celebrating the incredible women leaders in the optical industry while also challenging the status quo to create an even brighter future. Through their members, they provide networking, education, and peer support to thousands of women each year. As an individual contributor, I am proud to support the OWA and honor the talents, passion, and diversity of the women empowering amazing eyecare.

The OWA does so much to honor, develop, empower and promote the women of our industry. The IC program allows me to support these efforts individually, above and beyond the support that my company provides.

When women become leaders, they bring talents, new views, alongside structural and cultural diversity to the companies they work for, resulting in more successful solutions. My contribution to the IC program allows me to empower our future leaders by investing in seminars, conferences, mentoring, and workshops. When supporting this program, we are directly ensuring women's long term career growth and providing companies with the next generation of rising talent.