WO Voices
150 episodes - English - Latest episode: 8 days ago - ★★★★★ - 11 ratingsWelcome to WO Voices, a podcast series from Women In Optometry, featuring women ODs and others who talk about some aspect of practice, business, career choices, family, volunteer interests, leadership in the profession and more. Hosted by WO editor Marjolijn Bijlefeld, WO Voices is a chance to share ideas within the WO community and beyond. It’s another platform to bring women’s voices in the profession to the fore. If you’d like to join us on a podcast episode, we’d love to hear from you.
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Episodes
Dr. Caitlin Reghetti: Supporting Patient Education With a Great Design
April 17, 2024 21:00 - 20 minutes - 14.4 MBSeveral years ago, Caitlin Reghetti, OD, merged her interests in patient education with her skills for design and explaining things clearly. Believing that great design reinforces the quality content that doctors provide to patients, she branched out into a design business--DrReghettidesigns.com. Here, other eye care professionals can select forms, brochures, flyers and more to customize for their own offices.
Dr. Sara Varghai: Cracking the Hiring Code
February 27, 2024 20:00 - 22 minutes - 15.2 MBIn this episode of WO Voices, Dr. Sara Varghai of Nova Optique + Eyecare in Arlington, Virginia, discusses how she finds the right staff fits for her practice, ensuring efficiency and collaboration between her entire team.
Dr. Shira Kresch: A Specialty Lens Practice Start
February 20, 2024 22:00 - 23 minutes - 15.9 MBShira Kresch, OD, MS, FAAO, opened Michigan Contact Lens in Oak Park, Michigan, in the fall of 2023. Hear her explain how she determined there was a need for a contact lens specialty practice, how she discovered her passion for scleral lenses and where she compromised and where she didn't to get this practice off the ground.
Dr. Shira Kresch: A Specialty Start
February 20, 2024 22:00 - 23 minutes - 15.9 MBShira Kresch, OD, MS, FAAO, opened Michigan Contact Lens in Oak Park, Michigan, in the fall of 2023. Hear her explain how she determined there was a need for a contact lens specialty practice, how she discovered her passion for scleral lenses and where she compromised and where she didn't to get this practice off the ground.
Dr. Janelle Davison: A Systematic Approach to Goal-Setting
February 06, 2024 15:00 - 20 minutes - 14.3 MBJanelle Davison, OD, of Smyrna, Georgia, uses goal-setting as a tool to help her expand her bandwidth, make an impact, leave a legacy and, in the process, amplify her own voice and that of others. Hear how she combines visionary thinking with practical steps.
Dr. Sally Halim: Feeling Sandwiched Between Tweens and Parents
January 17, 2024 20:00 - 24 minutes - 16.6 MBSally Halim, OD, of Woolwich, New Jersey, is feeling the squeeze between counting on her parents to help get her manage the hectic schedules of her tween children and also worrying about what they can do. Hear how she's organizing herself and what it means she has to let go of during her years as part of the "sandwich" generation.
Dr. Brenda Montecalvo: Helping Students - and Their Parents - Succeed in School
January 10, 2024 21:00 - 19 minutes - 13.7 MBBrenda Montecalvo, OD, FCOVD, FAAO, FCSO, is an optometrist and vision therapist in Beaver Creek, Ohio. She's the author of Visual Secrets for School Success, and in this podcast, she explains methods she encourages chairside and in vision therapy to help student use all of their visual skills for academic success.
Dr. Neda Gioia and Dr. Julie Poteet: Bringing Nutrition Into the Conversation With Every Patient
November 29, 2023 20:00 - 19 minutes - 13.4 MBDr. Neda Gioia and Dr. Julie Poteet talk about a new certification program to deliver much-wanted nutrition education to patients. The Certified Personalized Nutrition Certification is available at significant savings to members of the Ocular Wellness and Nutrition Society.
Dr. Melissa Barnett and Dr. Leslie O'Dell: 2023--The Year of Dry Eye
November 21, 2023 19:00 - 21 minutes - 14.9 MBIn this WO Voices podcast, Melissa Barnett, OD, FSAO, FSLS, FBCLA, talks with Leslie O'Dell, OD, FAAO, about the places where their careers have overlapped - particularly in dry eyes. Hear them talk about their work with the Intrepid Eye Society, Tear Film and Ocular Surface Society and more.
Dr. Kaitlynn Duran: New Grad's Time Management Skills Allow Her to Maximize Priorities
July 18, 2023 15:00 - 22 minutes - 15.3 MBKaitlynn Duran, OD, is a 2023 graduate of Indiana University School of Optometry, where she mastered time management skills that allowed her to focus on her studies, her competitive running and her husband. She details the apps and strategies she uses to stay organized and how the discipline will help her as she starts her career and pays off student loans. Congratulations, Dr. Duran - and the class of 2023. Can't wait to see what you do!
Dr. Kaitlyn Duran: New Grad's Time Management Skills Allow Her to Maximize Priorities
July 18, 2023 15:00 - 22 minutes - 15.3 MBKaitlyn Duran, OD, is a 2023 graduate of Indiana University School of Optometry, where she mastered time management skills that allowed her to focus on her studies, her competitive running and her husband. She details the apps and strategies she uses to stay organized and how the discipline will help her as she starts her career and pays off student loans. Congratulations, Dr. Duran - and the class of 2023. Can't wait to see what you do!
Dr. Neda Gioia and Rebecca Treen: The Growing Interest Among Students and ODs on Nutrition and Wellness
June 27, 2023 20:00 - 24 minutes - 16.8 MBIn this episode, Neda Gioia, OD, CNS, FOWNS, CFMP, of Shrewsbury, New Jersey, and the new president of the Ocular Wellness and Nutrition Society, talks with Rebecca Treen, an OD candidate with the class of 2026 at SUNY College of Optometry, on how wellness and nutrition resonate with today's students, patients and a growing number of health care providers.
Dr. Kerry Giedd: Helping Patients Along Their Presbyopia Journey
May 02, 2023 17:00 - 19 minutes - 13.1 MBKerry Giedd, OD, of Eola Eyes in Orlando, Florida, talks about the opportunities with presbyopes and emerging presbyopes. With more treatment and contact lens options available today, there's more that optometrists can do for their patients.
Dr. Maria Sampalis: Find Your Voice and Expand Your Influence
April 25, 2023 15:00 - 20 minutes - 14.4 MBMaria Sampalis, OD, is founder of Corporate Optometry on Facebook and practices optometry in Cranston, Rhode Island. She talks with WO about how she began to fill an information gap for corporate-affiliated ODs and where that has taken her, as well as what she has learned from the experience.
Carissa Dunphy: Maximize What Your Opticians Bring to the Practice
April 18, 2023 20:00 - 23 minutes - 16.1 MBCarissa Dunphy, ABOC , founder of opticiannow.com and a marketing specialist at PECAA, brings her wealth of experience as an optician and a marketer to this podcast. Listen as she describes the important role that opticians can play as often the final touchpoint of a patient's visit.
Beth Lachance: How Could a Medical Virtual Assistant Help You?
April 05, 2023 20:00 - 24 minutes - 16.8 MBBeth Lachance, chief executive officer of REVA Global Medical, talks about the increasing demand on her company to provide medical and optometric virtual medical assistants to help with front office or back office efforts. If you've wondered whether a virtual medical assistant can benefit your practice efficiency, how much it could cost and how your staff might react, take a listen.
Dr. Melissa Barnett and Ukti Vora: Teleoptometry - From COVID Necessity to a Future Reality
March 22, 2023 23:00 - 20 minutes - 14.4 MBIn this episode, Melissa Barnett, OD, FAAO, FSLS, FBCLA, and optometrist Ukti Vora, MBA, MOptom, FAAO, talk about how teleoptometry and where it's going. Ukti Vora, host of the podcast Nerdy Optometrist, shares the experiences of doctors who use it highly effectively to see more patients each day - in a way that's convenient for both doctor and provider.
Dr. Ray Corbin-Simon: Relaxing Eye Misalignment With Contoured Prism
March 07, 2023 21:00 - 23 minutes - 16.2 MBRay Corbin-Simon, OD, of In Focus Vision Center & Eyecare in Piscataway, New Jersey, is on the Neurolens Advisory Board. Here, she talks about how contoured prism helps her own symptoms of headache and fatigue and the tools that ODs have available to help patients with these surprisingly common symptoms.
Dr. Kara Ramsey Foster: How a Switch From Managed Care to Direct Care Improved Earnings and Satisfaction
February 21, 2023 16:00 - 15 minutes - 11 MBKara Ramsey Foster, OD, opened EyeCare for You in Apex, North Carolina, in 2015. A few years later, she was stressed by the feeling like she was working for managed vision companies rather than herself. So she changed to a direct care, fee for service model. Hear her explain how she did it and how she's sharing the idea with other doctors through her directcaredifference.com website and program.
Dr. Christine Cook and Dr. Michelle Cooper: SECO Prepares for the Future
February 01, 2023 14:00 - 22 minutes - 15.6 MBFor the first time in SECO's 100-year history this year, an outgoing female president will hand the gavel to an incoming female president. SECO President Christine Cook, OD, FAAO, and President-elect Michelle Cooper, OD, talk about the changing demographics of the profession, the need for representative leadership and how SECO is revitalizing its live education meeting after the pandemic. SECO will be held March 1-5 in Atlanta. Learn more here.
Christine Howard: A Smooth Handoff Between OD and Optical
January 31, 2023 21:00 - 19 minutes - 13.6 MBChristine Howard, a licensed dispensing optician and optical manager at Eyes on Plainville, in Plainville, Massachusetts, details how this practice has created a superior handoff process. From practice goals on optical metrics, learning from EssilorLuxottica representatives and leaning into brand recommendations in the exam room, Howard shares tips for making the transition from exam lane to the optical smooth and efficient.
Dr. Cheryl Chapman and Dr. Cristina De La Pena: An Annual Meeting That Empowers
January 26, 2023 15:00 - 26 minutes - 18.2 MBVision Source members Cheryl Chapman, OD, of Omaha, Nebraska, and Cristina De La Pena, OD, of Houston, Texas, are headed for the annual Vision Source meeting, The Exchange, in April. Dr. Chapman has been going for years, while Dr. De La Pena went for the first time in 2022, shortly after joining Vision Source. Both go to learn and exchange ideas - and here they share tips on how they make the most of the meeting, whether it's an attendee's first time or 30th.
Dr. Karla Zadnik: Leader, Educator, Children's Vision Advocate and Quilter
January 10, 2023 14:00 - 23 minutes - 16.4 MBKarla Zadnik, OD, PhD, is dean of The Ohio State University College of Optometry. In this WO Voices podcast, she talks about the career choices she's made, balancing marriage, motherhood and an impressive legacy of research, writing and inspiring students -- as well as her love for quilting, her creative outlet. Hear her describe her influences and the moments where doors opened and her path forward became suddenly crystal clear.
Dr. Millicent Knight: Empowering ECPs With Lifelong Learning Through Leonardo
December 05, 2022 16:00 - 17 minutes - 11.9 MBMillicent Knight, OD, FAAO, FAARM, FNAP, Senior Vice President, Customer Development Group at EssilorLuxottica North America, shares her passion for lifelong learning and how EssilorLuxottica is powering ECP education through its Leonardo platform. Dr. Knight explains what's on the platform, how it can be used to fit the needs to doctors and staff members where they are, and how she would have loved to have access to this kind of a platform when she was in private practice.
Dr. Whitney Territo: Finding Support in Pursuing Private Practice Goals
December 02, 2022 17:00 - 24 minutes - 16.8 MBAcquiring a turnkey independent practice has allowed Whitney Territo, OD, and her husband and co-owner John Manard, OD, to focus on growth and enhancing their business skills. Being part of the Vision Source network and using Vision Source NEXT has supported them at every step, she says. Hear her discussion her evolving goals from acquisition, transition and beyond.
Dr. Jill Saxon: Four Enduring Lessons From Being in the U.S. Navy
November 04, 2022 18:00 - 17 minutes - 11.9 MBToday, Jill Saxon, OD, FAAO, is executive director, professional strategy at Bausch + Lomb. But she started her career in the U.S. Navy, leaving after eight years as a Lieutenant in the U.S. Naval Reserves. WO asked Dr. Saxon to reflect on the enduring lessons and experiences she gained from being an OD in the military. This episode was broadcast around Veteran's Day 2022; WO thanks all ODs who served and serve as a member of the Armed Forces for their service.
Dr. Melissa Barnett and Dr. Pam Lowe: The Opportunity With the Upcoming Presbyopic Wave
October 06, 2022 16:00 - 25 minutes - 17.3 MBIn this podcast, Melissa Barnett, OD, FAAO, FSLS, and Pam Lowe, OD, FAAO, note that the oldest millennials have now turned 40. That presents eye care professionals with a huge opportunity with all of these new emerging presbyopes. The doctors talk about the conversation they have with patients and the innovations in options for these patients.
Dr. Lauretta Justin and Alexis Meyer: Scholarship Opportunity Brings Future Into Focus
August 03, 2022 16:00 - 11 minutes - 8.27 MBAlexis Meyer, entering her third year at University of California Berkeley School of Optometry, won the Optometry Divas scholarship in the summer of 2022. The scholarship -- open to women OD students -- requires that applicants develop a detailed plan. Following in the footsteps of her mother, Alexis wants to start her career in corporate optometry - and learned much more about it through this process. That was precisely Dr. Lauretta Justin's idea in creating this CEO of You scholarship. 202...
Dr. Lisa Hornick and Dr. Lauretta Justin: Dive Into Dry Eye
July 20, 2022 17:00 - 24 minutes - 16.5 MBLisa Hornick, OD, FAAO, of Rocklin, California, received the Thought Leader Award at a recent Optometry Divas meeting for her proactive approach to dry eye. As a dry eye sufferer herself, she understands the quality of life issues. Lauretta Justin, OD, CEO and Founder of Optometry Divas, notes that as she was looking to add services to her Orlando, Florida, practice, it quickly became clear that dry eye was the number one complaint patients had. Hear their discussion here.
Dr. Gabrielle Szwajca-Drewniak: Erasing Student Debt Freed Me to Do Other Things
April 11, 2022 21:00 - 21 minutes - 14.9 MBWhen Gabrielle Szwajca-Drewniak, OD, graduated with $153,000 in student debt - with $20,000 of that compounded debt while she was in school. When mortgage brokers told her she couldn't qualify for a mortgage loan without a co-signer, she came up with an aggressive repayment plan. Last year - about two years after graduation, she had zeroed those out and opened Opt Vision Studio in Chicago, along with the first floor of the building. Minimizing student debt allowed her to jump at the opportun...
Diversity Panel: Keep Conversation - and Action - Going
March 29, 2022 22:00 - 32 minutes - 20 MBIn the second part of this discussion on diversity in optometry, moderator Ruth Shoge, OD, MPH, FAAO, Director of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging at University of California Berkeley; Camille Cohen, OD, a Pearle Vision licensed operator in Brooklyn, New York; Damaris Raymondi, OD, of New York City, social media influencer and podcaster; Sathi Maiti, OD, a clinical research fellow at Periman Eye Institute in Seattle, Washington; Monique Mohammed, OD, MS, an ocular disease and...
A Roundtable on Diversity: Representation Matters
March 21, 2022 20:00 - 47 minutes - 32.4 MBIn this powerful roundtable discussion, five optometrists and one optometry student share their stories of the pressures of being first-generation Americans in optometry school and how and why representation matters. Hear from moderator Ruth Shoge, OD, MPH, FAAO, Director of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging at University of California Berkeley; Camille Cohen, OD, a Pearle Vision licensed operator in Brooklyn, New York; Damaris Raymondi, OD, of New York City, social media influ...
Dr. Viola Kanevsky: What Does the "No Surprises Act" Mean to You?
March 16, 2022 14:00 - 14 minutes - 10.3 MBWhat's in the No Surprises Act and how might it apply to optometry? Viola Kanevsky, OD, of New York, New York, president of the New York State Optometric Association, is hoping for guidance on how this can be implemented fairly in smaller practices. Listeners can also find more information about the act from the American Optometric Association here.
Dr. Viola Kanevsky: What Does the "No Surprises Act" Mean to You?
March 16, 2022 14:00 - 14 minutes - 10.3 MBWhat's in the No Surprises Act and how might it apply to optometry? Viola Kanevsky, OD, of New York, New York, president of the New York State Optometric Association, is hoping for guidance on how this can be implemented fairly in smaller practices. Listeners can also find more information about the act from the American Optometric Association here.
Ukti Vora: Patients Are Ready for Telehealth. Are You?
January 18, 2022 23:00 - 22 minutes - 15.5 MBUkti Vora, MBA, M. Optom, FAAO, is director of clinical affairs at Eyecare Live and the host of the Nerdy Optometrist podcast. She joins WO Voices to talk about the advances in telemedicine and what that might mean for optometry. As patients become more tech-savvy, they will expect their practitioners to accommodate more remote and hybrid visits.
Ukti Vora: Patients Are Ready for Telehealth. Are You?
January 18, 2022 23:00 - 22 minutes - 15.5 MBUkti Vora, MBA, M. Optom, FAAO, is director of clinical affairs at Eyecare Live and the host of the Nerdy Optometrist podcast. She joins WO Voices to talk about the advances in telemedicine and what that might mean for optometry. As patients become more tech-savvy, they will expect their practitioners to accommodate more remote and hybrid visits.
Dr. Ann Rhea Miller: Finding Your Marketing and Networking Support
January 14, 2022 19:00 - 18 minutes - 13 MBWhen Ann Rhea Miller, OD, opened Visual Eyes in Lima, Ohio, in 2014, she was bringing a former practice back to life and knew she needed practice management guidance to make it successful. “I knew optometry but I didn’t know anything about running a successful business. I wanted to join a community of successful mentors who could share their tips and strategies,” she says. Between Vision Source and support and programs from Elite vendors like Essilor, she continues to build her thriving prac...
Dr. Wynde Ashman: How a 30-Day Challenge Impacted Habits
December 17, 2021 15:00 - 17 minutes - 12 MBWhen Wynde Ashman, OD, of Family Vision Care in Muncie, Indiana, was asked to challenge herself to present Varilux progressive lenses to patients by name, she accepted it. The 30-day challenge changed some of her habits. hear how she's presenting this option to earlier-stage presbyopes and what it has done for patient loyalty and sales.
Influencers in Health Care: Optometry Rising
November 29, 2021 18:00 - 21 minutes - 14.8 MBHear the panel discussion on how optometrists can help advance access to health care and the profession . This session, moderated by Dr. Dorothy Hitchmoth, joined by Dr. Kristen Brown, Dr. Maria Sampalis and Dr. Breanne McGhee, was recorded at the Women's Leadership Conference, held in conjunction with the American Academy of Optomery in Boston on Nov. 2, 2021. Platinum sponsors of the conference were Alcon, Allergan, CooperVision and EssilorLuxottica. Supporting sponsors were RVL Pharmaceu...
Dr. Melissa Bailey: Theia Award Acceptance
November 12, 2021 21:00 - 2 minutes - 1.79 MBMelissa Bailey, OD, PhD, of The Ohio State University College of Optometry, received the Dr. Gertrude Stanton Innovation Award during the 6th annual Theia Awards of Excellence at the WO Women's Leadership Conference. Dr. Bailey thanks those who have inspired, mentored and stood by her for every new idea she has wanted to explore.
Dr. Bita Asghari: Theia Award Acceptance
November 12, 2021 20:00 - 5 minutes - 3.71 MBBita Asghari, OD, FAAO, was presented with the Young OD Award at the Theia Awards of Excellence ceremony during the WO Women's Leadership Conference on Nov. 2, 2021. Hear Dr. Asghari describe her journey to this point early in her career and the tribute to the women who paved the way for her and other young ODs.
Dr. Carol Alexander: Theia Award Acceptance
November 12, 2021 20:00 - 5 minutes - 3.56 MBCarol Alexander, OD, was presented with the Industry Influencer award at the 6th Annual Theia Awards of Excellence at Women In Optometry's Women's Leadership Conference in Boston on Nov. 2, 2021. Hear how she learned to find her intrinsic value and encourages others to find theirs.
Dr. Anna Marie Fernandez: Theia Award Acceptance
November 12, 2021 20:00 - 3 minutes - 2.4 MBAnna Marie Fernandez, OD, of Staten Island, New York, received the Dr. Mae Booth-Jones Mentoring Award at the Theia Awards of Excellence ceremony during the WO Women's Leadership Conference in Boston on Nov. 2, 2021. Hear Dr. Fernandez tell the powerful story of how her own struggles to become the first college graduate in her family have inspired her to support and mentor the students at SUNY College of Optometry, providing them with guidance that she did not have herself.
Dr. Neda Gioia: Theia Award Acceptance
November 12, 2021 20:00 - 4 minutes - 3.11 MBNeda Gioia, OD, CNS, FOWNS, received the Dr. Gertrude Stanton Innovation Award during the 2021 Theia Awards of Excellence ceremony. Hear her speak about her passion for including nutritional counseling as part of the eye exam experience.
Dr. Sherrol Reynolds: Theia Award Acceptance
November 12, 2021 20:00 - 3 minutes - 2.4 MBSherrol Reynolds, OD, FAAO, was honored with the Dr. D. Elva Cooper Leadership Award at the 6th annual Theia Awards of Excellence, presented during the WO Women's Leadership Conference in Boston on Nov. 2, 2021. Dr. Reynolds, who served two terms as president of the National Optometric Association, speaks here about how the COVID-19 pandemic experience shines a light on the disparities in the health care system. Hear her charge for the profession.
Dr. Lauretta Justin: Theia Award Acceptance
November 12, 2021 19:00 - 4 minutes - 2.89 MBOn Nov. 2, 2021, Lauretta Justin, OD, of Orlando, Florida, was honored at the annual Theia Awards of Excellence. Hear how eight simple words changed her outlook. Dr. Justin received the Dr. Mae Booth Jones Mentoring Award. Hear what she had to say.
Dr. Lauretta Justin: Theia Award Acceptance
November 12, 2021 19:00 - 4 minutes - 2.89 MBOn Nov. 2, 2021, Lauretta Justin, OD, of Orlando, Florida, was honored at the annual Theia Awards of Excellence. Hear how eight simple words changed her outlook. Dr. Justin received the Dr. Mae Booth Jones Mentoring Award. Hear what she had to say.
Dr. Riya Paranthan: Independent Practices Weather Changes With Support
November 09, 2021 16:00 - 11 minutes - 7.87 MBRiya Paranthan, OD, of Optometric Physicians Northwest in Bellingham, Washington, talks about the changes that her practice is growing through after a recent merger and the support she gets from HEA + PECAA to help the independent practice remain competitive and profitable.
Dr. Deborah Weston: How the Pandemic Caused Her Practice to Rethink Its Connections to Patients
October 22, 2021 17:00 - 16 minutes - 11.7 MBDeborah Weston, OD, of Weston Town Center Optometry in Florida, says that the practice she and her husband own gained patients and increased profitability by adding time to patient visits and implementing an easier way to connect with patients through MARLO, Alcon’s digital contact lens ordering platform.
Dr. Lauretta Justin and Valeria Napoles: Scholarship Competition Pushed Student to Create Business Plan
September 28, 2021 14:00 - 16 minutes - 11.2 MBLauretta Justin, OD, founder of Optometry Divas, and Valeria Napoles, winner of the first Optometry Divas scholarship competition, talk about how the process of creating a business plan and getting comprehensive feedback on it has helped her more clearly identify her goals for her final two years at Nova Southeastern University College of Optometry. With a passion for myopia management services for the Hispanic population, Napoles has thought through her classes and career steps and even the...