Congratulations to the AOA’s 2024 award winners

March 28, 2024
The winners will be honored at a ceremony during Optometry’s Meeting® 2024.
Gold trophies

The AOA is proud to honor several members with its prestigious awards. 

AOA Excellence Awards

The AOA thanks its longstanding Visionary Supporter Johnson & Johnson for their recognition of these exemplary individuals. The generous support of the AOA's industry partners makes it possible to honor its outstanding members.

The Optometrist of the Year Award recognizes Matthew Jones, O.D., for his outstanding service on behalf of the profession and the visual welfare of the public. 

The Young Optometrist of the Year Award recognizes Kelly Deering, O.D., who has been in practice less than 10 years and demonstrates remarkable leadership when serving the profession, patients and her community. 

The Distinguished Service Award recognizes Andrew Cook, O.D., for his unusually significant contributions to the profession of optometry. 

The Optometric Educator of the Year Award recognizes Jeffrey J. Walline, O.D., PhD., for outstanding service on behalf of the profession, optometric education and the visual welfare of the public. 

The Student of the Year Award recognizes Maggie Dunn for her leadership skills in serving the profession, patients and her community. 

Paraoptometric Awards

The AOA thanks its longstanding Visionary Supporter Alcon for their recognition of these exemplary individuals. The generous support of the AOA's industry partners makes it possible to honor its outstanding members.

The Paraoptometric of the Year Award recognizes Savanna Johnson, CPOA, for her significant contributions to the profession of paraoptometry. 

The Paraoptometric Lifetime Achievement Award recognizes Sally Greeley, CPOT, for serving the profession of optometry by continually giving in the areas of patient eye care, office management, mentoring colleagues and in service to the paraoptometric profession.

The Paraoptometric Community Service Award recognizes Shelby Miller, CPO, for generously donating her time and talents to the profession of optometry, patients and the public.

More honors

The National Optometry Hall of Fame recognizes and honors optometrists who are luminaries of the professions—those who have made significant and long-lasting contributions to the optometric profession. The award is administered through Optometry Cares®—The AOA Foundation. This year’s winners include:

Optometry Cares also awards the Dr. W. David Sullins, Jr., InfantSEE Award, recognizing an individual doctor of optometry who has made significant contributions to optometry or the community for outstanding public service involving the InfantSEE program. This year’s winner is Deborah Bernay, O.D.

The Dr. Jerry P. Davidoff Vision Care Award recognizes Joan Stelmack, O.D., for actively serving in a clinical vision rehabilitation practice setting, giving back to optometry through education and demonstrating a long-standing contribution and sharing knowledge with fellow practitioners for the betterment of vision rehabilitation eye care.

The AOA congratulates all 2024 award nominees.

The Optometrist of the Year and Young Optometrist of the Year were selected from a robust field of nominees from state associations and the Association of Armed Forces and Federal Optometric Services. Each of these AOA-member doctors of optometry and paraoptometric professionals have distinguished themselves, and the profession, and are deserving of recognition and appreciation.



Begin your Optometry's Meeting® 2024 registration

Are you ready to register for the profession's premier annual event, June 19-22, 2024, at the Music City Center in Nashville, Tennessee? Open the registration portal below to begin your Optometry's Meeting experience today!
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