 From the President
I hope this issue of eNEWS finds you enjoying the beginning of summer, and perhaps looking forward to some vacation time ahead.
We have some great plans for the summer ourselves. We’re continuing our webinar series, with a recent webinar on eye mission work (some amazing stories!) and upcoming sessions on personal public relations and managing change. We hope you can join us for one or both!
As mentioned in previous issues, we’re also looking forward to our collaboration with Women in Ophthalmology as a partner for the WIO Summer Symposium in August. WIO is an organization focused on enhancing and improving the professional environment for women ophthalmologists, and their annual Summer Symposium is designed to offer meaningful content related to both leadership development and current developments in ophthalmology.
I am a member of WIO (they welcome women from industry as well as MDs) and have attended the last five Summer Symposia. I find them to be informative, inspiring, and a great venue for dynamic interaction with women in the ophthalmic field in a relaxed setting. OWL is very excited to be collaborating on this year’s symposium – two OWL members, Polly Neely and Adrienne Graves, will be a part of the program content and our Program Chair, Yari Mitchell, has been an integral part of the curriculum design committee.
We encourage you to attend the meeting – it’s one of my favorite meetings of the year and promises to be a rewarding experience.
In the meantime, have a terrific summer!
Pamela
Board Transitions
OWL wishes to thank Tamara Church Swanson (SwansonRiley Communications) and Joan-Marie Stiglich (SLACK, Incorporated) for their service. A visionary leader, Tamara was one of OWL’s founders and served as Board President from 2004-2006 in addition to a number of other roles. Joan-Marie has served as OWL’s Publications Chair for two years and was responsible for revamping eNews. Thank you Tamara and Joan-Marie!
OWL also announces new Board members Angelyn Lowe (Chase Communications), Georgette Pascale (Pascale Communications), Lauren Silvernail (ISTA Pharmaceuticals) and Sheryl Stevenson (Ophthalmology Times). Angelyn joins OWL’s Board as Web Communications Chair, Georgette now serves as OWL’s Public Relations Chair, Lauren serves on OWL’s Executive Committee as Treasurer and Sheryl has become the Publications Chair. Welcome!
If you’re interested in getting more involved with OWL, please be in touch with our Executive Director, Molly Schar.
Managing career and family life can be a balancing act
In the recent OWL webinars, members shared personal experiences on balancing their careers with the rest of their lives.
Adapting to different situations may be the best way to balance a career along with life’s demands, OWL President Pamela Gleeson said during the “Balancing Career and Family” webinar recently held by OWL.
Life’s demands change over time, so the key is to stay adaptable and be confident in making choices depending on what is deemed important.
“To achieve anything close to balance, you really need to be introspective and think deeply about what fulfills you and what energizes you,” Ms. Gleeson, also the CFO of Santen Inc., said. “Once you have that foundation, decisions and priorities among the many aspects of your life come into clearer focus.”
Read more.
OWL at ARVO
OWL members recently gathered for a casual reception during the ARVO meeting at the Marriott Harbor Beach Resort. Pictured above are Margueritte McDonald, MD, Adrienne Graves, PhD, and Lisa Grillone, PhD.
“Our first-ever OWL gathering at ARVO was a great success. Quite a few OWL members and prospective members gathered for refreshments and lively conversation. We would like to continue gatherings like the one at ARVO to stay connected and share experiences throughout the year," said Pamela Gleeson, OWL President and Chief Financial Officer, Santen, Inc. View more pictures from the ARVO reception.
 Woman to Woman: Leadership Leaps
OWL's name - Ophthalmic Women Leaders - suggests that the organization exists for those women who are, or aspire to be, in leadership positions in the ophthalmic space. Yet, it appears that the number of women in leaderships positions, especially in top functions, remains low. There are a variety of reasons why this may be the case. This column examines ways women can develop their leadership skills to make the leadership leaps that will change this situation.
Read more.
 OWL Member Profile
10 questions with Lisa B. Arbisser, MD, of Eye Surgeons Associates, PC, in the Iowa and Illinois Quad Cities, and the University of Utah Moran Eye Center.
Read more.
1-Minute Program SurveyIn our recent membership survey, Michele Fuller (Alcon) uncovered that OWL members want a bigger say in what kinds of programs OWL plans. Here's your chance. Take the OWL 1-Minute Program Survey so we can consider your input. Thank you!
What I'm Reading: A Manager's Guide to Coaching: Simple and Effective Ways to Get the Best Out of Your Employees by Brian Emerson and Anne Loehr
 This book starts out with an interesting premise – “if you’re not growing, you are dying.” The authors note that “more than ever, employees are asking for developmental opportunities and managers are being told they need to coach their employees on a regular basis.” Most managers, however, do not know how to coach employees, and, as the authors say, “Developing oneself is challenge enough. Determining how to effectively develop others is a massive job.”
Read more.
 OWL Annual Report
OWL's 2009 Annual Report highlights the major activities and achievements from last year.
Read the report.
Interested in Writing for OWL eNEWS?Make the most of your OWL membership by getting more involved! You can contribute to OWL's success while getting to know and work with fellow members in the organization and industry.
The Publications Committee is looking for writers for the OWL eNEWS. Writers may report on the national and local OWL events held through the year as well as write regular features and columns for the website.
For more information, email Molly Schar. |