The Optical Women’s Association (OWA) has announced its 2019 OWA Award Honorees.

Holly Rush, CEO of Costa Del Mar, will receive the Pleiades award, which honors an individual who has shown exceptional support in advancing the leadership role of women in the optical industry.

Laura Lewis, vice president of human resources at MyEyeDr., will receive the Pyxis award, which honors a member of the OWA who actively participates in the organization and promotes the OWA throughout the optical industry, contributing to the OWA’s continuing growth.

Jessica Goebert, public relations and marketing manager for De Rigo REM, will receive the Emerging Leader award, presented to a woman who is a rising star and exemplifies leadership qualities as a new distinctive talent within the optical industry.

“The OWA embodies core values of enhancing the leadership role of women, and these women exemplify true vision leadership and passion for the optical industry,” says OWA President Tiara Claxton.

The women will be honored at International Vision Expo East during the OWA’s annual Champagne Breakfast on Thursday, March 21, 2019, at the Edison Ballroom in New York City. This event will also feature keynote speaker Kathleen (Katie) Taylor, former president and CEO of Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts and current Chair of the Board of Royal Bank of Canada. The breakfast is sponsored by Luxottica and the OWA.

About the honorees:

Holly Rush

Holly Rush: Rush’s career spans more than 25 years in the consumer products industry leading the growth and development of large teams and well-known brands. She previously held key roles at L’Oreal as well as Duracell, a division of the Gillette Company. In 2011, she joined the optical industry, becoming the senior vice president of sales for Luxottica Wholesale and was part of the management team that helped restore the company to its leadership position in the U.S. She was subsequently named president of Luxottica Wholesale North America.  In 2016 she and her family relocated to Daytona Beach, FL, where she became the CEO of Costa Del Mar, a division of Essilor.

Rush is passionate about galvanizing teams and developing the next generation of leaders. She dedicates time to speaking engagements such as the “Women Rule” series hosted by POLITICO, Google, and the Tory Burch Foundation, along with the OWA and the Essilor Women’s Network. She was named one of Vision Monday magazine’s “Most Influential Women of the Year” in 2012, received Luxottica’s Founder’s Award for Entrepreneurship,  and given the Visionary award from the Foundation Fighting Blindness.

Laura Lewis

Laura Lewis: Lewis currently serves as the vice president of human resources with MyEyeDr., where she focuses on talent development and strategic growth. With a background that spans several industries including banking, insurance, and optical.

Lewis is an active member of the OWA, is a Sponsor Ambassador, and is a current member of the OWA Mentoring Committee. Recently, she was named OWA Subcommittee Chair of the Sponsor Ambassadors due to her meaningful work and contribution to fully developing the Sponsor Ambassador role. As one of her many passions, Lewis is committed to not only the support and development of the OWA, but also to the growth and development of its many individual members. She recently recorded a “Tuesday Talk” for the OWA titled “Shine and Sparkle: Interviewing with Intention.”

She is a graduate of James Madison University’s School of Business and was recently nominated as one of 2018’s Most Influential Women by Vision Monday magazine. In addition to her time spent with the OWA, Lewis enjoys spending free time with her two teenage sons, traveling, and volunteering.

Jessica Goebert

Jessica Goebert: Goebert is the senior public relations manager for De Rigo REM in Los Angeles, CA. She brings over a decade of diverse experience developing communications strategy for some of the most iconic brands across fashion, sport, and lifestyle. This includes six years in the optical industry, where she got her start at Luxottica Group, overseeing all brand communications for the company in North America before joining De Rigo REM, where she is responsible for leading all communications, social media, advertising, events, and industry relations.

As an active member of the OWA, Goebert is the co-chair of the Digital Marketing Committee where she has spearheaded content creation and messaging for the OWA’s social platforms and participated in event planning for the organization’s regional events in Southern California. Some of her achievements include dressing FLOTUS Michelle Obama and actress Octavia Spencer for the Oscars, receiving CLIO Image Award and Platinum PR Award nominations, and being named by Vision Monday magazine in 2017 as one of the most Influential Women in Optical.

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About the Optical Women’s Association: Founded in 1997 as a nonprofit, the Optical Women’s Association is committed to supporting and promoting the professional development of women involved in all facets of the optical industry. As the vision of the OWA evolves and expands, it maintains the focus of the OWA’s founding principles and core mission: to enhance and promote the leadership role of women in the optical industry through networking, education, and peer support.

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