Professional women in the eye-care industry who regularly attend the major industry meetings have formed a new organization designed to facilitate networking and professional development. Marguerite McDonald, MD, pictured at right, welcomed about 150 women leaders to the first Ophthalmic Women Leaders (OWL) event.

OWL held an introductory reception Friday evening at the Anaheim Marriott.

The formation of OWL was organized by three volunteers: Jan Beiting, president, Wordsmith Consulting; Tamara Church, public relations, Heidelberg Engineering; and Jane Aguirre, publisher, EyeNet, American Academy of Ophthalmology.

The group's advisory board includes such leaders as Elizabeth Davila, chairman of the board and chief executive officer of VISX Inc., J. Michelle Glossip, chief executive officer of Duckworth & Kent, Adrienne Graves, PhD, president and chief executive officer of Santen Inc., Julia Levy, PhD, executive chairman of the Scientific Advisory Board for QLT Inc., Marguerite McDonald, MD, of the Southern Vision Eye Institute, and Kate Tiedemann, president of Katena Products Inc.

Women from all levels of the VISX Inc. team were present, from scientists and international clinical researchers to Elizabeth Davila, the company's chairman of the board and chief executive officer.

The board even includes one male­James V. Mazzo, president and chief executive officer of Advanced Medical Optics.OT