Women in Optometry

Women In Optometry (WO), a national platform from Jobson Optical Group serving women eyecare professionals through news, features, events and digital content, has announced that its 8th annual Women’s Leadership Conference will be held on Tuesday, September 29, 2026, from 4:00-6:45 p.m., within the 2026 American Academy of Optometry (AAO) Annual Meeting in Anaheim, Calif. The 11th annual Theia awards and a networking cocktail hour will immediately follow the event. A registration option is available in the schedule of events for the AAO Annual Meeting here.

The 2026 theme for the Women’s Leadership Conference is Focus. Amplify. Lead. Each of these words has a specific meaning to the conference, WO explained:

Focus: Deliberately choose where to concentrate your attention, time and resources toward the highest-value goals.

Amplify: Intentionally increase the reach, impact and visibility of ideas, people and results.

Lead: Mobilize people toward a shared purpose.

The conference will help translate these leadership theory ideas into everyday practice, WO said. It is positioned for optometrists in every career setting, students and those supporting ODs in their roles as well as industry representatives.

Barb Betts will be the keynote speaker for the event, where she will present The Relationship Advantage: Master the Art of Influence and Connection for Real Results in Business and Life. This year’s keynote is sponsored by Alcon.

“The energy from the Women’s Leadership Conference grows year after year,” said Kyla Bazzy, Women In Optometry’s senior editor. “This year we will challenge attendees to be intentional about where they invest their energy, how they elevate their impact and how they inspire others to grow alongside them.

Join us for the 2026 WOLC and as we celebrate 20 years of Women In Optometry.”