Stephanie Moss, OD '17, FAAO, a member of the Arkansas Optometric Association, has been chosen to be part of the American Optometric Association’s (AOA) 2023 Leadership Institute. Dr. Moss was chosen from a talented applicant pool. Nominations to the institute were sought from affiliated optometric associations as well as schools and colleges of optometry. Diversity—including gender, race/ethnicity, age (five to 10 years removed from optometry school) and even geography—was strongly considered along with leadership potential in selecting the class.
The AOA and AROA are committed to expanding scope of practice for doctors of optometry to provide equal access to care, end health care disparities and elevate care for all patients. The institute’s objective is to grow a diverse group of leaders who can fulfill that commitment.
According to Melia Robertson, OD '10, AROA President, “The program is designed to give participants the tools they need, the confidence they need and the background they need to become engaged leaders. We know that many people need the tap on the shoulder, the encouragement, the support to step forward and lead.”
Andrea Thau, OD, chair of the Leadership Development Committee and former AOA president, notes that, “Once doctors of optometry complete the program, we hope they will become more involved initially with their affiliates, bringing to them the skills they learned in the Leadership Institute,” she says. “But we also hope that a number of them will rise and lead on the national level.”
Dr. Moss is an optometric physician at BoozmanHof Eye Clinic in Rogers and Bella Vista. Her special interests include glaucoma, uveitis, and contact lenses. She received her undergraduate degree with honors from Birmingham-Southern College. She graduated in 2017 with her doctorate of optometry from Southern College of Optometry in Memphis, where she received multiple awards and honors, including Outstanding Clinician Award and membership in Gold Key Honor Society. In 2018, Dr. Moss completed a residency in primary care and ocular disease at the Fayetteville VAMC and NSUOCO. Dr. Moss is a Fellow of the American Academy of Optometry as well as a member of the American Optometric Association and Arkansas Optometric Association. She completed the 2021-2022 LEAD leadership class through the Arkansas Optometric Association. She is excited to be selected to the national American Optometric Association Leadership Institute. Dr. Moss is an avid Razorbacks fan and an active member of Fellowship Bible Church in Rogers.
About the Leadership Institute: The AOA Leadership Institute is a 12-month long program that will have both virtual and in person components; the curriculum includes four topics: leadership brand, public speaking, negotiation skills, and leading change. Expanding doctors’ professional networks and their spheres of influence also are aims of the institute, sponsored by AOA Visionary Supporters Johnson & Johnson Vision and EssilorLuxottica.