Rising Star Award

Amy Logan OD, FAAO received her Doctor of Optometry from the University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Optometry (UABSO) and completed a primary care residency at the Salem VAMC. She is an Associate Professor at the UAB School of Optometry where is course director of Assessment of Systemic Diseases in Optometry and the Advanced Procedures of the Posterior Segment lab, co-course director of Systemic Pharmacology, and an instructor in Clinical Evaluation of the Visual System. She serves as an attending doctor in the in-house ocular disease department and at two external interprofessional sites, one of which is a clinic for HIV patients. 

Dr. Logan has been an active member of the Interprofessional Education and Collaborative Practice (IPECP) SIG since 2019 and was part of the steering committee that organized a multi-part hybrid summit on advancing interprofessional education in 2023. She served as chair of the IPECP SIG from 2023-2025. She has been part of the Interprofessional Education and Collaborative Practice (IPRF) Committee since 2020 and led the efforts to update the IPECP Toolkit. She currently serves as vice-chair of the IPRF Committee. Finally, she has been a co-presentor for ASCO’s Summer Institute for Faculty Development in 2022 and 2024 on the topic of interprofessional education. 

Jennifer Reilly OD, MSc, FAAO is an Associate Professor of Optometry at the New England College of Optometry (NECO) in Boston, MA. She received her Doctor of Optometry and Masters in Vision Science from NECO, and did her residency training in primary care and ocular disease at the Boston VA Healthcare System.

Dr. Reilly teaches in the theory and methods courses at NECO and has received several optometric teaching accolades at the College including the Foster Namias Award for Outstanding Didactic Instruction, the Carroll Martus Award for Outstanding Clinical Instruction and the Dupuis-Pellerin Award for Faculty Excellence.

She is the Vice Chair of the American Academy of Optometry (AAO) Optometric Education Section, and the immediate past co-Chair of the Association of Schools and Colleges of Optometry (ASCO) Clinical Optometric Methods and Procedures Special Interest Group (COMP SIG). Dr. Reilly is the current Editor-in-Chief of Hindsight: Journal of Optometry History, a journal of the American Optometric Association Foundation (AOAF), and is the author and editor of the textbook Clinical Procedures for Ocular Examination, 5th edition which was named a Doody’s Core Title in 2023 and 2024. 

Video presented during 2025 Annual Business Meeting

Jennifer Fisher, OD, FAAO, FOVDR completed her Doctorate of Optometry at UC Berkeley and the Irwin B. Suchoff residency in vision therapy and rehabilitation at the State University of New York College of Optometry.

Dr. Fisher is an Assistant Clinical Professor at the Herbert Wertheim School of Optometry at UC Berkeley and serves as the Co-Chief of the Binocular Vision Clinic. She helps patients with learning-related vision issues, strabismus, amblyopia, and those that have suffered acquired brain injuries. Dr. Fisher is currently serving as the chair of the ASCO Binocular Vision and Perception SIG.

She was also awarded the California Optometric Association Young Optometrist of the Year in 2022 and the Alameda Contra Costa County Young Optometrist of the Year in 2019. During her free time, she enjoys skiing, Lagree fit, and spending time with her husband and two young children.

Video presented at ASCO’s Annual Business Meeting

Dr. Jaymeni Patel is an Assistant Professor and the Assistant Dean for Community Based Education at the Illinois College of Optometry. She oversees the externship program at the college and precepts students in the Primary Care Clinic, Glaucoma Unit, and Urgent Care Clinic. She teaches the Ocular Disease Seminar course and coordinates the Ocular Disease laboratory.

Dr. Patel received her Doctor of Optometry from the Illinois College of Optometry (ICO) and completed her residency in Ocular Disease and Primary Care at ICO. She is the current co-chair of the ASCO Externship Directors special interest group, a fellow of the American Academy of Optometry, and a member of the Illinois Optometric Association and American Optometric Association.

Video presented at ASCO’s Annual Business Meeting

Since joining the faculty at University of Houston College of Optometry as Assistant Clinical Professor in 2015, Dr. Lucy Kehinde has been teaching in clinical didactic and laboratory courses and attending in Dry Eye, Cornea and Contact Lens, and Family Practice Clinics. She has also been involved in clinical research projects focusing on the ocular surface and dry eye disease. Dr. Kehinde has held leadership roles in various areas for initiatives involving clinic faculty and student affairs, diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging, and interprofessional education with efforts reaching beyond UHCO through ASCO special interest groups and the Diversity and Cultural Competency Committee.

Dr. Kehinde earned her PhD in Vision Sciences and Doctor of Optometry from the University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Optometry, followed by a residency in Primary Care at Indiana University School of Optometry.

Dr. Katherine Green is an Assistant Professor at Nova Southeastern University College of Optometry where she serves as the director of the Acquired Brain Injury Visual Rehabilitation Clinic as well as the coordinator for the Pediatrics and Binocular Vision Residency Program. Dr. Green precepts students in both the Pediatrics and Binocular Vision and the Low Vision Rehabilitation clinics.

Dr. Green received her Doctor of Optometry degree from the Illinois College of Optometry before moving to South Florida to complete a residency in pediatrics and binocular vision at NSU. She is the current chair of the ASCO Neuro-Optometric Rehab Educators special interest group, a member of the ASCO Clinical Affairs Committee, and an active member of the College of Optometrists in Visual Development.

Sponsored by Oculus, the ASCO Rising Star Award is given to an outstanding faculty member or administrator with less than seven years of service who has made noteworthy contributions to fulfilling the mission, strategic objections, or programs of ASCO. This year’s Rising Star awardee is Erik Mothersbaugh, OD, MPH.

Dr. Erik Mothersbaugh serves as the Dean of Student Affairs at Illinois College of Optometry, where he is primarily focused on the areas of Recruiting, Admissions, and Student Services. He is an alum of ICO, who after completing his Doctor of Optometry degree in 2012 stayed to complete a Residency in Primary Care and Ocular Disease. He then served full-time on ICO’s faculty before joining the President’s Administrative Cabinet in 2018. During his time as a faculty member he taught courses in Visual Optics and Ethics in addition to patient care responsibilities in the Primary Care and Urgent Care services of the Illinois Eye Institute.

“It is an honor to be recognized by ASCO for this award,” says Dr. Mothersbaugh. “Among this group I have no shortage of mentorship. I am incredibly grateful to be part of an organization so dedicated to high quality education and the future of the profession of Optometry. Thank you!”

Dr. Erik Mothersbaugh thank you video. A special message from Oculus, sponsor of the the Rising Star Award.

Sponsored by Oculus, the ASCO Rising Star Award is given to an outstanding faculty member or administrator with less than seven years of service. This year’s Rising Star awardee is Diane Russo, OD, MPH.

Dr. Diane Russo is an Associate Professor in the Department of Primary Care at New England College of Optometry where she is Instructor of Record for the public health course sequence. She is also an Attending Optometrist at the Codman Square Health Center in Boston where she precepts second, third, and fourth year students.

Dr. Russo received her OD from SUNY College of Optometry, her MPH from the Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, and received residency training at the West Haven VAMC. She is Chair-Elect for ASCO’s Public Health Educators Special Interest Group (SIG) and is an active member of the AOA and Massachusetts Society of Optometrists, serving on the Health Promotions Committee and Legislative Action Committee, respectively.

“I am incredibly honored to be nominated and chosen for this award,” says Dr. Russo. “It has been an amazing privilege to be able to care for patients, while also contributing to the profession by educating future Doctors of Optometry.”

Special Recognition Video.

Sponsored by Oculus, the ASCO Rising Star Award is given to an outstanding faculty member or administrator with less than seven years of service. Dr. Andrew D. Pucker is recognized for his outstanding contributions to the University of Alabama at Birmingham, School of Optometry, through teaching, scholarship, administration and professional service and most notably in contributions to ASCO’s Biomedical Educators Special Interest Group.

“It’s an honor to be nominated by UAB and to be selected by ASCO to receive the 2018 Rising Star Award,” says Dr. Pucker. “Life as a translational scientist and educator is rewarding, though not always easy, and awards like this one are an inspiration to keep pursing my passion.” 

Special Recognition Video.

Generously sponsored by Oculus, the ASCO Rising Star Award is given to an outstanding faculty member or administrator with less than seven years of service who has made noteworthy contributions to fulfilling the mission, strategic objections, or programs of ASCO. Dr. Catherine McDaniel, associate professor of clinical optometry at The Ohio State University, is recognized for her outstanding contributions through teaching, scholarship, administration and professional service.