At its annual Rising Star reception, held on Jan. 18 in Las Vegas, the GP Lens Institute (GPLI) named its 2025 award recipients.
- Muriel Schornack, OD: Naomi “Jo” Svochak GP Practitioner of the Year, for outstanding professional expertise in fitting customized contact lenses to benefit patients with improved vision and corneal health, and to advance the contact lens field
- Vinita Henry, OD: Dr. Edward S. Bennett GPLI Educator of the Year, for outstanding achievement as an educator in the area of GP and custom soft contact lenses
- Andrew Morgenstern, OD: Thomas J. “Tommy” Pham GPLI – NKCF Keratoconus Practitioner of the Year, for exceptional expertise in keratoconus education and management
- John Gelles, OD: Dr. Arthur B. Epstein GPLI Award for Excellence in Specialty Contact Lenses and Anterior Segment Disease, for outstanding contributions via lectures and publications in the area of specialty contact lenses and anterior segment disease
- Jan Svochak: Thomas E. Anastor GPLI Distinguished Service Award, for outstanding service toward the goals, mission, and programs of the GP Lens Institute
- Wincy Chung, OD, and Tiffany Park, OD, MS: GPLI Alumni & Friends Award, a gift from former cornea and contact lens residents and GPLI friends who wish to “pay it forward”
Also at the event, the Contact Lens Manufacturers Association (CLMA) presented the CLMA Medal of Honor to retiring GPLI executive director Edward S. Bennett, OD, MSEd. This is only the second time the CLMA Medal of Honor has ever been presented.