Alumni Awards

Celebrating Excellence. Honoring Impact.

2024 Alumni Award Winners (L to R), Constadina Manettas '20, Anna Marie Fernandez '85, & Tanya Carter '87, R'88
2024 Alumni Award Winners (L to R), Constadina Manettas ’20, Anna Marie Fernandez ’85, & Tanya Carter ’87, R’88

At SUNY College of Optometry, we’re proud to honor the alumni who continue to elevate the profession, serve their communities, and support future generations of optometrists. Each year, we recognize individuals across four distinct categories who exemplify the values and vision of our College.

Alumni of the Year Award: 
SUNY College of Optometry’s Alumni of the Year Award is given to a graduate in recognition of their exemplary service to the profession, the community, and/or the College.
Current Honoree: Anna Marie Fernandez,  O.D., ’85
Alumni Rising Star Award:
The Alumni Rising Star Award recognizes a recent graduate who has shown exceptional promise and dedication to the field of optometry and made significant contributions to the profession early in their career.

Current Honoree: Constadina Manettas, O.D., ’20

Alumni Resident of the Year Award:
This award celebrates SUNY Optometry residency-trained alumni who have demonstrated outstanding clinical leadership and innovation after completing their residency.

Current Honoree: Tanya Carter, O.D., ’87, R’88

Alumni Mentor of the Year Award:
SUNY College of Optometry’s Alumni Mentor of the Year Award recognizes alumni who go above and beyond to guide and support students, residents, and young professionals.
Current Honoree: Eric C. Rubinfeld, O.D., ‘87

Nominate an Outstanding Alum

Nominations for the 2025 Alumni Awards closed on April 15, 2025.

Thank you to everyone who submitted nominations for the 2025 SUNY Optometry Alumni Awards! We’re excited to celebrate this year’s outstanding honorees at SUNY Optometry’s Presidential Brunch during Alumni Weekend on September 28, 2025.

Looking to nominate someone next year?

Nominations for the Alumni of the Year and Alumni Rising Star awards will open again in early 2026. Subscribe to our Alumni Newsletter to be the first to know when nominations open and to receive the latest updates on alumni news, events, and opportunities.

Meet Our Past Honorees

Each of our past award recipients has made an extraordinary impact on the field of optometry, their communities, and SUNY Optometry itself. These individuals embody the spirit of leadership, service, and innovation that we strive to cultivate. Below are some of the trailblazers who have been recognized for their outstanding contributions.
Alumni of the Year Recipients

1999: Elizabeth H. Pradhan, O.D., '92
2000: Richard Soden, O.D., '79
2001: Stuart M. Rothman, O.D., '79
2002: Andrea Thau, O.D., '84
2003: Susan C. Danberg, O.D., '84
2004: Frank S. Siringo, O.D., '01
2005: Thomas A. Wong, O.D., '89
2006: Scott J. Richter, O.D., '75
2007: Katherine M. Mastrota, M.S., O.D., '89
2008: Kelly M. Ludden, O.D., '03
2009: Victoria Molnar Weiss, O.D., '89
2009: Douglas Weiss, O.D., '89
2010: Joan K. Portello, O.D., M.P.H., M.S., '86

2011: Jorge Won, O.D., '85
2012: Richard J. Madonna, O.D., '85
2013: Jillia Bird, O.D., '89
2014: David Damari, O.D., '88
2015: Michael McGovern, O.D., '97
2016: Sherry J. Bass, O.D., '80
2017: Kenneth Sorkin, O.D., '93
2018: Joseph Boorady, O.D., '93
2019: Julia Appel, O.D., '91
2020: Denise M. Whitman, O.D., '91
2021: Neera Kapoor, O.D., '94
2022: Jason Compton, O.D., '05
2023: Viola Kanevsky, O.D., '93
2024: Anna Marie Fernandez,  O.D., '85

Alumni Rising Star Recipients

2022: Class of 2020
2023: Mary Botelho, O.D., '17
2024: Constadina Manettas, O.D., '20