When Elizabeth Steele, O.D., joined the UAB School of Optometry nearly 13 years ago as a faculty member, she did not know how much she would love teaching.

“It was one of those crazy little choices you make that shapes your entire life,” she said Wednesday, June 21, to attendees of the American Optometric Association’s annual meeting in Washington, D.C.

Steele, associate dean for Clinical Affairs at the School of Optometry, spoke to the audience of the meeting’s award ceremony as she was recognized as the AOA’s Optometric Educator of the Year.

“While I have developed expertise in the areas of clinical optometry, my passion for educating extends beyond that to the very important topic of our profession and its future,” she said.

The AOA named Steele its Optometric Educator of the Year for her “outstanding service on behalf of the profession, optometric education and the visual welfare of the public,” according to the AOA, which is recognized as one of the leading authorities in optometry. The annual Optometry’s Meeting was held June 21-25.

Click here to view the introduction video for Steele shown at the AOA Awards Ceremony on June 21.

Steele received her bachelor’s degree from Wofford College and her Doctor of Optometry degree from the UAB School of Optometry. She also completed a residency in Primary Eye Care/Ocular Disease at the Tuscaloosa Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, which is an affiliated program of the School of Optometry.

Since joining the School of Optometry as a faculty member, Steele has held several leadership roles and served on various committees. She has received teaching and clinical awards, including the UAB President’s Award for Excellence in Teaching and was named a member of the UAB Healthcare Leadership Academy,

In addition to teaching optometry students in clinical settings, Steele has taught 44 continuing education classes for optometrists, 23 workshops and five presentations to paraoptometric technicians.

She has also incorporated community outreach into her teaching of optometry students through participation in UAB Eye Care’s World Glaucoma Day Screening and Gift of Sight.

Steele has served as president of the Birmingham Area Optometric Association and on various committees for the Alabama Optometric Association, including serving as chair of its Education Committee. She has also served on numerous American Optometric Association committees and was chair of its Clinical Reference Guide Oversight Committee.

“I have strived to advance the practice of optometry, and today I encourage all of you to pay it forward,” she said. “It is a never ending fight to make that future a great one.”

The AOA represents more than 44,000 doctors of optometry, optometric professionals and optometry students in advocating for the profession and serving optometrists in meeting the eye care needs of the public. Each year awards are given at its annual Optometry’s Meeting for the Optometrist of the Year, Young Optometrist of the Year, Optometric Educator of the Year, Paraoptometric of the Year and Distinguished Service.