OWA Talks Podcast

Carissa and Tatiana

Welcome to the OWA Talks podcast from the Optical Women's Association! Our two hosts, Carissa and Tatiana, interview esteemed guests who connect, inspire, and lead women in the optical, optometry, and ophthalmology industries.

  1. Kas Riggs, HOYA

    10/07/2025

    Kas Riggs, HOYA

    In this episode, Kasandra Riggs shares how her passion for service, leadership, and community engagement fuels her work at HOYA and beyond—empowering teams, mentoring future leaders, and creating lasting impact. About the guest: Kasandra ‘Kas’ Riggs is a passionate advocate for community service and volunteerism, with over 25 years of leadership experience in customer care. As Director of Customer Care at HOYA, she has spent the last nine years building high-performing teams and driving impactful initiatives. Additionally, Kas serves as HOYA North America's One Vision Country Manager, championing the pillars of Community, Environment and Workplace. Guided by the principle "Focus on a Better Tomorrow, Today," she leads local One Vision ambassadors across the US and Canada, who support our communities, reduce our environmental impact, and foster a safe and diverse workplace. Beyond her professional role, Kas is deeply committed to making a difference. She has served on the Board of Volunteers of America Texas, led a mentorship program with the Texas Rangers Baseball Foundation, and co-facilitated anti-racism initiatives with Hope For All Colors. Kas’s dedication to service was sparked in childhood, delivering food to rural families with her father—an experience that shaped her lifelong mission to uplift others. Her contributions were recently recognized when she was honored as a Black History Leader in Dallas-Fort Worth. A former expatriate who lived in Uruguay for three years, Kas brings a global perspective to leadership and service. She is a driving force for positive change, making an impact one community, one team, and one act of kindness at a time. Like this episode? Please subscribe and share! iTunes | Spotify | Overcast | iHeartRadio | Amazon Connect with the OWA: Website | LinkedIn | Instagram | Facebook

    21 min
  2. Wendy Hauteman, VSP Vision

    08/05/2025

    Wendy Hauteman, VSP Vision

    As VSP Vision celebrates 70 years of helping people see, Chief Marketing Officer, Wendy Hauteman joins ‘OWA Talks’ to discuss how giving back can help you live a more meaningful and fulfilled life — both personally and professionally. About the guest: As the chief marketing officer (CMO) for VSP Vision, Wendy Hauteman leads the enterprise marketing and communications strategy to deliver products, services, and brand recognition to a diverse set of stakeholders, including more than 41,000 network doctors and 85 million members. In her 10-plus years with VSP, she has served in a variety of senior leadership roles including senior vice president of marketing for VSP Vision Care and global strategic marketing. As CMO, she is a trusted advisor to the CEO and is focused on driving the company’s purpose to empower human potential through sight by building corporate social responsibility and thought leadership programs. Hauteman’s 25-plus years of marketing and communications experience includes consumer-packaged goods and a comprehensive understanding of the optical industry, specializing in vision insurance and retail optical segments. Before joining VSP, she led marketing and visual merchandising efforts for the Luxottica retail chains of Pearle Vision and ILORI Optical. She is known for leading high-performing teams and making a positive impact through charitable work. She holds a bachelor’s degree from Purdue University and a master’s degree in marketing and business from Xavier University.  Like this episode? Please subscribe and share! iTunes | Spotify | Overcast | iHeartRadio | Amazon Connect with the OWA: Website | LinkedIn | Instagram | Facebook

    29 min

Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
6 Ratings

About

Welcome to the OWA Talks podcast from the Optical Women's Association! Our two hosts, Carissa and Tatiana, interview esteemed guests who connect, inspire, and lead women in the optical, optometry, and ophthalmology industries.