Queensland optometrist and business co-owner Shaina Zheng and ophthalmologist, molecular biologist and global health innovator Dr Sarah Crowe have been recognised among the 2026 Women in Industry Awards finalists, in a new category celebrating excellence in health and medicine.
The Women in Industry Awards has unveiled its 2026 finalists, bringing together leaders, innovators and emerging talent from across sectors including engineering, manufacturing, mining, transport, and healthcare. While traditionally focused on industrial fields, the awards increasingly acknowledge the contribution of allied health professions such as optometry.
Zheng, who co-owns Eyecare Plus Mermaid Beach, is the only optometrist to be shortlisted. She has worked in independent optometry since 2017, balancing clinical care with an increasing focus on business leadership and workplace culture. As part of her MBA research, Zheng has explored workplace culture across independent optometry, surveying a wide range of roles, from optometrists and dispensers to reception and management staff, to better understand what drives positive, sustainable practice environments.
She is also vice president of The Dry Eye Society and founder of Impact Culture Group, an initiative aimed at helping healthcare practices develop strong, values-based cultures and improve both team wellbeing and patient outcomes.
Ophthalmologist, molecular biologist and global health innovator, Dr Sarah Crowe has been recognised for her pioneering work in transforming access to vision care worldwide.
Dr Crowe, founder and CEO of OOXii, has built an internationally recognised model addressing uncorrected refractive error, a leading yet treatable cause of vision impairment affecting around one billion people globally. Her work sits at the intersection of medicine, innovation and social impact, reshaping how eyecare is delivered in underserved communities.
Dr Crowe completed a DPhil in Molecular Biology at University of Oxford as a Rhodes Scholar, earned her medical degree from the University of Toronto, and later specialised in ophthalmology in Sydney. Her early medical experience in South Africa cemented a commitment to equitable healthcare access, which has remained central to her career.
That commitment took a turn in 2017 during a mission to the Solomon Islands, where she witnessed firsthand the scale and impact of untreated vision impairment. In response, Dr Crowe developed the OOXii Vision Kit, an innovative solution enabling non-specialist health workers to test vision, diagnose refractive errors including astigmatism, and dispense glasses immediately.
The model challenges traditional eyecare delivery, which often depends on highly trained specialists, expensive equipment and multiple patient visits – barriers that disproportionately affect remote and low-resource communities. By contrast, OOXii’s approach decentralises care, improving access while maintaining clinical standards.
Beyond clinical outcomes, Dr Crowe’s work also drives economic and community development. By training local entrepreneurs to deliver vision services, OOXii creates sustainable micro-businesses that expand access while generating income. The impact is significant: in a recent clinic in Papua New Guinea, every dollar invested in the Vision Kit was estimated to deliver $91 in community benefit.
Women in Industry award winners will be announced at a gala dinner at Doltone House Darling Island Wharf in Sydney on June 18. Designed to unite industry professionals, senior leaders and emerging talent, the event offers a valuable opportunity for connection in a setting that fosters meaningful conversations beyond day-to-day business.
Molly Hancock, head of events marketing at Prime Creative Media which hosts the Women in Industry Awards, said this year’s finalists represent the strength, innovation and leadership driving Australia’s industrial sectors forward.
“The Women in Industry Awards not only recognise these outstanding achievements but also create a space where leaders at every stage of their career can come together, share ideas, and build connections that have a lasting impact.”
Businesses from across Australia are invited to attend the awards gala for an inspiring evening dedicated to celebrating trailblazing women who are breaking barriers and redefining what’s possible.
Click here to visit the website and purchase tickets.
