UW Ophthalmology faculty and alumni were honored by the American Academy of Ophthalmology during its recent annual meeting in New Orleans.
Jennifer Yu, MD, PhD, Professor of Clinical Practice, received the Secretariat Award, an annual award recognizing special contributions to the Academy and ophthalmology, as determined by Academy officials in their respective areas.
Dr. Yu was also selected through a competitive process to participate in the Academy of American Ophthalmology's Leadership Development Program (LDP) XXVIII, class of 2027, alongside 18 other ophthalmologists.The American Society of Ophthalmic Trauma nominated Dr. Yu.
The Academy honored UW School of Medicine and UW Ophthalmology residency alumni Matthew S. Oliva, MD, with the 2026 Outstanding Humanitarian Service Award.
The Cure Blindness Project nominated Dr. Oliva for his dedication to fighting needless blindness and cultivating the next generation of eye care leaders.
For more than 25 years, Dr. Oliva has worked to eliminate preventable blindness in some of the world’s most underserved regions. His commitment to global eye care began with trachoma research in Tanzania and clinical rotations in India and Nepal. Since then, he has personally performed more than 50,000 sight-restoring cataract surgeries across Nepal, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Somaliland, and beyond.
His work with the U.N. Millennium Villages program also deepened his understanding of the link between blindness and poverty, shaping a long-term strategy focused on sustainable access to care.
Dr. Oliva has trained local physicians, strengthened institutional capacity, and helped develop eye care leaders across three continents. He has supported residency programs in Ethiopia, helped establish Eritrea’s first ophthalmology residency program, and advanced subspecialty development in Somaliland.
In addition to practicing at the Medical Eye Center in Medford, Ore., Dr. Oliva serves as board chairman of the Cure Blindness Project and as an affiliate assistant professor at the Casey Eye Institute at Oregon Health & Science University.
UW Ophthalmology faculty members Professor Courtney Francis, MD, and Associate Professor Raghu Mudumbai, MD received the Senior Achievement Award in recognition of their service to AAO, and Munsen Professor Lisa Olmos de Koo received the Achievement Award.