The first Lancaster Award was bestowed in 1953 and the recipient was his daughter, Julia Lancaster. Julia was a pioneer of Orthoptics and president of the American Association of Orthoptic Technicians (AAOT) from 1940-1941 and again in 1951 at the time of his death.

The Lancaster Award Committee is comprised of the previous five recipients, chaired by the longest serving member. The Award is given to an orthoptist who has made outstanding contributions to Orthoptics either in teaching, publishing articles or books, devising materials, designing instruments, or developing new techniques. The Award is the highest honor that our organization can bestow and is an honor to receive it and be recognized by one’s peers. It is awarded to the recipient at the annual AAO/AOC/AACO Sunday symposium.

2023 Shelley Klein

2022 Wanda Pfeiffer

2021 Mary DeYoung-Smith

2019 Kim Merrill

2018 Pam Berg

2017 Karen McMain

2016 Diana Shamis

2015 Carole Panton

2014 Bruce Furr

2013 Ronald J Biernacki

2012 Katherine J Fray

2011 Lisa Rovick

2010 Rachael Jenkins

2009 Lindy Dubois

2008 Gail Morton

2007 Judy Petrunak

2006 Pamela Kutschke

2005 Jere Hess

2004 Kyle Arnoldi

2003 Ann Haver

2002 Clara Berryman

2001 Jill T Clark

2000 Patricia Jenkins

1999 Virginia Hansen

1998 Gill Roper-Hall

1997 Leslie France

1996 Cynthia Avilla

1995 Cindy Pritchard

1994 Carol Dickey

1993 Jacqueline Frank

1992 Mary Everett

1991 Paula Edelman

1990 Hazel Dendy Kelly

1989 Mary Wackerhagen

1988 Dorthy Hartman

1987 Evelyn Tomlinson

1986 Sara Shippman

1985 Ida Iacobucci

1984 Barbara Cassin

1981 Elizabeth Shaterian Stephens

1980 Frankie Stegall

1979 Betty Anne Haldi

1978 Arlene Stearns

1977 Judy Seaber

1976 Lisa Cibis

1974 Fletcher Woodward

1973 Jane Hurtt

1971 Catharine Lunn

1969 Sally Moore

1967 Geraldine Wilson

1966 Velma Ritter

1965 Nancy Capobianco

1964 Mary Hampstead

1963 Aleatha Tibbs