About HOW

HOW is an organization for women ophthalmologists that was inspired by several impromptu meetings, organized by a few friends, that took place in Houston in 2014. To our delight, more than 75 women joined the meetings, sparking discussion about how to create a cohesive network of women eye doctors in the Houston area. After several years of planning, discussions, and hard work, HOW was born.

The goals of HOW are:

To build a strong network of female ophthalmologists in the greater Houston area inclusive of all subspecialties and practice types

To promote and support women ophthalmologist colleagues to advance the field of ophthalmology in areas of patient care, research, and education

To sponsor young female trainees towards achieving professional milestones

HOW is a registered 501(c)6 organization. All donations are business deductible.

Leadership

Stella Kim , MD, President

Dr. Stella K. Kim is the Joe M. Green Jr. Professor of Clinical Ophthalmology at UTHealth Medical School. Dr. Kim spent 10 years at Harvard Medical School, obtaining her medical degree, and completing Grunebaum Cancer Research Fellowship and Howard Hughes Medical Institute Medical Student Research fellowship, followed by a medical internship, and ophthalmology residency at the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary.

As a Heed fellow, Dr. Kim completed a fellowship in cornea, refractive, and external diseases at the Moran Eye Center/University of Utah. She joined faculty at the University of Texas M.D.Anderson Cancer Center and spent approximately 13 years caring for patients with systemic and ocular malignancies, teaching residents and medical students from UTMB and UTHealth, directing Clinical Research in Ophthalmology, and participating in national and international extramural activities with AAO, ARVO, ABO, ASCO among others. She is a founding member of the International Chronic Ocular Graft vs. Host Disease (GVHD) Consensus, and Dr. Kim’s work in this and other areas in ocular toxicity of cancer therapy is internationally recognized.

Dr. Kim joined UTHealth Medical School/Cizik Eye Clinic in 2014, and she continues to enjoy patient care, teaching and clinical research. Her clinical practice includes medical and surgical care of patients with ocular surface diseases, including ocular surface neoplasia, ocular toxicity of cancer therapy (including ocular GVHD) and other pathology of cornea, cataract, and external diseases.

Amina Malik, MD, Vice President

Amina Malik MD is an Oculoplastic and Reconstructive Surgeon practicing at Methodist Eye Associates. Her areas of expertise include the eyelids, eye socket, tear duct and upper face. She completed her medical school and training in Cincinnati, OH before moving to Houston in 2014 to join Methodist Hospital, where she is Assistant Professor of Ophthalmology with Weill Cornell Medical College and the Hospital Institute for Academic Medicine at Houston Methodist. She has published over 20 peer reviewed articles and book chapters. Outside of work, she enjoys spending time with her family, running and traveling.

Zaina Al-Mohtaseb, MD, Treasurer

Dr. Zaina Al-Mohtaseb is a board-certified ophthalmologist and surgeon, specializing in cataract, LASIK, & cornea surgery. She earned her medical degree with honors from Baylor College of Medicine and completed her ophthalmology residency at the Cullen Eye Institute at Baylor where she was elected Chief Resident. She finished her training and fellowship at the University of Miami's Bascom Palmer Eye Institute.

Dr. Al-Mohtaseb is a key opinion leader in ophthalmology and an adopter of new surgical techniques and ophthalmic technologies. She has authored multiple scientific publications and presents numerous lectures nationally and internationally. She has a clinical Associate Professor appointment at Baylor College of Medicine and was the previous Associate Program Director of Residency. She will lead continued clinical research initiatives at Whitsett Vision Group as the Director of Research. She is recognized as an expert in complex vision correction surgery, Dr. Al-Mohtaseb performs the full spectrum of procedures including cataract surgery, LASIK & PRK & ICL, presbyopia correction, DSEK & DMEK, Collagen Cross-Linking, & secondary intraocular lenses & IOL exchanges.

She is an active member of numerous ophthalmic societies and is the Chair of the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery Young Eye Surgeon committee which serves to educate young surgeons nationally and internationally through lectures, webinars, and wet labs. She has also won numerous awards including “Top Doctors,” BCM Women of Excellence Award & Excellence in Patient Care, the National Award Outstanding Leader in Ophthalmology, the National Award Rising Star in Ophthalmology, the national AAO Achievement Award, and most recently the international award Ophthalmology’s Power List - Top 100 ophthalmologists & Ophthalmology Management’s National Top 40 Under 40 award.

Regina Sun, MD, Meeting Coordinator

Regina Sun, MD is a board-certified ophthalmologist in practice at Berkeley Eye Center where she practices cornea, cataract and comprehensive eye exams and surgery. Dr. Sun attended Northwestern University for her undergraduate and medical school degree. She then trained at the prestigious Baylor College of Medicine in Houston for her residency training. She then moved to Minneapolis to complete a year of cornea fellowship. Dr. Sun has been recognized by her peers with a Super Doctors and a Castle Connolly Top Doctors award, and by her patients with a Vitals Patients Choice Award and a U.S. News & World Report Patients’ Top Choice Award. In 2023, she was also awarded the Operation Sight Volunteer of the Year award by the ASCRS Foundation, which supports physician education and provides humanitarian cataract surgery in the United States and developing countries. She also enjoys spending time with her family, building legos and gardening.

Amy Schefler, MD, Immediate Past President & Community Service Organizer

Dr. Amy Schefler is a board-certified ocular oncologist and vitreoretinal surgeon at Retina Consultants of Houston. She has a special expertise in eye cancer, a rare subspecialty within ophthalmology. Dr. Schefler is an Associate Professor of Clinical Ophthalmology at Weill Cornell Medical College/Houston Methodist Hospital and the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, and serves as the principal mentor for training in eye tumors for the medical students, residents, and fellows at these institutions. Since being recruited to Houston in 2012, along with her physician team colleagues in radiation oncology, medical oncology, pediatric oncology, pediatric oncology, ophthalmic pathology, and basic science research, she has built one of the busiest eye cancer centers in the nation.

Dr. Schefler is the recipient of numerous awards in ophthalmology, including a Heed Ophthalmic Award, a Society of Heed Fellows Award, an American Academy of Ophthalmology Achievement Award, and the Ronald G. Michels Fellowship Foundation Award, the nation’s highest honor for a retina surgery fellow.

Amy Coburn, MD, Community Service Organizer

Dr. Coburn is a Clinical Associate Professor in Ophthalmology at Baylor College of Medicine and Associate Professor of Clinical Ophthalmology at Weill Cornell Medical College. As an advocate for eye care, she holds leadership roles and reaches out to the local and national community.

In 1981, Dr. Coburn earned her bachelor’s degree in Biology at Rice University, followed by her medical degree, internship, ophthalmology residency and fellowship at Baylor.

Since 1991, she has been an active member of the Houston Ophthalmological Society, and currently serves as Director of Community Outreach on the Executive Board. She is the past Society President, and organized the ophthalmic disaster relief during Hurricane Katrina (providing eye care services for 3,000 evacuees) and Hurricane Harvey (coordinating an ophthalmic team that provided services to over 2,000 evacuees). This work was presented at the American Academy of Ophthalmology, and Prevent Blindness America. Dr. Coburn has served on the Faculty for the American College of Surgeons Medical Disaster Response Course and the Army Disaster Response course.. Dr. Coburn also developed outreach programs such as vision screenings for veterans at Houston Stand Down. As HOS President, she expanded the Society visiting professor lecture series and organized the first regional Anterior Segment and Retinal Ocular Coherence Tomography Course.

Dr. Coburn also was Vice Chairman for Prevent Blindness Texas. Since becoming a member of the State Executive Board in 2007, she has supported and expanded state- wide screening, education, referral, advocacy and fundraising. She drafted the Houston Eye Care Disaster Response Plan and developed and secured funding for an Eye Care for the Homeless program.

Dr. Coburn currently is a fellow at the American Academy of Ophthalmology and a member of the Texas Medical Association, Texas Ophthalmological Association and the Harris County Medical Society. Her service at the American Academy of Ophthalmology includes education committee work, teaching courses in education and disaster relief, and teaching in cataract surgery skills transfer courses. She is proud to have continued the Baylor tradition of education, and has taught clinical and surgical skills to residents and medical students for over 30 years including mentorship and project supervision of the Baylor Medical Student Ophthalmology Interest Group.

Her work has earned numerous honors, including the American Academy of Ophthalmology Achievement Award, the Prevent Blindness Texas Community Service Award, the Partners in Prevention Award, and the Prevent Blindness America BEST Practices Award.She was the 2010 Prevent Blindness Texas Annual Eye Stroll for Vision honoree. She is the 2018 Dyer Fellowship Recipient for a grant to develop corneal neurotization, a novel surgical technique to restore function and preserve sight in patients with an anesthetic cornea.

Dr Coburn is the 2019 recipient of the Baylor College of Medicine Humanitarian Award.

Nagham Al-Zubidi, MD, Residency Liaison Coordinator

Associate professor of ophthalmology in the Department of Head and Neck Surgery MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston

Dr. Nagham Al-Zubidi is an associate professor of ophthalmology in the Department of Head and Neck Surgery at MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, TX. She is also an adjunct assistant professor, department of ophthalmology - Blanton Eye Institute, Methodist Hospital, Houston, TX, adjunct Assistant Professor, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY adjunct Department of Ophthalmology, The University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX. Dr. Al-Zubidi is an associate program director of Neuro-Ophthalmology Fellowship Houston Methodist Hospital/MD Anderson Cancer Center. Dr. Al-Zubidi is a dual-trained ophthalmologist neurology and board-certified neurologist and fellowship in neuro- ophthalmology. Her research focus on ocular oncology, optic nerve disorders and, optic nerve tumors, immune therapy and immune checkpoint inhibitors ocular side effects. Dr. Al-Zubidi has published over 45 peer reviewed publications and more than 40 book chapters, and a book. She is currently a co-investigator on a series of prospective studies. She serves as a reviewer of multiple medical journals. She is a chief editor of EyeWiki section of Neuro- ophthalmology. Dr. Al-Zubidi is a member of multiple professional societies North America Neuro- ophthalmology Society (NANOS), American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO), American Academy of Neurology (AAN), Houston Ophthalmological Society (HOS), and Houston Ophthalmology Women (HOW) etc. She has served on many NANOS Committees (NOVEL Committee, Patient Information Committee, Young Neuro-Ophthalmologist (YONO) Committee, AAO Abstract’s selection committee.

Bita Esmaeli, MD, Emeritus Board Member

Dr Bita Esmaeli is a Professor and Fellowship Program Director for Ophthalmic Plastic Surgery in the Department of Plastic Surgery at The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, where she has had an orbital oncology and oncologic ophthalmic plastic surgery practice since 1998.

Dr Esmaeli’s practice focus is surgical treatment of orbital tumors, lacrimal gland carcinomas, eyelid cancers, melanoma of eyelid and conjunctiva, and reconstructive surgery in the periocular region including lacrimal surgery. Her research interests include early detection of metastasis, multi-disciplinary eye sparing approaches, and molecular targets for treatment for ocular and orbital cancers.

Dr Esmaeli has authored over 240 peer-reviewed manuscripts, over 60 invited articles and book chapters, and has spearheaded numerous clinical trials and research protocols at M. D. Anderson Cancer Center. She teaches widely throughout the world and is a frequent guest speaker at international meetings. She has received many prestigious awards and honors including the Merrill Reeh Pathology Award and the Research Award from the American Society of Ophthalmic Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, the American Academy of Ophthalmology Senior Achievement Award, Best Doctors in America, and Top Doctors Award. Dr Esmaeli is a member of the American Ophthalmologic Society.

Dr Esmaeli founded the Ophthalmology Section at MD Anderson Cancer Center in 1998 and served as Chief of Section from 1998 to 2004. She is currently an ASOPRS fellowship Program Director for Ophthalmic Plastic Surgery and Orbital Oncology Programs at MD Anderson Cancer Center.