Anna M. Stagner, MD, Honored with Leadership Award

Anna Stagner, MD, Assistant Professor of Ophthalmology, was recognized with the 2025 Norman Knight Leadership Development Award in Ophthalmology at the Mass Eye and Ear Trustees Meeting last month. This award is funded by the late Norman Knight, a long-time philanthropist and Mass Eye and Ear supporter, and provides important financial support for promising junior faculty leaders.

Dr. Stagner is an exceptional pathologist, gifted educator, and accomplished scholar. She serves as the Frederick A. Jakobiec Director of the David G. Cogan Laboratory of Ophthalmic Pathology—a position that reflects both her rare expertise and her growing leadership in the field.

Dr. Stagner is among a very small number of physicians in the country who are board certified in ophthalmology, anatomic pathology, and dermatopathology. Her clinical acumen is widely sought after—not only at Mass Eye and Ear, but across Mass General Brigham and the broader Boston medical community. In addition to leading the Eye Pathology Service at Mass Eye and Ear, she serves as an attending dermatopathologist at Mass General, and contributes to systemwide quality improvement efforts, including the Surgical Pathology Continuous Improvement Task Force.

Dr. Stagner is also an accomplished scholar with nearly 100 peer-reviewed published articles. Her research includes work on melanocytic tumors of the eye and skin, inflammatory diseases of the orbit, and even non-accidental trauma in infants. These are topics of immense clinical relevance, and Anna’s work is advancing our understanding in each area.

As a teacher and mentor, Dr. Stagner is equally inspiring. She directs the Eye Pathology Fellowship at Mass Eye and Ear and is known for her deep dedication to education and mentorship. Her contributions were recognized with the 2021 Anatomic Pathology Excellence in Teaching Award from Mass General Hospital.