SCO SNAPS H TO
ALUMNI AND FACULTY VOLUNTEERS
JOINED
STUDENTS IN MAY ON SVOSH AND FCO MISSION TRIPS. THIS CHILD IN ECUADOR WAS ONE OF HUNDREDS WHO RECEIVED CARE FROM SCO PROVIDERS SHARING THEIR EXPERTISE AND CARE.
Our President
LEWIS
Each spring, we celebrate the accomplishments of our newest graduates — now proud SCO alumni — who have completed their journey through this rigorous and rewarding program. Their success fills us with pride and confidence in the future of our profession.
Less than two weeks after that celebration, another meaningful rite of passage took place on campus: the White Coat Ceremony for the Class of 2027. In many ways, this event is a mirror image of commencement. Where graduation marks the end of formal training and the beginning of professional practice, the White Coat Ceremony marks the moment
when students cross the threshold from preclinical to clinical education, assuming the responsibilities and privileges of direct patient care. It is the beginning of a deeper transformation, including Dianelys Almanza Castillo, ‘27, pictured on the front cover with her family and fiancé following the White Coat Ceremony.
There is something powerful in the symbolism of these events occurring so close together on the calendar.
SCO graduates, having been mentored, taught, and encouraged, now go out into the world to serve their communities. Meanwhile, our third-year students are stepping into their clinical roles, guided by many of the same faculty and often by alumni in externship settings. One group departs prepared to lead; the other prepares to learn by doing.
This continuity is a cornerstone of the SCO experience. And it’s made possible not only by our outstanding faculty and staff but also by the active engagement of our alumni. Your support — whether by networking with students, precepting externs, attending these ceremonies, sharing your experiences, or contributing financially — makes a tangible difference in the lives of our students at every stage.
Thinking about our recent White Coat and Commencement ceremonies, I encourage you to consider what you can do to support the newest members of our profession. It’s a moving reminder of why we do what we do — and how each of us plays a part in shaping the next generation of optometrists.
ALUMNI MAGAZINE Summer 2025
PRESIDENT
Lewis Reich, OD, PhD
VICE PRESIDENT FOR INSTITUTIONAL ADVANCEMENT
George Miller, CFRE
DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS
Jim Hollifield
SENIOR CREATIVE DESIGNER
Susan Doyle
WEBSITE AND SOCIAL
NETWORKING MANAGER
Erin Jaffe
SENIOR CREATIVE PROJECT MANAGER
Philip Tribble
CREATIVE SERVICES COORDINATOR
Melissa Hansbro
BOARD CHAIR
Mark R. Kapperman, OD ’87
BOARD MEMBERS
Allan L. Barker, OD ’75
Renee Brauns
Betty Harville Brown, OD
Darby Chiasson, OD ’99
Arthur R. Dampier, OD ’97
Anita Davis, PhD
Vicki Farmer
Charles Glaser, OD ’74
Charles W. Kinnaird, OD
James K. Kirchner, OD
Jennifer Lyerly, OD ’11
Lynn Shaw, Sr.
Stuart Tasman, OD ’80
FACULTY REPRESENTATIVE
Carrie Lebowitz, OD, ’06
STUDENT REPRESENTATIVE
Emily Gibbons, ’27
Visions is a magazine for alumni, faculty, staff, and other friends of Southern College of Optometry. It is published through the Office of Institutional Advancement.
A digital version is available online at sco.edu/visions
Please forward comments, address changes, and contributions to: Institutional Advancement 1245 Madison Avenue Memphis, TN 38104-2222 800-238-0180, ext. 4
sco.edu
southerncollegeofoptometry
southerncollegeofoptometry
SCO edu
REICH, OD, PH.D.
COMMENCEMENT2025
SCO WELCOMED 129 MEMBERS OF THE CLASS OF 2025 INTO OUR ALUMNI RANKS FOLLOWING THEIR COMMENCEMENT CEREMONY HELD ON MAY 6 AT THE CANNON CENTER FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS IN MEMPHIS.
NOAH LINHART and GRACE OWENS were named co-valedictorians for their outstanding academic performance. Class President DEEMA MANSOUR presented the Teacher of the Year Award to DR. DAVID HALL from our faculty.
Former SCO Board member and current AOA President DR. STEVEN REED (’95) received the honorary Doctor of Ocular Science Degree. In his commencement address, he recalled his rural roots and observed that optometry is an outstanding career choice for transforming the lives of practitioners and their patients alike.
Seven classmates from SCO’s Class of 1975 held their 50-year class reunion and were welcomed as the newest inductees into SCO’s Golden Circle Society, recognizing SCO graduates who have achieved the 50-year mark since their own graduation.
Additionally, four graduates were commissioned into military careers: (L-R) JOSHUA ALDRIDGE (Navy), KENDYL DEWEY (Air Force), HUEI-ANH SPENCER and HALEY VARCOE (Army). A recording from the ceremony, along with more than 1,000 free, high resolution photos, may be viewed or downloaded from SCO’s website, sco.edu/commencement
STEVEN REED, OD ’95 DOCTOR OF OCULAR SCIENCE
Dr. Reed was elected to the American Optometric Association (AOA) Board of Trustees at the 119th Annual AOA Congress and 46th Annual AOSA Conference: Optometry’s Meeting® in July 2016 and recognized as president during the 127th Annual AOA Congress and 54th Annual AOSA Conference: Optometry’s Meeting in June 2024.
As the president of the AOA Board of Trustees, Dr. Reed serves as a member of the Executive Committee, Personnel Committee, and AOA Advocacy Roundtable Committee. He is the liaison trustee to the Federal Relations Committee, Advocacy Committee, the Future Practice Initiative, the American Academy of Optometry, the National Optometric Leadership Conference, the National Association of VA Optometrists, Great Western Council of Optometry, North Central States Optometric Council, East/West Eye Conference, Southern Council of Optometrists and Universidad InterAmericana. He also serves as the liaison trustee to affiliate associations in Kentucky, Alaska, Hawaii, Florida, Washington, D.C., and Wyoming. Additionally, he is the liaison trustee to optometry schools including Southern College of Optometry.
Dr. Reed is a past president of the Mississippi Optometric Association (MOA) and the Southwest Optometric Society. In his role with the MOA, he served as chair of the LongRange Planning Committee, Optometry for Progress PAC, the Legislative Committee, the Assistance to Graduates and Undergraduates Committee and the Nominations Committee. He also served as Mississippi’s Trustee for SECO International.
A 1995 graduate of Southern College of Optometry, Dr. Reed was the 2010 and 2016 recipient of the MOA James P. Brownlee Optometrist of the Year Award. He served as Chair of the SCO Board of Trustees during 2015-2016.
In Mississippi, Dr. Reed owns and operates private practices in Magee, Collins and Prentiss and is co-owner of practices in Clinton, Flowood, Forest and Vicksburg.
REUNION CLASS
The Class of 1975 celebrated with a Redbirds game on Sunday evening and a dinner the evening before they were honored at commencement.
LEGACY GRADUATES
Greg Blahnik, OD ’90, KATIE BLAHNIK, and Suzette Blahnik, OD ’91
James Ivanoski, OD, and LAUREN IVANOSKI
Troy Crist, OD, and CHANDLER CRIST Glynn Griffon, OD ’67, and grandson TYLER FISHER
Scott Shettle, OD, and LOGAN
SHETTLE DANIELLE STASNEY and Kraig Stasney, OD ’95
Traci Friedman, OD, and MCKENZIE FRIEDMAN
Christa Sullins, OD, TIM SULLINS, and Trey Sullins, OD
David Holliman, OD, BRANDON HOLLIMAN, and Melissa Holliman, OD ’99
Joseph Werner, OD, ADAM WERNER, and Annette Werner, OD
We’re pleased to introduce the Class of 2025, along with their home state and academic honors.
Over the past four years, this year’s graduates worked with The Hayes Center for Practice Excellence to explore placement opportunities.
Alumni are invited to post practice opportunities on our site, Optometry’s Practice Connection at sco.edu/opc.
Devin Coleman WISCONSIN
Mallory Cook KENTUCKY MAGNA CUM LAUDE
Cameron Copeland SOUTH CAROLINA
Keely Cox MISSISSIPPI
Chandler Crist KENTUCKY
Annie Gremillion LOUISIANA
Aaron Grosman TENNESSEE
Chase Hahn TENNESSEE MAGNA CUM LAUDE
Bryanna Hall OHIO SUMMA CUM LAUDE
Jaden Hansen MISSISSIPPI
Jeffna Elavumkal ILLINOIS
Char Fae FLORIDA
Natalie Fick PENNSYLVANIA SUMMA CUM LAUDE
Tyler Fisher ARKANSAS
Heather Frank FLORIDA
Heather Adams MARYLAND SUMMA CUM LAUDE
Brianna Aheimer TEXAS SUMMA CUM LAUDE
Josh Aldridge ALABAMA CUM LAUDE
Hanna Badger WASHINGTON MAGNA CUM LAUDE
Gabriel Beck VIRGINIA
TO THE COMMENCEMENT CLASS OF
Jessica Cummings
Kendra Davidson
Kendyl Dewey
Nabila Dewey
Distin
Mailynh Doan
Jessica Dye
Jewel Eck
Sharleen He
Brannon Herring
Lea Heuer
Kate Hickman
Jake Hirth
Brandon Holliman
Trevor Hollinsworth
Nathan Hurst MISSOURI
Ashley Frenette
Gabrielle Gibbon
Meggan Gleneski
Vincent Goodman
Amanda Gorr
Leah Grant
Elizabeth Beers
Katie Blahnik
Samantha Blondin
Austin Boice
Eryn Brown
JoAnndria Brown MISSISSIPPI
Leah Camel LOUISIANA
Calista Chastain
Kammy
Deema Mansour
Hannah Marek
Kayli Standridge
Danielle Stasney
Arya Newberry
Rachel Peebles
A recording from the ceremony, along with more than 1,000 free, high resolution photos, may be viewed or downloaded from SCO’s website.
Jenna Kokkat ILLINOIS
Rachel Korver IOWA
Madhurima Kota OHIO
Savannah Krall MICHIGAN
MAGNA CUM LAUDE
Annika Lessard CALIFORNIA MAGNA CUM LAUDE
Sean McEntee
NORTH CAROLINA MAGNA CUM LAUDE
Alexis Mears MARYLAND MAGNA CUM LAUDE
Kaitlin Medlin MISSISSIPPI
Saniya Merchant ILLINOIS MAGNA CUM LAUDE
Racheal Moua SOUTH CAROLINA
Arsany Saman TENNESSEE
Madelyn Scheibe WISCONSIN
Joy Schnoebelen IOWA
Ansley Schuepbach
GEORGIA
SUMMA CUM LAUDE
Tanner Semones
SOUTH CAROLINA SUMMA CUM LAUDE
Meredith Steczkowski
CUM LAUDE
Timothy Sullins TENNESSEE
Marissa Thornton GEORGIA
Kristen Trainer
Calista Trenerry
Soham Phatak
NORTH CAROLINA
MAGNA CUM LAUDE
Anita Prasad GEORGIA
Spencer Pritchard GEORGIA
Amanda Raffa
MASSACHUSETTS
MAGNA CUM LAUDE
Edith RamirezVazquez SOUTH CAROLINA
Mason Wilcox MISSOURI
SUMMA CUM LAUDE
Dane Wilson OHIO
Maria Witcher INDIANA MAGNA CUM LAUDE
Connor Young
CLASS OF 2025 SENIOR AWARDS
Excellence In Academic Achievement
NATIONAL BOARD OF EXAMINERS PART I AWARD
Exellence In Adult Primary Care
SOUTHERN COUNCIL OF OPTOMETRISTS CLINICAL EXCELLENCE AWARD
Excellence In Contact Lens
BAUSCH & LOMB ENDOWED SCHOLARSHIP
COOPER VISION LEADERSHIP AWARD
Friedman
Excellence In Clinical Achievement
DR. ROBERT AND EVELYN HENRY OUTSTANDING CLINICIAN AWARD
Excellence In Ethics
DR. RICHARD L. HOPPING ENDOWED ETHICS AWARD
Excellence In Low Vision Rehabilitation
DR. DEBORAH MOY THEIA VT/LOW VISION AWARD
Excellence In Pediatrics and Vision Therapy
ALICIA A. GROCE SCHOLARSHIP IN NEURO-REHABILITATION
GLEN T. STEELE, OD AND L. ALLEN FORS, OD DEVELOPMENTAL VISION ENDOWED SCHOLARSHIP
THE SOUTHEAST VT FORUM SCHOLARSHIP IN MEMORY OF DR. SAM
Carolina Slater Maria Witcher
Kendra Davidson
Madhurima Kota
Amy Overland
HORNER, JR.
Elizabeth Beers
Mason Wilcox
McKenzie
Natalie Fick
Gabrielle Gibbon
Lea Heuer
Ben Lowis
Claire Vinson
Bryanna Hall
Austin Boice
Kristen Trainer
Brianna Aheimer
The following graduates were recognized during the Commencement ceremony for their outstanding academic and clinical accomplishments. Thanks to the generosity of our alumni and friends, these graduates received awards, plaques, and optometric equipment to honor their achievements.
Excellence In Student Research
BURNETT ENDOWED AWARD FOR STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT IN RESEARCH
For Commitment of Service to the Profession of Optometry and the Community at Large CLASS OF 1967 ENDOWED SCHOLARSHIP
SPARROW, EVANS, WAYMON ENDOWED SCHOLARSHIP
To Honor a Graduate’s Commitment to Pursuing Private Practice Optometry
EDELSTEIN ENDOWED SCHOLARSHIP
GRT SUMMIT PRIVATE PRACTICE AWARD
DR. FRED H. MOTHERSHED ENDOWED SCHOLARSHIP
HALPERN FAMILY ENDOWED AWARD
OD
YOUR SUPPORT MAKES A TREMENDOUS IMPACT ON OUR MISSION. IT’S EASIER THAN EVER TO MAKE A GIFT TO SCO ON OUR WEBSITE AT SCO.EDU/GIVE OR BY USING THIS QR CODE ON YOUR SMARTPHONE. GIFTS MAY ALSO BE MAILED VIA CHECKS TO:
INSTITUTIONAL ADVANCEMENT 1245 MADISON AVENUE MEMPHIS, TN 38104 ON BEHALF OF OUR STUDENTS, THANK YOU FOR YOUR GENEROSITY AND SUPPORT!
Brianna Aheimer Raphael Sahayaraj
Kyle Garner
Eryn Brown
Mallory Cook
Katherine Petrinjak
Sharleen He
DR. JAMES HERTZOG ARKANSAS AWARD
Eryn Brown
Noah Linhart
KEVIN ROGERS,
’08 PRACTICE MANAGEMENT AWARD
Jessica Cummings
WINSTON FAMILY ENDOWED AWARD
Grace Owens
FROM POLICY INTERESTS TO PROFESSIONAL IMPACT, AMY PUERTO, OD ’15, FOUND HER SPRINGBOARD AT SCO.
Optometry opens doors for making a difference
AMY PUERTO, OD ’15, wasn’t sure the direction her career would lead, but she knew it wouldn’t follow a traditional path.
Despite a strong interest in government and politics — including congressional internship experience — Dr. Puerto didn’t want to go to law school or work on Capitol Hill. She also didn’t plan to follow her parents into healthcare. But when a Google search listed optometry as a top career choice, Dr. Puerto’s interest was piqued. She shadowed her hometown optometrist, Joshua Nichols, OD, in Somerset, Kentucky, and another optometrist, Fiona Boak, OD, in Louisville. “I saw how well optometrists were able to be involved in their community and make an impact, which are the key things I wanted to do,” Dr. Puerto says. “It was the impact that mattered to me. That’s what led me into optometry.”
This all transpired before Dr. Puerto learned that optometry was a legislated profession — one would unite her goal of impact with her longtime interest in policy. That realization came when she interviewed at SCO and Mike Robertson, the now-retired Senior Director of Admissions and Student Services, suggested she tell interviewer Glen Steele, OD ’69, about her policy prowess. “That was the first time I heard that terminology, ‘a legislated profession,’” Dr. Puerto says.
She later received a personal phone call from Joe Ellis, OD ’86, then president of the American Optometric Association (AOA), encouraging her to attend SCO. “They basically had the top doctor in the nation reach out to me and say, ‘You have the skill set we want for
this profession,’” Dr. Puerto recalls. “That helped me feel welcomed at SCO, where faculty know their students and their passions and help meld them into an amazing career.”
In the decade since her SCO graduation, Dr. Puerto has steadily built her reputation as an optometric advocate. She was Louisiana’s Young Optometrist of the Year in 2022, then received the same honor on the national level the following year. In 2025, Dr. Puerto was named the 2025 Optometry Association of Louisiana’s Optometrist of the Year.
Now Dr. Puerto is running for the AOA Board of Trustees. “SCO really was that springboard for me,” she says. “They made it a priority for students to recognize how important it is to advocate for your profession.”
BUILDING A FOUNDATION FOR OPTOMETRIC LEADERSHIP
At SCO, Dr. Puerto served as class president all four years, working as an intermediary between students and professors. She was also a trustee of the American Optometric Student Association, representing SCO’s student body on the national level. “Having that national megaphone and collaborating with the other 20-plus schools of optometry was huge,” she says. Dr. Puerto says she enjoyed working closely with SCO’s senior-level administrators, including President Lewis Reich, OD, PhD.
During her time at SCO, Dr. Puerto was an extern at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center under the guidance of preceptor Kenney H. Wells, OD ’96, deputy commander of U.S. Army Institute of Surgical Research (pictured with Dr. Puerto)
“I was working with our servicemen and women who had come back from service, oftentimes in distressing states, to solve some of their issues
through visual aids,” Dr. Puerto says. “I gained skills in traumatic brain injury (TBI) and mild TBI concussion syndrome from that experience and use them to this day, whether in using prisms or special tints for neurological issues.”
Dr. Puerto completed her residency at Bond Wroten Eye Clinic in Louisiana, a practice owned by Christopher Wroten, OD ’02. When the clinic experienced an historic flood, the nearby practice Louisiana Family Eyecare, co-owned by husbandand-wife team Jeff Anastasio, OD ’01, and Shelly Anastasio, OD ’02, opened its doors. Dr. Puerto began seeing patients there weekly, slowly becoming acquainted with the practice she would join in 2016. “Their office was very similar to my residency office,” Dr. Puerto says. “I knew I’d be entering into an office that would meet the fullscope, contemporary optometry needs that I had completed as a resident.”
Louisiana Family Eyecare started an SCO-affiliated residency program in 2020 and has since hosted four residents. “One of the highlights of our program is the focus on surgical skills,” Dr. Puerto says. “We refine those skills, so doctors can go anywhere and advocate for the profession using those same skills.”
Though Dr. Puerto knew she had an impact on the patients she treated daily, she remained eager to
advocate on a larger scale. From 2023 to 2024, Dr. Puerto served as president of the Optometry Association of Louisiana, using her term to bolster the association’s presence at the state capital.
“Some legislative issues came up that were, to some degree, anti-optometry association,” she says. “Through my testimony, we flipped the legislators and created real champions and friends.”
Dr. Puerto also worked to establish a framework for succession management in the state association.
“My proudest achievement is that we have a funnel of leaders ready to go for the next decade,” she says. “People are chomping at the bit to take on leadership roles.”
Next on Dr. Puerto’s agenda: her run for the AOA Board of Trustees. She’s eager to be a fresh voice in the association’s advocacy efforts to ensure optometrists across the country have their voices heard. “The issues that doctors are facing right now — whether they’ve been in practice a year, 10 years, 30 years — are changing rapidly,” she says. “Many of the doctors have had long careers in the profession. I’m just a decade out. I think that perspective is important.”
The vote will be held at Optometry’s Meeting in June. “I don’t know what the future holds,” Dr. Puerto says, “but I know optometry allows many doors to open.”
During her spring externship rotation, Leslie Ibarra, OD ’25 (pictured at far right) joined Dr. Puerto as they promoted vision awareness with visiting Girl Scouts.
ALEX BELL OD ’09, with wife Lauren, and their children, Rooney, Grey, Olivia, and Marshall, who passed away in November of 2024.
Leading Arkansas optometrists through triumph and tragedy
ALEX BELL ,
OD
’09, ON LEGISLATIVE VICTORY AND PERSONAL LOSS
For Dr. Bell, his year as president of the Arkansas Optometric Association was one of exciting professional highs — and one devastating personal low.
During the 12 months, from April 2024 to April 2025, that Dr. Bell led his state’s association for doctors of optometry, the group lobbied for, and won, comprehensive vision benefit manager reform legislation. In his last weeks as president, Dr. Bell was named 2025 Arkansas Optometrist of the Year.
But in November 2024, about halfway through his presidency, Dr. Bell’s 8-year-old daughter, Marshall, died from complications of a rare neurodegenerative form of epilepsy.
As Dr. Bell’s term ended, he considered both his professional and personal future while reflecting on the past year.
A VERY SUCCESSFUL PRESIDENTIAL TERM
Dr. Bell’s inaugural order of business as president of the Arkansas Optometric Association: hiring the first new executive director in 17 years after beloved longtime director Vicki Farmer (and a SCO Board member) left for a position with the American Optometric Association. “The pressure was on immediately,” Dr. Bell says.
He led the search committee with the help of firm Occhio Search, which vetted over 90 resumes and held 30 interviews, to hire the association’s new executive director, Matt Burns, in the spring. “That was the start of a very successful presidential term,” Dr. Bell says.
The association’s focus immediately turned to its legislative agenda. After Arkansas passed scope of practice expansion in 2019, optometrists in the state were motivated to follow the examples set by Texas and Oklahoma in curbing vision plan abuses. “This was the next big challenge to advance and protect optometry in Arkansas,” Dr. Bell says.
With the help of the AOA, Dr. Bell and his association colleagues, Matthew Jones, OD ’09, and Joe Sugg, OD ’09, drafted legislation to prohibit vision plans from steering patients toward specific providers and establishments. The measure was intended to protect small optometric practices when large conglomerate vision benefit managers were buying up doctor group practices, frame companies, and labs.
“They’re literally owning the entire vertical chain,” Dr. Bell says. “They could steer patients away from my private practice to whatever chain they owned. It’s a very dangerous place for independent practices.”
The legislation also boosted reimbursement rates, which, Dr. Bell says, had stagnated for more than 20 years. “My five-doctor small business had zero leverage to negotiate with these billion-dollar companies,” he says. “When we told legislators what was happening in our world they understood very quickly.”
During several months of whirlwind advocacy, Matt Burns led the charge, supported by Drs. Jones and Sugg, whose legislative experience ensured seamless communication and coordination of lobbying efforts. The Arkansas association also enlisted its members in a grassroots effort to concisely communicate its message to legislators. “Relationships matter,” Dr. Bell says. “We had docs who would tell legislators, ‘This is what I’m up against. I can’t take certain vision plans in the community because the reimbursement is not enough to pay my team.’”
Those relationships had been built over years — and generations — in Arkansas, Dr. Bell says. “We’ve always had a robust historical understanding that we have to preserve and protect optometry,” he says. “We have to know our legislators because it is a legislated profession. You can’t just show up at the capitol. It takes years of preparation.”
The legislation passed with strong bipartisan support. It was signed into law in February and goes into effect in August. “It really resonated in our profession,” Dr. Bell says. “It was a big deal nationally.”
FINDING BALANCE AFTER LOSS
Dr. Bell is the son of Randy Bell, OD ’83, who retired from BoozmanHof Eye Care in Rogers, Arkansas, the practice founded by U.S. Sen. John Boozman, OD ’77. Dr. Bell recalls watching his father treat patients in the clinic. “He was highly trusted, a pillar of the community,” Dr. Bell says. “For me, it was easy to see that optometry would be a pretty great way to make a living. That’s why I followed in his footsteps.”
After graduating from SCO — Drs. John Mark Jackson (’99) and James Newman (’73) were among his favorite professors — Dr. Bell joined Parenti-Morris Eyecare in northwest Arkansas. “I could immediately see how much they loved optometry,” he says, “and the value they brought to their patients.”
Dr. Bell, who practices primary care with an interest in glaucoma, says Arkansas’ scope of practice legislation has enabled him to provide more advanced treatment. “How do we continually improve our patients’ experience?” he says. “That’s what keeps us on our toes.” Now that his presidential term has ended, Dr. Bell says he’s excited to make a push at the practice level to continue innovating.
Dr. Bell is also committed to focusing on his family as they continue to grieve Marshall together. A healthy newborn, Marshall was diagnosed at age 2. By then, she had already lost the ability to speak, walk, and eat without assistance, though she maintained her sweet countenance, Dr. Bell says.
The next few years are a pivotal time for Dr. Bell, his wife Lauren, and their three children, ages 7, 11, and 12, as they come into their own and look ahead to high school and college. “I’m pouring time and attention into being the best doctor I can be,” he says, “but, more importantly, being the best dad I can be during this difficult time and before they’re gone and I’m a smaller voice in their world.”
Dr. Bell is pictured with colleagues, including his 2009 classmates, Drs. Matt Jones and Joe Sugg, on hand to witness Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee sign HB 1353 into law to address vision plan reforms.
CARRIE LEBOWITZ, OD ’06, GUIDES THE NEXT GENERATION OF SCO OPTOMETRISTS.
ALUMNI FOCUS
Champion
On paper, the role of SCO’s director of academic support services is to assist students facing academic struggles. The reality of the job, says CARRIE LEBOWITZ, OD ’06, is a bit more nuanced.
“Our students are such high achievers that I spend as much time with students upset about getting a B as I do with students upset about getting a D,” she says. “Especially in that first year, it’s about coaching them through the realization that they are still the same person who made a B as they were when they were making As.”
Students face a challenging adjustment period as they grapple with the increased expectations and packed schedule of optometry school, Dr. Lebowitz says. “The analogy is trying to drink from a fire hydrant,” she says. “There’s just so much information coming at them. There’s more that you need to do than you will have time for. That is the universal challenge.”
That’s why it’s more important than ever for SCO to equip students with the skills they need to succeed, whether it’s confidence to make a difficult phone call or study strategies that will serve them at exam time, Dr. Lebowitz says. “The learning curve is so steep that if we did not invest in significant support in that first year, we could easily lose students that have the potential to be amazing doctors,” she says.
“Often, those people who struggle turn out to be the most empathetic, effective doctors of us all.”
FROM AN ELEMENTARY CLASSROOM TO OPTOMETRY SCHOOL
Dr. Lebowitz took a circuitous route to optometry — and to SCO. A native of Little Rock, Arkansas, she first came to vision science as an undergraduate at Rhodes College in Memphis studying perceptual psychology, which is the field of human perception.
of struggling students
“Most of what we perceive is through our vision, our eyesight,” she says.
She pursued a career as an elementary school teacher, and for four years she loved her time in the classroom. But the job wasn’t the right fit longterm and two friends, including Eric Brown, OD ’00, a college pal enrolled at SCO, offered a solution. They staged an “intervention,” Dr. Lebowitz says, and persuaded her to attend optometry school. “All of a sudden,” she says, “I found myself at SCO.”
As a career changer who was married and had built a life in Memphis, Dr. Lebowitz had different circumstances than most of her SCO classmates. Still, she became a class representative and forged close bonds. “I would not have made it through school without the support of my classmates,” Dr. Lebowitz says. “I struggled academically as an SCO student, and understand when our current students do, too.”
Becoming pregnant with her first child during her second year was particularly rocky. Dr. Lebowitz experienced typical pregnancy symptoms of fatigue and brain fog — and she couldn’t offer her classmates her eyes during dilation practice. But her peers were quick to offer support. “My SCO friends shared notes, forced me to study pharm, encouraged me, and practiced with me when it
“SCO is constantly in a state of improvement for the sincere motivation of what is best for our students… every single person wants our students to experience success. ”
was inconvenient for them,” she says. “I see this type of selfless support every day in our current students.” Dr. Lebowitz’s son, Zachary, was born between her second and third final exams.
After graduation and a one-year primary care residency at a Veterans Affairs hospital in Memphis, Dr. Lebowitz was hired as faculty at SCO in 2007. She gave birth to her second son, Sam, a year later.
EMPOWERING STUDENTS TO ‘CONSTANTLY IMPROVE’
At SCO, Dr. Lebowitz teaches Optometric
Theory and Methods I and II to first-year students. The courses begin with the basics, such as the anatomy of a pupil, and end with students analyzing cases, making diagnoses, and creating treatment plans. “It’s so fascinating to have access to students during their first year because it is an extreme time of growth,” she says. “It’s amazing to witness how far they’ve come.”
Dr. Lebowitz, who added the academic support services role in 2013, says SCO alumni should have no worries about the next generation of optometrists. “These students care just as much as we did,” she says. “They just seem to constantly improve.”
With the help of her new administrative assistant, Dr. Lebowitz is crafting self-guided study strategies to share with students to make her expertise more accessible. It’s just one example of the ways the college is consistently progressing.
“SCO is constantly in a state of improvement for the sincere motivation of what is best for our students,” she says. “SCO is a fantastic place to work because of the collaborative and driven community. Every single person wants our students to experience success.”
NORA LEE COTHRAN, OD ’13, COMBINES A MILITARY BACKGROUND WITH OPTOMETRY TO TAKE HER CAREER IN NEW DIRECTIONS
“ SCO laid the foundation for us … it shaped the trajectory of our careers. ”
In December, NORA LEE COTHRAN, OD ’13, participated in what was perhaps the most influential endeavor in her optometric career so far: She served as the only doctor panelist for the Ocular Laboratory for Analysis of Biomarkers (OCULAB) Proposer’s Day in Tampa, Florida.
OCULAB is an initiative by the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health, which is within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, to create a puncta-based biomarker sensory system to continuously monitor biological molecules in tears. The initial focus for the system is dry eye disease,
From intelligence officer to eye care innovator
which affects some 20 million Americans.
On Proposer’s Day, before an audience of scientists, engineers, and industry experts who were considering submitting proposals to develop the system, Dr. Cothran emphasized the significant burden dry eye disease places on patients, particularly women and those with autoimmune conditions. She shared examples from her own practice, the Eye Institute of West Florida, to illustrate how the OCULAB technology could revolutionize treatment approaches.
“I was proud to be a voice, not only for the optometric and ophthalmological community,” she says, “but for the patients who entrust us with their care.”
OCULAB proposals are expected to be chosen in the summer of 2025.
INSPIRED BY AN SCO ALUM AND MENTOR
Dr. Cothran’s background — a combination of military work and optometry expertise — made her particularly well-suited for the OCULAB role.
Dr. Cothran grew up in East Tennessee, where her father retired after serving in the U.S. Air Force. A first-generation college graduate, Dr. Cothran earned a bachelor’s in biology from the University of Michigan before being commissioned into the military on an intelligence track. She served as an intelligence officer in the Air Force and an analyst for the Department of Defense. She left the military in her late 20s to pursue a career in optometry, inspired by her family friend, childhood optometrist, and mentor Jeff Foster, OD ’81. “With optometry, you have so much flexibility to find a space where you can care for patients and you can be fulfilled,” she says. “Here is a profession that has so many options and facets within it.”
Dr. Foster, who was instrumental in scope of practice expansion in Tennessee and was named the Optometrist of the Decade by the state optometric association in 2014, encouraged Dr. Cothran to attend SCO.
At SCO, Dr. Cothran spearheaded the effort to write the Honor Code Statement that is signed by students when they receive their
white coats: “Members of the Southern College of Optometry community hold themselves and those around them to the highest professional standards. Individuals at Southern College of Optometry will not lie, cheat or steal nor tolerate those actions in others.”
“I had an honor code when I was in the military,” Dr. Cothran says. “SCO had never had one before. It’s an initial way for a class to bond.”
Dr. Cothran took Student Volunteer Optometric Services to Humanity (SVOSH) trips all four of her years at SCO, traveling to Mexico, Honduras, Jamaica, and Belarus to provide eye care. She calls the Class of 2013 “a family within a family,” and notes that their 10-year class reunion was the school’s largest ever. “SCO laid the foundation for us,” she says. “It shaped the trajectory of our careers.”
Today, Dr. Cothran specializes in medical glaucoma and neurological eye disease in her practice at a multispeciality and secondary tertiary care center. She’s an active member of the American Optometric Association and the Pinellas Optometric Association, a local group within the Florida Optometric Association.
After Dr. Foster died from COVID-19 in August 2020, Dr. Cothran became a member of the President’s Circle at SCO. “He always gave back to the school and always supported the legislative component of our profession,” she says. “He’s living on through me.”
She makes her donation every year on August 28, the date of Dr. Foster’s death.
Jeff Foster, OD ’81, and Dr. Cothran
SCO is proud to recognize the many alumni who supported the college through scholarship, clinic care, research and unrestricted dollars.
The generosity of SCO’s graduates allows the college to continue its mission to educate the best possible healthcare providers entering the profession of optometry.
Edwin F. Adams, III, OD ’76 and Ann Adams
Stephen P. Akre, OD ’75 and Debbie Akre
Dena Amerine-Harris, OD ’84 and Rusty Harris
Allan L. Barker, OD ’75 and Susan Barker
Rick D. Bartlett, OD ’81
Ronald D. Blum, OD ’72 and Kay Blum
Norma K. Bowyer, OD ’77
James Judson Briggs, OD and Tamara M. Briggs
Crystal M. Brimer, OD ’00
Charlene Burnett, OD ’83
T. Joel Byars, OD ’63 and Helen Byars
Charles A. Callaway, OD ’83 and Regena Callaway
J. Bart Campbell, OD ’87 and Dawn Campbell
Wayne M. Cannon, OD ’62
Stanley H. Cate, OD ’87 and Laura Cate
Camile L. Chiasson, OD ’81
Christopher Chivetta
Michael Christensen, OD
Jade Coats, OD ’16 and Jeffrey Coats, OD ’14
William E. Cochran, OD ’68 and Carolyn Cochran
Cherry B. Cockrell, OD ’81 and David A. Cockrell, OD ’81
Steven L. Compton, OD ’78 and Jane Compton
Christine Cook, OD ’98
Mark J. Cook, OD ’78
James V. Cornetta, OD ’81
Nora L. Cothran, OD ’13
Gary G. Crook, OD ’72 and Katherine Crook
Arthur R. Dampier, OD ’97 and Joiiya Dampier
Anita A. Davis, PhD and Stacy Hopwood
Keydron D. DeRosa, OD ’75
Stanley M. Dickerson, OD ’76 and Patricia Dickerson
THE PRESIDENT’S CIRCLE RECOGNIZES DONORS WHO GIVE $1,000 OR MORE EACH CALENDAR YEAR, FOR ANY PURPOSE.
Michael T. Dorkowski, OD ’04 and Forest Dorkowski
Patricia Douglas
Tommy J. Ducklo, OD ’78 and Beth Ducklo
Erica Durlacher, OD ’16 and Zachary Curry
Richard D. Durocher, OD ’96
Bonny Lou Eads, OD ’69
Stephen P. Edwards, OD ’87
Gerald A. Eisenstatt, OD ’84
Meghan Elkins, OD ’10
Scott Ensor, OD ’01 and Lisa Ensor
Brian Eveland, OD ’99
Fred Farias, III, OD ’87
Dennis and Vicki Farmer
Patricia Flippin Westfall, OD ’99
Daniel G. Fuller, OD
John A. Gazaway, OD ’67 and Suzanne Gazaway
Charles G. Glaser, OD ’74 and Cathy Glaser
Glenn I. Goldring, OD ’78 and Jamie Goldring
Martha S. Gore, OD ’89
Pinakin Gunvant Davey, PhD, OD ’10
Richard D. Gurley, OD ’80 and Nancy Gurley
Tonyatta T. Hairston, OD ’01
Gene A. Harman, OD ’72
Betty J. Harville Brown, OD and Irvin Brown
Joseph H. Hauser
Cynthia Heard, OD and Walter Clark
Erick Henderson, OD ’17 and Erin A. Keim, OD ’17
Charity Angela Hertzog, OD ’06 and James Mark Hertzog, OD ’06
Darion M. Horner, OD ’20 and Karina Horner
Scott T. Hussey, OD ’03
Jennifer Jabaley, OD ’99 and S. Christopher Jabaley, OD ’99
John Mark Jackson, OD ’99, MS
Harold L. Jennings, OD ’64
Jolynn and Kenneth Johnson
Jarrett A. Johnson, OD ’90 and Kevin Berger
Matthew Jones, OD ’09 and Allison Jones
Mark R. Kapperman, OD ’87 and Anita Kapperman
Michelle Sellers Kelley and Eric Kelley
Aaron Kerr, OD ’98 and James Hutto
Helen J. King, OD ’83 and Christopher B. King, OD ’83
Holton S. King, Jr., OD ’85 and Becky King
Charles W. Kinnaird OD
James K. Kirchner, OD and Dee Kirchner
Terry L. Kirkland, OD ’94 and Cynthia Kirkland
Mark and Tracy Lindow
Gregory D. Loose, OD ’06
Jennifer E. Lyerly, OD ’11 and Mark Chen
Ronaldo P. Martin, Jr., OD ’81
Stacey J. Meier, OD ’84 and Sandi Meier
Cheryl E. Mengelt, OD
Allyson P. Mertins, OD ’97
George and Rachel Miller
David H. Mills, OD ’78 and Cathy Mills
Nicole Y. Monroe, OD ’99
Harold E. Morrill, Jr., OD ’75
Martha Rosemore Morrow, OD ’74 and Johnny Morrow
Sharon Berger Moscow, OD ’80 and Billy S. Moscow, OD ’78
Fred Mothershed, OD ‘75 and Balinda Mothershed
Deborah L. Moy, OD ’84 and Charles Moy
Brian Naig, OD ’10
Kenneth M. Nash, OD ’74
David Olive, OD ’99
Morgan Ollinger, OD
Richard C. Orgain, OD ’77
Brady M. Palmer, OD ’01
Janette D. Pepper, OD
Francis L. Pinard, OD ’87 and Mary R. Pinard
Geoffrey Ryan H. Powell, OD ’02 and Amy Powell
Daniel R. Powell, OD
Amy A. Puerto, OD ’15
Dr. and Mrs. Mohammad Rafieetary
Malika R. Rajendra, OD ’12
Rod L. Rallo, OD ’80
Tracy Powell Ray, OD ’87 and Shawn Ray
Steven T. Reed, OD ’95 and Kendra Reed
J. Martin Regan, Jr.
Lewis Reich, OD, PhD and Diane Reich
Felicia Rinken, OD ’10
LeRoy W. Robinson, III, OD ’11
Kevin A. Rogers, OD ’08
Mark D. Ross, OD ’92
Michael S. Rothschild, OD ’97 and Christy Rothschild
Gregory C. Russell, OD ’97
Mehrdad E. Saadat, OD ’05
James D. Sandefur, OD ’65 and Lana Sandefur
Dave and Denise Sattler
Richard Savoy, OD
Robert H. Scaife, OD ’00
Mark E. Schaeffer, OD ’11
Keith A. Schrunk, OD ’03 and Angie Schrunk
Lynn T. Shaw, Sr. and Lisa Shaw
Gary C. Simpson, OD ’64 and Gloria Simpson
Emily J. Sprague, OD ’04
Belinda R. Starkey, OD ’04 and Clay Starkey
Kurt T. Steele, OD ’95 and Sacha Steele
Audra D. Steiner, OD, FCOVD ’00
Sandra Stephens
Jerome Sude, OD ’72
Dean Swick
Robert R. Szeliga, OD ’05 and Amy Szeliga
Marc Taub, OD, MS
Charles E. Thomas, OD ’84 and Sharon Thomas
Sharon Holden Thomas, OD ’83 and Stuart J. Thomas, OD ’84
Lisa M. Traunero, OD ’07
James E. Venable, OD ’89
Christina Vranich Miller, OD ’09
Lisa Rossmeyer Wade, OD ’84 and Martin Wade
Tom Watkins, OD ’90
David J. Wayland, OD ’97
David and Susan West
Keith E. Whaley, OD ’96
David J. Wichnoski, OD ’96
Barry A. Winston, OD ’74 and Annette Winston
David L. Wolf, OD, PA ’68 and Lisa Wolf
Amanda A. Wood, OD ’02 and Jarod R. Wood, OD ’02
Chris W. Wroten, OD ’02 and Sarah F. Wroten, OD ’03
J. Alan Yates, OD ’94
Bruce G. Young, OD ’74 and Ruth Ann Young
For more information or to join the President’s Circle, please contact Kelsey Wolf at 901-722-3284 or email kwolf@sco.edu.
2025AWARDS
The Hayes Center for Practice Excellence presented the prestigious Practice of Excellence Awards to three outstanding young SCO alumni in recognition of their pursuit of excellence in private practice optometry.
CONGRATULATIONS TO THIS YEAR’S AWARD RECIPIENTS:
1 3 2
ANNEDREA MORREALE, OD ’19, received the NEW PRACTICE AWARD for Franklin Vision Care in Franklin, TN.
AMANDA SMITH, OD ’18 , received the PRACTICE ACQUISITION AWARD for Envision Eyecare and Eyewear in Lawrenceburg, TN.
JORDAN HAMRIC, OD ’17, received the PARTNERSHIP AWARD for Spectrum Optical in Morgantown, WV.
Representing the Hayes Family Foundation, Nathan Hayes and Natalie Hayes Schmook, children of Jerry Hayes, OD ’73, presented the awards to this year’s honorees.
Drs. Morreale, Smith, and Hamric also spoke to SCO’s third-year students as part of the annual Bon VoyEyes program, which helps students prepare for their fourthyear externships.
Thank you to CooperVision, VSP, and Johnson & Johnson Vision for sponsoring the program, and to our distinguished guest speakers for their time and participation.
To learn more about the services that Hayes Center provides to SCO graduates, email Mike McKeever at mmckeever@sco.edu or visit Optometry’s Practice Connection placement service at sco.edu/opc
Lisa Wade, OD ’84, Nathan Hayes, Jordan Hamric, OD ’17, Natalie Hayes Schmook
Natalie Hayes Schmook, Nathan Hayes, Amanda Smith, OD ’18, and Lisa Wade, OD ’84
Natalie Hayes Schmook, Nathan Hayes, Annedrea Morreale, OD ’19, and Lisa Wade, OD ’84
Congratulations to SCO alumni who were honored at the annual SECO meeting earlier this year in Atlanta, including: MARK ROY, OD ’02 (OD of the South), EMILY EISENHOWER-BAXTER, OD ’17 (Young OD of the South), JON SHREWSBURY, OD ’81 (President’s Award), PAIGE BUSH, OD ’97 (Distinguished Service Award), and JIM SANDEFUR, OD ’65 (Lifetime Achievement Award).
1 Joe Hauser and Adam Ramsey, OD ’12
2 Lewis Reich, OD, PhD, and Emily Sprague, OD ‘04
3 Russ Webster, OD ’05, Alvin Ginier, OD ’05, Rob Szeliga, OD ’05
4 George Miller and Anna Britt, OD ’23
5 Lewis Reich, OD, PhD, Jim Sandefur, OD ’65, and Steven Reed, OD ’95
6 Scott Ensor, OD ’01, and Emily Eisenhower-Baxter, OD ’17
7 Horace Deal, OD ’97, and Meghan Elkins, OD ‘10
8 Al’Tiana Manning, OD ’20, and Lauren Trowbridge
9 Adam Young, OD ’14, and Brian Knight, OD ’14
10 Blake Rust, OD ’11, Jimmy Murphy, OD ’11
11 Ben Mize, OD ’93, and Christie Mize, OD ’94
12 Len Brown, OD ’74, Nikole Chiasson, and Darby Chiasson, OD ’99
13 Scott Moscow, OD ’13, and Beth Fisher
14 Andrea Thau, OD, and Martha Rosemore Morrow, OD ’74
1968 SCO President Emeritus Billy Cochran, OD, recently visited campus to sign copies of his book about 100 years of Mississippi optometry history. Pictured receiving one of the books is Luke Parker, ’28, son of David Parker, OD ’95.
1975 Kenny Hubbard, OD, received the Lifetime of Excellence Award from the Arkansas Optometric Association.
1976 Isaac Singleton, OD (pictured at right), joined Adam Ramsey, OD ’12, and Jarrett Johnson, OD ’90, in speaking during SCO’s Black History Month observance.
1995 Steven Reed, OD, received recognition from the Mississippi Senate as the first Mississippian elected to lead the American Optometric Association. Mississippi legislators honored Dr. Reed with a Senate Resolution.
1996 Col. Chan Webster, OD, recently assumed a new role as Commander of Public Health Command, West, for the U.S. Army.
2000 Stacie Moore, OD, was honored by the Mississippi Optometric Association with the 2024 James Brownlee OD of the Year Award.
2003 Chris Stansbury, OD, was named the 2025 West Virginia Health Right Volunteer of the Year.
2011 Jessica Dinwiddie, OD, was recently named to the Women in Optometry Professional Advisory Board.
Drs. Crystal (Mirza) Gustin, Lacie Truitt, and Mandy (Mills) Dailey, enjoyed a mini class reunion at the UHCO Cornea and Contact Lens Symposium.
2012 Adam Ramsey, OD, and Scott Moscow, OD ’13, were named 2025 Visionaries by the Contact Lens Institute.
2013 Anna Ablamowicz Tichenor, OD, PhD, was named the recipient of the 2024 AOA Investigator-Initiated Research Award.
2005 John Cary, OD, has joined Owl Creek Vision Care in Landon, WY.
2007 Jennifer Peek, OD, joined Cookeville Eye Specialists and Laser Center as well as Cumberland Eye Care to provide care for Tennessee patients.
Walter Pang, OD, received the 2024 OD Community Service Award from the Mississippi Optometric Association.
2014 Stephanie Lew Veilleux, OD, was named Young OD of the Year by the California Optometric Association at its recent House of Delegates meeting.
1979 Frederick E. Soto, Jr., OD, retired after 40 years of service to patients in Sarasota, FL.
2009 Matt Jones, OD, and Joe Sugg, OD received the Distinguished Service Award from the Arkansas Optometric Association.
2015 Drew Brown, OD, graduated in May with an MD degree from the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences College of Medicine.
2016 Kirsten McKnight, OD, is pictured with her family at the recent grand opening of Church Health’s newly expanded eye clinic, where she serves as Director.
Jade Coats, OD, was named Young OD of the Year in Arkansas.
2017 Hunter Foutch, OD, and Michelle Chan, OD ’18, were married on January 18 in Antigua, Guatemala. Several classmates were in attendance.
2019 Larissa Krenk, OD, is serving as an Assistant Professor at the Indiana University School of Optometry.
Vanessa Manlove, OD, was recognized by FargoINC. magazine in their 35 Under 35 feature for her dedication to eye care and leadership.
Sarai Williams, OD, was recently named the Kentucky Optometric Association’s Young OD of the Year. She practices at Downey Eye Care in Columbia, KY.
2020 Mary Kate Walters, OD, received the Early Career Alumni Award from Texas A&M.
2021 Lauren Criswell, OD, was named the Platinum Service Awards Optometrist for 2025 by Little Rock Soiree magazine. She provides care at Little Rock Eye Clinic in Little Rock, AR.
2022 Matthew Blaseg, OD, was named the 2025 Young OD of the Year by the South Dakota Optometric Society. He recently became a partner at Central Dakota Eyecare in Pierre, SD.
Gillian Norris, OD, and Zachary Diltz, MD, were married on April 12, 2025.
Lindsey Tillery, OD, and Isaiah Helaire were married on February 27, and promptly headed the next day to the SECO meeting in Atlanta where Dr. Tillery was lecturing.
2024 Tori Pierce, OD, received the Vanguard of the Year Award from the Virginia Optometric Association.
In Memoriam
Mailande Bishop Schrum, OD ‘49
Bert Miller, OD ‘52
Jerry Williams, OD ‘56
Edsel Gardner Arnett, OD ’60
Malvin Mauney, OD ‘60
Leonard Indianer, OD ’62
J. Wayne Morrison, OD ‘64
Norman Rone, OD ‘64
Michael Fisher, OD ‘67
Jerry Padfield, OD ‘67
David Amos, OD ‘68
Gary Dobbs, OD ’70
Keith Eldred, OD ‘72
James Corry, OD ‘74
Curtis Cowell, OD ‘76
Gary J. Woods, OD ‘77
Don Lambert, OD ‘78
Deborah Black-Carpenter, OD ‘85
Mark J. Forster, OD ‘93
Theodore Cooper, OD ‘01
2023 Radhi Daya, OD, married Sagar Patel at the end of May.
hello, i’m new here...
Kristin Wolfe, OD ’23, and husband, Allen: Melody Noelle, December 2024
Landyn Goodwin, ’27 (mom), Ryan Powell, OD ’02 (granddad), Jeff Powell, OD ’72 (great-granddad): Finley Goodwin, March 2025
Diana Tran Spring, OD ’23, and husband, Cody: Jonah Alan, March 2025
Matt Lorson, OD ’19, and Brittany Murrell, OD ’20: Wells, January 2025
Dalton Miller, OD ’18, and wife, Nicole: Max Robert, September 2024
Peyton Glass Richlin, OD ’17, and Bradley Richlin, OD ’17: Claire Isabel, December 2024
Ben Mize, OD ’93, and Christie Mize, OD ’94: grandson Oliver James Chapman, October 2024
Allison Lyerly Bradbury, OD ’13, and Andrew Bradbury, OD ’14: William “Ellis,” with brother Graham, March 2025
Chris Bright, OD ’14, and wife, Sarah: Theodore Alexander, February 2025
Appointments
DO NGUYEN, OD ’12, joined SCO as an Associate Professor. He previously practiced in East Memphis and served as a Consulting Clinical Educator at The Eye Center from 2019-2022.
STEPHANIE JOHNSON, OD ’16, joined SCO as an Assistant Professor. She previously served at Church Health Center and Eyewear Gallery and as a consulting faculty member at The Eye Center.
Faculty Highlights
Marie Bodack, OD, was recognized as Immediate Past President of the Optometric Vision Development and Rehabilitation Association (OVDRA, formerly COVD) at the annual meeting in Texas. She’s pictured with Dr. David Maze, Professor Emeritus Glen Steele (OD ’69), and Dr. Citlalli Rosas Medina, SCO resident.
Marie Bodack, OD, Jason Duncan, OD ’96, Jackie Fiddler, OD (pictured), Michael Gerstner, OD ’97, Elyse Rayborn, OD ’20, and Jennifer Sanderson, OD,
response variability.” Co-author was Laurel Heskett, OD ’23.
Halie Cottrill, OD ’16, and Jim Williamson, OD ’97, authored a CE course about rare causes of red eye for Review Education Group.
were among the lecturers at SCO’s Spring CE Weekend.
Chris Borgman, OD, was co-author for an article about managing Retinitis Pigmentosa published in the December 2024 issue of Modern Optometry
Patricia Cisarik, OD, PhD, presented a poster at the OVDRA meeting entitled, “Pupil size and contrast polarity effects on accommodative
Drs. Dan Fuller and Laurel Kelley, ’18, were joined by resident Ashley Peters, OD (left), with their poster at the Global Specialty Lens Symposium. Dr. Fuller presented research findings with co-author resident D’Ajanee Smallwood. He delivered a workshop on Fitting Multifocal Corneal and Scleral GP Contact Lenses, and also lectured on the topic with copresenter Dr. Susan Gromacki.
Dr. Fuller also received the President’s Award from Dr. Lewis Reich at SCO’s Spring FacultyStaff Appreciation luncheon. Receiving the award on the staff side was optician David Hollis. Years of service were also recognized, including Dr. Lisa Wade (’84) at 30 years, and Drs. Beth Sparrow (’98) and Aaron Kerr (’98) for 25 years.
Carrie Lebowitz, OD ’06, was honored by the SCO Board of Trustees for her service as Faculty Representative. She’s pictured with Dr. Lewis Reich, President.
Chris Lievens, OD, PhD, was lead author on a dry eye-related article published in Current Therapeutic Research Dr. Lievens and Elyse Rayborn, OD ’20, wrote the cover story about the impact of preservatives and glaucoma treatment for the February 2025 issue of Optometry Times He also was a co-author for an article about lid wiper epitheliopathy published in Contact Lens andAnteriorEye
CAMPUS NEWS
David Maze, OD, presented two lectures and participated in a panel discussion on academia, residency training, and professional development at the OVDRA conference.
Cheryl Mengelt, OD, and Jennifer Sanderson, OD, represented SCO at the recent Residency Directors’ Retreat in Fullerton, California.
Christina Newman, OD, threw out the opening pitch for the Memphis Redbirds’ annual Education Day sponsored by SCO. Several faculty members also were on hand to interact with 6,500 schoolchildren.
Morgan Ollinger, OD, received a Master of Science in Biostatistics and Laurel Kelley, OD ’18, a Master of Public Health from the University of Memphis in May.
Amy Perkins, OD ’11, Kris May, OD ’01, Morgan Bromley, PhD, and Chris Lievens, OD, PhD, published an article in Clinical Optometry about contact lenses and digital device users.
Lewis Reich, OD, PhD, President, joined colleagues from other Tennessee colleges during a visit with U.S. Congressman Steve Cohen and other leaders on Capitol Hill.
Morgan Ollinger, OD, Marie Bodack, OD, Elaine Turcotte, and David Maze, OD, represented SCO at the Pediatric Eye Disease Investigator Group meeting in Florida, where they received an award for follow-up in the IXT-7 study (full-time patching for intermittent exotropia).
Dr. Reich also recently participated in a Cross City Exchange program between Memphis and New Orleans hosted by The Kresge Foundation.
Karen Squier, OD, was appointed to the Prevent Blindness Scientific Committee. She also traveled to Ecuador for this year’s SVOSH mission trip and facilitated a visit by Sight Savers America as several children were provided with low vision technology devices.
Glen Steele, OD ’69 (Professor Emeritus), Emily Gibson, ’26, and Drs. Janette Pepper, Cynthia Heard, Marc Taub, and Jennifer
Jones, OD ’06, attended the AOA Leaders Summit in St. Louis.
Drs. Pam Schnell (’01) and Marc Taub, wrote about the Brock String for ReviewofOptometry’s April 2025 issue and the Modified Thorington test in another article.
Drs. Patricia Walker, David Maze, Brian Knight (’14), Barbie Jodoin (’15), and Stephanie Johnson (’16) joined several students in Nashville for the TAOP’s annual Day on the Hill.
Melissa Zarn, OD (below right), was inducted as a Fellow into the National Academies of Practice, along with former SCO resident, Rebecca Marinoff, OD. Marc Taub, OD, was also appointed as Vice President of Membership for the National Academies of Practice.
Optometric Meetings
GSLS | LAS VEGAS, NV
Dr. Laurel Kelley (’18)
Use of Scleral Lens to Manage Exposure Keratopathy Secondary to Invasive BCC Removal
Drs. D’Ajanee Smallwood, 2023-24 Resident; Daniel G. Fuller; et al
Agreement and Repeatability between Two Commonly Used Aberrometers
Drs. Ashley Peters, 2024-25 Resident; Laurel Kelley (’18)
Pencil Me In: Scleral Lens Wear in a Post-Traumatic Pediatric Aphake
HOAECC | KANSAS CITY, MO
Dr. Jennifer L. Jones (’06); Julie Wasack (’25) Superior Segmental Optic Nerve Hypoplasia aka Topless Disc Syndrome
Dr. Darah McDaniel-Chandler (’16) When Fetal Remnants Persist: A Case of Childhood Amblyopia
Dr. Sylvia E. Sparrow (’98); Mac Merrill (’26) Senile Retinoschisis: Appropriate Diagnosis and Management
Dr. Rodnell Batac, 2024-25 Resident A Case of Peripapillary Choroidal Neovascular Membrane (PP CNVM) in a 12-year-old with Optic Disc Drusen – An Extremely Rare Complication
Dr. Sydney Biette (’24), 2024-25 Resident The Role of Genetics: Diagnosing Vitelliform Macular Dystrophy in Pediatric Patient
Dr. Zach Groves (’24), 2024-25 Resident Fading Hues: A Neuroretinitis Case Study on Cone Contrast Testing
Dr. Parker Monsen, 2024-25 Resident Mitomycin Intravascular Chemoembolization in a Patient with Corneal Neovascularization and Dense Cataract from HSV Stromal Keratitis
Dr. Ashley Peters, 2024-25 Resident Verticillata Rocks: Use of Superficial Keratectomy to Remove Corneal Epithelial Deposits after Rocklatan Use
Dr. Azalia R. Roach, 2024-25 Resident Rearranging The Puzzle Pieces: Adapting Your Approach for Successful Vision Therapy with Autistic Patients
Dr. Harrison Vo, 2024-25 Resident Overcoming Bleb Obstacles: Implementing Microvault Technology in Scleral Lenses to Treat Ocular Surface Disease in Glaucoma
Eryn Brown, BBA (’25) Drance in Disguise: Glaucoma or a Systemic Red Flag?
OVDRA | FORT WORTH, TX
Dr. Patricia M. Cisarik; et al Pupil Size and Contract Polarity Effets on Accommodative Response Variability
Dr. Jenifer Bui, 2024-25 Resident Neuro-optometric Rehabilitation in an Acquired Constant Large Angle Esotrope Following a Traumatic Brain Injury
Dr. Christopher Dolce, 2024-25 Resident Visual Snow Syndrome in Longstanding Esotropia Without the Perception of Visual Snow
Dr. Leah Jipping, 2024-25 Resident Use of Yoked Prism and Binocular Nasal Occlusion to Alleviate Longstanding Symptoms from Idiopathic Intracranial Hypertension
Dr. Chelsea MacGregor, 2024-25 Resident Case Report: Integrative Management of Traumatic CN IV Palsy with Partial Occlusion
ARVO | SALT LAKE CITY, UT
Drs. Christopher Lievens; Morgan Bromley; et al Investigating the Effect of Reducing the Signs and Symptoms of Lid Wiper Epitheliopathy in Dry Eye Subjects with Perfluorohexyloctane
Drs. Christopher Lievens; Laurel Kelley (’18); et al Case Series Comparison of Meibography of the Upper/Inner Eyelids to Scans 0btained by the ANTERION® Device from Heidelberg Engineering
WELCOME NEW BOARD MEMBER
DARBY CHIASSON, OD ’99, recently joined SCO’s Board of Trustees. Dr. Chiasson is the owner of Advanced Eye Institute in Louisiana, where he was named Young OD of the Year in 2007 and OD of the year in 2013. He served as SECO President in 2013 and received SECO’s Young OD of the South Award in 2008. A native of Lafourche Parish, he earned his undergraduate degree from Louisiana State University. He completed his institutional externship at Ochsner Clinic in New Orleans and a private externship in Metairie. During his academic career, Dr. Chiasson received numerous honors, including induction into the Gold Key International Optometric Honor Society and Beta Sigma Kappa National Honor Society, as well as recognition in Who’s Who Among Students in American Universities and Colleges. He was awarded the Class of 1977 Endowed Scholarship and was named a Board Trustee Scholar at LSU, in addition to earning placement on the Dean’s List at SCO. Dr. Chiasson is the owner of Advanced Eye Institute in Louisiana, where he has been recognized for his leadership and dedication to the profession.
HOMECOMING
