For Teri Geist, OD, becoming president of the American Optometric Association (AOA) is not about a dramatic shift in direction. It’s about carrying forward the relationships, advocacy and shared purpose that have shaped her path in optometry — and doing it at a moment when the profession is evolving quickly.
She assumed the AOA presidency during Optometry’s Meeting in Phoenix, where nearly 6,000 attendees gathered, and she describes the transition as part of a larger continuum of leadership rather than having each president set a tone for the year ahead.
That idea of continuity has been central to Dr. Geist’s career from the beginning. She entered the profession knowing she wanted to be involved in her community, and organized optometry gave her a path to do that. Her involvement with the Nebraska Optometric Association led to board service and eventually to the presidency there, building the foundation for her current role at the AOA.
Now, as AOA president, Dr. Geist says she will focus on helping the profession navigate both the long-standing and emerging challenges it faces. Advocacy remains at the center of that work, but she sees it as broader than legislative wins. It’s also about public understanding — helping patients and policymakers alike see the value of doctors of optometry as primary care providers.
EVERY PERSON, EVERY TIME
She says that message needs to start in the exam lane, where doctors of optometry have opportunities every day to educate patients and encourage future interest in the profession.
“As doctors of optometry, we need to do a better job in our exam lanes,” Dr. Geist says. “We need to ask our students who are excited about STEM subjects, ‘What do you want to be when you grow up?’ We have the opportunity to have those conversations.”
That same future-facing mindset shapes her view of artificial intelligence and other new technologies. Dr. Geist says optometry should embrace tools that improve care while staying alert to the risks. “We need to embrace the great and use those tools to help us better take care of patients. We’re going to get better technologies—it’s already happening.”
RESPONSIVENESS
At the same time, she says the profession is changing in ways that require the AOA to be responsive and flexible. With more doctors now employed rather than owning a private practice, she believes the organization must understand a broader range of work settings and needs. “We’re ready to address the needs of members and nonmembers.”
That shift makes communication even more important, especially as different generations consume information in different ways. Dr. Geist says the AOA must be intentional about how it shares its message and makes sure the work behind-the-scenes is visible.
In fact, she says, communication and advocacy are inseparable. Legislative progress depends on teamwork, volunteer engagement and a willingness to learn from every state-level outcome. “The recipe to pass legislation, no matter what the legislation is, is teamwork,” she says. “The work we do with our volunteers is hugely helpful. When one state passes something — or doesn’t — those are learning opportunities.”
LOOKING AHEAD
In addition to helping advocate for the profession, what excites her most is not any single issue, but the people who make up the profession. After 30 years in practice, she says the relationships she has built — with colleagues, volunteers, mentors and friends — remain one of the most meaningful parts of her career.
“Whether it’s one-on-one or in a classroom or in the hallway, you learn from people all the time. We have the most amazing, passionate people. I get inspired by nearly conversation,” she says.
Those relationships have also helped her balance the demands of career and family. Like many women in optometry, she built her professional life while raising young children, and she says that support from family and colleagues made all the difference. Even now, she notes how much she appreciates her co-workers who accommodate her busy AOA schedule so that she can still see patients.
As she begins her presidency, Dr. Geist says she wants the AOA to think beyond one-year goals and toward a more durable mission that can outlast any individual term.
“We need every doctor to be engaged,” Geist says. “We really need to have open communication and transparency. If we’re all in this together, we can strengthen our impact.”
