Latinos en Optometry, a non-profit association dedicated to gaining a broader representation of Latinos and Spanish-speaking professionals within the optometry and larger eye care professional community, announced the appointment of Sandra Juarez Fortenberry, OD, FAAO, to the Latinos en Optometry Board of Directors.
Dr. Fortenberry is part of the founding faculty at the Rosenberg School of Optometry (RSO) and has served as Director of Continuing Education, Director of Professional Relations and Assistant Dean for Professional Advancement during her time at RSO. On June 1, 2022, she became the first female Hispanic Dean of an optometry school in the nation.
As a first-generation college student, Dr. Fortenberry began her studies at Abilene Christian University and completed her Doctor of Optometry at the University of Houston College of Optometry, where she also completed a post-graduate residency in community-based family practice. In 2012 and 2015, Dr. Fortenberry was elected to the Board of Trustees for the Texas Optometric Association and served on the TOA Executive Leadership for five years, eventually serving as President in 2019.
Dr. Fortenberry was awarded the American Optometric Association Young Optometrist of the Year in 2013, the Texas Optometric Association Mollie Armstrong Award in 2022 and the Texas Optometric Association Optometrist of the Year in 2024.
“Dr. Fortenberry is a wonderful role model for Latino students considering a career in optometry,” says Latinos en Optometry co-founder Diana Canto-Sims, OD. “Her cultural, educational and professional experiences will inspire students that they can achieve great things in this profession.”
For more information about Latinos en Optometry and to become a member, visit www.latinosenoptometry.org.
Read the story with Dr. Fortenberry from when she became dean of Rosenberg School of Optometry here.
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