Updated July 2024
Educating future optometrists is a passion shared by these great optometry leaders at the nation’s schools and colleges of optometry. While this listing calls out the top spots of academic leadership, many associate deans, directors and faculty support the effort to continue to improve and enhance optometric education.
| Alabama | |
University of Alabama Birmingham School of Optometry |
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Kelly K. Nichols, OD, MPH, PhD, FAAO, Dean |
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Kristine B. Hopkins, OD, MSPH, FAAO, Associate Dean for Student Affairs |
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Gerald Simon, OD, Associate Dean for Student Affairs |
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Elizabeth A. Steele, OD, FAAO, Associate Dean for Clinical Affairs |
| Arizona | |
Arizona College of Optometry, Midwestern University |
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Alicia Feis, OD, FAAO, Dean |
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Joshua Baker, MS, OD, Sr. Vice President and Chief Academic Officer (both Arizona and Illinois campuses) |
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Eric Woo, OD, FAAO, Associate Dean of Academic |
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Caitlin Miller, OD, Associate Dean, Eye Institute |
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Laura Kathryn Addy, OD, Director of Residencies, Eye Institute |
| California | |
Southern California College of Optometry at Marshall B. Ketchum University
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Julie A. Schornack, OD, MEd, President |
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Eric Borsting, OD, MSEd, FAAO, FCOVD, Dean |
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Raymond Chu, OD, MS, FAAO, Associate Dean of Academic Affairs |
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Melissa Contreras, OD, MPH, Assistant Vice President for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion |
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John Nishimoto, OD, MBA, FAAO, Senior Associate Dean for Professional Affairs |
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William Ridder III, OD, PhD, Assistant Dean for Graduate Studies |
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Judy Tong, Assistant Dean of Residencies |
University of California – Berkeley Herbert Wertheim School of Optometry and Vision Science |
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John G. Flanagan, PhD, DSc, FCOptom, FAAO, FARVO, Dean |
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Sharon A. Bentley, BScOptom, MOptom, PhD, MPH, FAAO, FACO, Dean, effective Feb. 2025. |
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Anne Mika Moy, OD, FAAO, Associate Dean for Admissions and Student Affairs |
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Nancy McNamara, OD, PhD, Associate Dean for Academic Affairs |
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Christina S. Wilmer, OD, FAAO, Associate Dean for Clinical Affairs |
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Ruth Shoge, OD, MPH, FAAO, Chief Diversity Officer |
Western University College of Optometry |
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Elizabeth Hoppe, OD, MPH, DrPH, Founding Dean |
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Ida Chung, OD, MSHE, FCOVD, FAAO, Associate Dean of Academic Affairs |
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Tiffenie Harris, OD, FAAO, Assistant Dean of Clinical Education |
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Angela P. Hegamin, Ph.D, MSPH, Assistant Dean of Academic Support |
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Raymond Maeda, OD, FAAO, Associate Dean of Clinical Affairs |
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Loretta Ng, OD, FAAO, Assistant Dean of Clinical Affairs |
| Florida | |
Nova Southeastern University College of Optometry
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Linda S. Rouse, OD, MBA, FAAO, Dean |
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Rachel A. “Stacey” Coulter, OD, MS, FAAO, FCOVD, Associate Dean of Clinical Affairs |
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Cristina Llerena Law, OD, Ph.D, FAAO, Dipl-ABO, Associate Dean for Academic Affairs |
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Jamie Althoff, OD, Assistant Dean for Student Affairs and Admissions |
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Bin Zhang, MD, PhD, Assistant Dean for Research |
| Illinois | |
Illinois College of Optometry
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Mark Colip, OD, President |
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Stephanie Messner, OD, FAAO, Vice President and Dean of Academic Affairs |
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Leonard Messner, OD, FAAO, Vice President for Strategy and Institutional Advancement |
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Erik Mothersbaugh, OD, FAAO, Dean of Student Affairs |
Chicago College of Optometry, Midwestern University |
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Melissa Suckow, OD, FAAO, Dean |
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Jenelle Mallios, OD, FAAO, Associate Dean |
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Samantha Rice, OD, Associate Dean |
| Indiana | |
Indiana University School of Optometry
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Suresh Viswanathan, OD, MS, PhD, Dean |
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Rowan Candy, BSc, MCOptom, PhD, Interim Dean, Executive Associate Dean for Academic Affairs |
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Kimberly D. Kohne, OD, Associate Dean for Students |
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Pete Kollbaum, OD, MS, PhD, Associate Dean for Research |
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Todd Peabody, OD, MBA, Associate Dean for Advancement |
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Neil A. Pence, OD, Associate Dean for Clinical and Patient Care Services |
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Jeffrey D. Peretti, OD, Associate Dean for Fiscal Affairs |
| Kentucky | |
University of Pikeville Kentucky College of Optometry
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Renee Reeder, OD, FAAO, RBCLA, FSLS, FIACLE, Dean |
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Cliff Caudill, OD, FAAO, Associate Dean for Clinical Affairs |
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Josephine Ibironke, OD, MPH, FAAO, Assistant Dean |
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Rachel Fitzgerald, OD, FAAO, Director of Community Affairs |
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Eilene Eugenio Kinzer, OD, M.ED VFL, FAAO, Director of Continuing Education |
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Benjamin Konig, OD, Director of International Affairs |
| Massachusetts | |
New England College of Optometry |
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Howard Purcell, OD, FAAO, President |
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Erik Weissberg, OD, FAAO, Vice President, Dean of Academic Affairs |
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Gary Chu, OD, MPH, FAAO, Vice President, Professional Affairs |
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Nicole Quinn, OD, FAAO, Director of Residencies |
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Diane Russo, OD, MPH, MBA, FAAO, Director of Clinical Education and Assistant Director of Residencies |
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Fuensanta A. Vera-Diaz, OD, PhD, FAAO, Director of Research |
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Timothy Bossie, OD, FAAO, Senior Director Owned Clinics and Outreach Affiliations |
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Amy Moy, OD, FAAO, Senior Director CHC Initiatives and Optometric Practice Compliance |
| Michigan | |
Michigan College of Optometry at Ferris State University
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Daniel A. Taylor, OD, EdD, MS, MBA, FAAO, DipOE, Dean |
| Missouri | ||
University of Missouri – St. Louis College of Optometry
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Keshia Elder, OD, MS, FAAO, Dean | |
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Vinita Allee Henry, OD, FAAO, Associate Dean of Clinical Operations |
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Angel Novel Simmons, OD, Associate Dean of Student Services and Alumni Relations, Director of Continuing Education | |
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Julie Ott DeKinder, OD, FAAO, Associate Dean of Academic Programs, Director of Residency Programs |
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| New York | |
State University of New York, College of Optometry
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David A. Heath, OD, EdM, President |
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Richard Soden, OD, Director of Healthcare Development |
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Joy Harewood, OD, Chief Diversity Officer |
| Ohio | |
The Ohio State University |
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Karla Zadnik, OD, PhD, Interim Executive Vice President and Provost |
The Ohio State University, School of Optometry |
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Jeffrey Walline, OD, PhD, Acting Dean |
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Michael Early, OD, MS, Associate Dean Academic Affairs |
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Gregory Nixon, OD, Associate Dean Clinical Services |
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Heather Anderson, OD, PhD, Acting Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Studies |
| Oklahoma | |
Northeastern State University Oklahoma College of Optometry
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Nathan Lighthizer, OD, Dean |
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Jeffrey Miller, OD, FAAO, Assistant Dean for Academic Affairs |
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Earlena McKee, OD, MS, Assistant Dean for Clinical Affairs |
| Oregon | |
Pacific University
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Jennifer Coyle, OD, MS, President |
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Fraser C. Horn, OD, FAAO, Dean |
| Pennsylvania | |
Pennsylvania College of Optometry at Salus at Drexel University
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Michael H. Mittelman, OD, MPH, MBA, FAAO, FACHE, President |
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Melissa Trego, OD, PhD, Dean |
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Maria Parisi, OD, FAAO, Optometric Clinical Affairs, Associate Dean |
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Elizabeth Tonkery, OD, MPH, Curriculum and Assessment, Associate Dean |
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Bhawan Minhas, OD, FAAO, Accelerated Programs, Associate Dean |
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Bisant A. Labib, OD, FAAO, Dipl. CEC, Optometric Special Programs, Associate Dean |
| Puerto Rico | |
Inter American University School of Optometry
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Andrés Pagán, OD, MPH, Dean |
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Ángel F. Romero, OD, Dean of Academic Affairs |
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Iris R. Cabello, OD, Dean of Students |
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Damaris Pagán, OD, MPH, Dean of Clinical Affairs |
| Tennessee | |
Southern College of Optometry
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Lewis Reich, OD, PhD, President |
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Scott Ensor, OD, Interim Vice President for Clinical Programs |
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J. Bart Campbell, OD, FAAO, Vice President for Academic Affairs |
| Texas | |
Rosenberg School of Optometry at University of Incarnate Word
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Sandra Fortenberry, OD, FAAO, ABO Diplomate, Dean |
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William Miller, OD, Associate Dean of Academic Affairs |
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Jeff Rabin, OD, MS, PhD, Assistant Dean for Research, Assessment and Graduate Studies |
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Kyle Sandberg, OD, Assistant Dean for Professional Advancement and Associate Professor |
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Nekima Williams, OD, Assistant Dean of Clinical Affairs, Clinical Assistant Professor, Director of Externship Programs |
University of Houston College of Optometry
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Michael D. Twa, OD, PhD, FAAO, Dean |
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Andrew M. Archila, OD, MBA, FAAO, Associate Dean for Clinical Operations |
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Kimberly Lambreghts, RN, OD, FAAO, Associate Dean For Professional Studies |
| Laura J. Frishman, PhD, FAAO, FARVO, Associate Dean for Graduate Studies and Research |
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Ralph J. Herring, OD, MHA, Assistant Dean for Professional Studies |
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Danica Marrelli, OD, FAAO, Assistant Dean for Clinical Education |
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Lucy Kehinde Darnell, OD, PhD, FAAO, Assistant Dean of Student Affairs |
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Utah
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Rocky Mountain University College of Optometry |
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Adam Hickenbotham, OD, MPH, PhD, Founding Dean |
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Court Wilkins, OD, MHS, FAAO, Assistant Dean of Clinical Affairs |
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Donnie Akers, OD, Associate Dean of Academic Affairs |
NEW OPTOMETRY SCHOOLS
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North Carolina
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High Point University School of Optometry |
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Catherine Heyman, OD, Founding Dean |
The University of North Carolina at Pembroke |
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Rich Castillo, OD, DO, FASOS, Founding Dean of the school of optometry, to begin Aug. 5, 2024 |
Read more about ODs who have made their career in academia here.
Featured photo credit: Getty Images
