Why is it important for you to continue your connection to ICO?

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I opened my practice cold while also serving on the faculty at ICO. From the start, education and mentorship have been central to my career. I want students to know that private practice is a viable path. The challenges are very real, but I try to serve as an example of someone who, through luck and hard work, built a thriving practice. So, I attend Private Practice Club sessions, the Practice Opportunities Symposium, and other ICO events as a resource. ICO was, after all, central to my own journey.

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When I was 12, I walked up to my dad and said, “One day, I’m going to make you proud. I’m going to own my own business.” The path, though, wasn’t always clear. I grew up in the south suburbs of Chicago and was the first in my family to go to college. I had the drive (I started my first job, a newspaper route, at age seven), but it was the strong foundation I received at ICO that made my dream of becoming a doctor and a business owner a reality. I’ve since sold my practice, but I know it wouldn’t have happened without ICO.

How have you been involved in representing ICO and the field of optometry?

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One of ICO’s greatest strengths is its large and diverse alumni network. Our alumni offer a unique, lived perspective on how an ICO education impacted their journey. No matter your interest, there’s an ICO alum who can guide you. This support is vital to new ODs navigating optometry’s many modes of practice.

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This is why I’m especially proud of our alumni ambassador program. Ambassadors speak to prospective students and continue to serve as resources once students join. Whether it’s helping them navigate the ICO curriculum or providing support during tough times, we’re only a call away. I hope these efforts make it clear to the students that we care. It’s also important to me as a former female business owner. I know firsthand how much it meant to have strong women mentors by my side, and I want to be that example for others now.

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I’m also active in the American Academy of Optometry, most recently serving as Diplomate Chair of the Anterior Segment Section. Representing ICO at AAO section meetings, mentoring future diplomates, and reconnecting with fellow alumni are all incredibly important to me.

What knowledge do you hope to impart to those you mentor?

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Any chance I have, I love being a champion for ICO. ICO gave me every tool I needed to succeed. I truly believe our faculty are the best in the country and even the world. I would not be where I am today without the mentorship of Michael Chaglasian, OD; Len Messner, OD; Bruce Teitelbaum, OD; Ken Goins, MD; Renee Reeder, OD; Jennifer Harthan, OD ’06; and so many more. To students, I always say: “Never stop chasing excellence in everything you do.” You never know where your next big opportunity will come from, but when you show up as your best self, good things follow.