Optometry
Alumni News
General News
Faculty and Staff News
1960s
Liana Rouse, the granddaughter of Calvin J. Osterman, OD ‘64, recently celebrated the birth of his second great-grandchild, Daniel Lee Rouse. The photo above is of his family celebrating his wife Karen’s 80th birthday in Arizona, where they spent the winter.
1970s
Richard J. Shuldiner, OD ‘70, FAAO, would like to announce the Shuldiner Low Vision Training Institute is now accepting private practicing optometrists for The Richard Shuldiner, OD/William Feinbloom, OD Philosophy and Methods for Providing Low Vision Care program.
Marc S. Hecker, OD ‘78, FAAO, has retired as a staff optometrist after 13 years of service at the Samuel S. Stratton Department of Veteran Affairs (VA) Medical Center in Albany, New York. He worked for many years there with Robert Ruggiero, OD ‘78. Dr. Hacker practiced afterward at the LasikPlus Laser Center at Corporate Woods Boulevard in Albany. In his spare time, he sings and plays guitar at farmers markets, corporate events, and other venues in the Capital District in New York. He and his wife Phyllis have two daughters and an eight-year-old grandson.
Janet E. Summers, OD ‘78, is the clinic chief at Bowden Eye Care and Health Center and an assistant clinical professor at Rosenberg School of Optometry in San Antonio. In May 2022, the University of the Incarnate Word in San Antonio awarded her a Master of Science in Organizational Development and Leadership with distinction. Last year, Chatham University also awarded her an Alumni Cornerstone Award for Optometry.
Curt A. Gottlieb, OD ‘79, retired to Port St Lucie, Florida.
Philip J. Schwartz, OD ‘79, marked his 44th year in private practice in 2023. He continues to practice full-time at the Eye Center of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania.
1980s
David R. McPhillips, OD ‘85, has been selected to play pickleball for Team USA in the Pan American Games in the summer of 2024. This event showcases the athletic abilities of more than 7,500 athletes from more than 50 countries and will feature 26 sports and 30 disciplines, 11 of which will offer parasport adaptive game offerings. Pickleball, the fastest-growing sport in the U.S. according to the Sports & Fitness Industry Association’s (SFIA) Topline Participation Report, will be featured for the first time. He also participated in a Volunteer Optometric Services to Humanity (VOSH) Eye Care mission to Haiti this past spring.
Patricia M. Cisarik, OD ‘87, PhD, FAAO, and Dr. Jon-Erik Kampwerth recently published an article titled, “Cone-isolation contrast sensitivity, do pupil and stimulus sizes matter?” in the Clinical and Experimental Optometry Journal.
Linda Suydam, OD ‘86, married John Stelmach, MD, on November 24, 2023. They live on a farm in Oley, Pennsylvania. She continues to practice full-time with the Eye Consultants of Pennsylvania and loves it!
1990s
Alan G. Kabat, OD ‘90, FAAO, has joined the Eyes On Eyecare | CovalentCreative team as the associate director of Medical Communications.
Laurie R. Lesser, OD ‘92, is now the head of Optometry Attraction at SpecSavers Canada.
Tenesha A. Bazemore, OD ‘95, received an award from the American Association of Corporate Optometry for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in August 2023.
Gregory A. Caldwell, OD ‘95, received the 2024 George Gottschalk, Jr. Memorial Award from the Pennsylvania Optometric Association in recognition of his outstanding service as Third Party Center Chair.
Todd Shuba, OD ’95, married Christine Angelone on July 22, 2023.
2000s
Karen A. Squier, OD ‘01, FAAO, is the current section chair for the Low Vision Section of the American Academy of Optometry and chief of low vision services at the Southern College of Optometry in Memphis, Tennessee.
Marc B. Taub, OD ‘01, FAAO, received his EdD in Higher Education from the University of Memphis in December 2022. He became a diplomate in the Optometric Education Section of the American Academy of Optometry in November 2023. He also published his sixth book, From Fracture to Function: Clinical Insights into the Visual Aspects of Acquired Brain Injury.
Freddie J. Van Zile (Davis), OD ‘03, recently retired and currently spends time with her husband in Naples, Florida, and Pine Knoll Shores, North Carolina.
Leslie O’Dell, OD ‘03, FAAO, joined Tarsus Pharmaceuticals as associate medical director for national education in February 2024.
Samuel F. Vaught, AuD ‘04, was the recipient of the Craig Johnson Advocacy Award at AuDacity2023, the annual convention of the Academy of Doctors of Audiology (ADA). He was recognized for his continuous efforts in advocating for the profession of audiology at the national and state levels. Dr. Vaught owns The Audiology Center of Snellville in Georgia.
Melissa Heche, AuD ‘05, became a New York Speech and Hearing, Inc. private practice director.
Virginia M. Donati, OD ‘06, FCOVD, past president of Vision Therapy Canada (VTC), is the 2023 recipient of ‘Le Prix Bastien.’ This award is VTC’s highest honor, recognizing excellence in Vision Therapy and contributions to the practice and advancement of vision therapy in Canada.
Charles T. Sanders, AuD ‘07, has been appointed to the Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology and Hearing Aid Dispensers board. He is also a member of the American Academy of Audiology, the Speech-Language-Hearing Association, and the California Academy of Audiology.
2010s
César A. Costales, OD ‘10, FAAO, was promoted to lieutenant colonel in the U.S. Army in December 2023. He has served as an active-duty optometrist since graduation in 2010. His wife, Jenn Costales, OD ‘10, and their two boys are currently stationed at the Carlisle Barracks in Pennsylvania.
Cara J. Reitnauer, OD ‘10, would like to announce that after 10 years of owning Boyertown Eye Care, she was fortunate enough to purchase and renovate a building for a new office space in Gilbertsville, Pennsylvania.
Darryl E. Glover Jr., OD ‘11, is an optometrist with MyEyeDr., co-host of the number one optometry podcast, Defocus Media, and co-founder of Black EyeCare Perspective and Eyefrica Media.
Riya Paranthan, OD ‘14, was recently appointed by Governor Jay Inslee to the Washington State Board of Optometry. After that, she was voted unanimously as vice chair of the board.
Erin M. Kenny, OD ‘15, was awarded the Accessible Pharmacy Services 2023 Award for Optometry for using Accessible Pharmacy Services in a clinical environment.
Inna Lazar, OD ‘15, founded Greenwich Eye Care. In 2021, she was featured in Fairfield County’s Business Journal “40 under 40 Best Doctors.” In 2022, she was named one of “America’s Best Eye Doctors” by Newsweek.
Caitlin E. McQueen, OD ‘17, works with her father, David McQueen, OD ‘89, in Cape Cod, Massachusetts. She and her husband, Anthony, also welcomed a baby boy, Cillian, in December 2023.
Nwakuso Aruotu, OD ‘18, MPH, was the chairman of the board of trustees of the Nigerian Optometric Association from 2020 to 2023. She was recently elected secretary to the board of trustees for the Nigerian Chapter of the American Academy of Optometry. 
2020s
Samuel T. Johnson, AuD ‘21, is starting a new position as owner/audiologist at Walnut Creek Audiology Corporation in Walnut Creek, California.
Rachel Ball, MMS ‘22, became a certified physician assistant at Penn Highlands Healthcare, specializing in pediatric care for children and adolescents.
