Meet the Team

Jackie – Optical Manager

Jackie, our most seasoned team member, wears many hats. Officially, she is our Optical Manager, but you can find her doing all kinds of tasks! She is a wealth of optical knowledge and our optical team is beyond grateful for her expertise. Jackie prides herself on frame repairs; if it can be fixed she will fix it!
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When she's not at the office, you can find her at home with her husband and two dogs, a Golden Doodle named Jensen and Annie the Lhasa-Poo. Jackie also enjoys working on her various art projects and spends her free time at a local ceramics studio. When she isn’t creating, you’ll likely find her with her nose in a mystery book or watching British television.

Debbie – Insurance/Patient Services Manager

Debbie is determined to assist you with all your insurance and front office needs and questions. If it can be researched and resolved Debbie will find it. She is an amazing insurance investigator. Billing questions and insurance filing keep her busy throughout the day. She is a jack of all trades and you can find her around the office most days.
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Debbie has a passion for helping animals. Her dream is to open her own rescue so any unwanted or abused animal has a safe place until they find their forever home. She loves to travel near and far. On the weekends you can find her working with her jewelry gig, Dazzle with Debbie. She loves cheering on her KC Chiefs and Kansas Jayhawks. You will always find her head to toe in team colors on football and basketball game days!

Dara – Patient Service Coordinator

Greeting each patient with a warm smile, Dara is the first team member you will see upon your arrival. Dara’s rosy outlook in life is evident in her interactions with patients. She brings years of valuable customer service experience. Dara owned 10 different sets of unique eyewear before working in eye care, so she fits right in!
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She earned three Bachelor Degrees from the University of Kansas (Textile Design, English, and Political Science) and strives to always continue learning in her life. She enjoys playing games of all types, from RPGs, to billiards, to any board game. She has a passion for nature, reading, art, and meeting people with cultures different from her own. Her son is currently studying at KU and plans to pursue a career in software development.

Smantha, ABOC – Certified Optician & Specialty Contact Lens Coordinator

Smantha, who is as unique as the spelling of her name, is one of our opticians; she earned her certification of opticianry in February of 2018. Smantha combines multiple years of experience with a unique sense of style to give each patient a customized experience. She will help you find your perfect eyeglasses frame with enthusiasm and honesty. Her detail-oriented nature and love of numbers makes her a perfect fit to maintain and organize our contact lens department. She is also our point person for specialty contact lenses and prides herself on helping contact lens wearers attain peak comfort and vision.
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A lifelong Kansan, Smantha grew up in Burlington. She received her Economics degree from Emporia State University in 2013 and shortly after, moved to Lawrence. In her spare time, you can find her embroidering, playing games, reading, or discovering new music. She is an avid Harry Potter fan, and once made eye contact with Beyoncé. She and her boyfriend share their home with their two rescue dogs, a sweet pit-mix named Gracie and an adorable wirehair mutt, Lucy. Smantha is a bright and witty addition to our team.

Nicole – Optician

Nicole joined our optical team bringing her smiling face and vibrant personality to our office. She has a knack for bringing in new frame lines that helps capture the essence of Lawrence. Before joining our team, Nicole managed a local clothing boutique. With her background and expertise in fashion, she makes finding eye wear that fits your unique, personal style an exciting and fun experience.
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Nicole grew up in a suburb just north of Chicago and moved to Lawrence in 2013; she says it's one of the best decisions she's ever made. Nicole is an animal fanatic! When she is not a work, she loves spending quality time with her dogs Rosco and Scarlet. She also enjoys designing and creating jewelry in her home studio.

Melissa - Eyewear Creator

You may not see her often, but Melissa is always hard at work in the lab, constructing every pair of glasses created in-house. Her love of crafting and working with her hands made her to perfect fit for our office. She also helps with the inventory of frames.
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Melissa is a life-long Kansan; she grew up in Olathe and moved to Eudora in 2008. She has four daughters, one granddaughter, and five cats. Melissa loves spending time with her family, camping at the lake, or just relaxing and watching TV. She is a creative person who enjoys making things with many difficult mediums, including crochet, wood, glass, clay, paper, or really anything else she can get her hands on!

Brittney - Scheduling and Insurance Coordinator

When you call us to make your appointment, usually Brittney’s voice is the first you’ll hear. You’ll know it’s her because her cheerfulness and bright demeanor radiate throughout every conversation she has. Brittney has an expansive background of working with folks from every walk of life; she has worked in a dental office, property management office and a substance abuse clinic.
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Brittney was born in Iowa to a Military family, so she has lived all over – including Germany and Hawaii. Her love of travel has stayed with her and last year, she had an opportunity to visit South Africa and she even went on a safari! In her free time, Brittney loves spending time with her two kids, Tre and Amari, and supporting them in their various endeavors, including sports, chess, and crafting. Brittney is the epitome of a “people-person” and it’s impossible to not smile when talking with her!

Jamie – Check-Out and Contact Lens Coordinator​​​​​​​

If you wear contacts, there’s a good chance Jamie will be your point person! She will ensure that your order is handled efficiently and accurately. She is also always willing to lend a helping hand to her teammates and that has made her invaluable to our office!
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When Jamie isn’t at the office, she can be found spending time with her husband, two kids, and three Olde English Bulldogges. Her son is a wrestler and baseball player and her daughter is a competitive cheerleader, so keeping up with their activities keeps her plenty busy! When she isn’t cheering on her awesome kids at their sporting events, you can find her spending time outdoors or taking road trips with her family.

Clifton – Specialized Testing Coordinator

Newer to our team is Clifton Rendon. He is our testing expert and performs many of our specialized tests on patients using various diagnostic equipment. While he’s been a Jayhawk for a number of years, Clifton hails from New Mexico. He brings a wealth of experience in patient care, customer service, and leadership as well as experience in photography, online marketing, and sales.

When Clifton isn’t helping our office run smoothly, he spends his free time with his wife and kids. He also enjoys lowriding and spending time behind the camera. He also loves a good “dad joke” and always keeps us on our toes with his great sense of humor. Clifton is a patient-oriented and compassionate guy and we know our patients will love working with him!

Sarah

Well-versed in-patient service, Sarah takes pride in assisting every person that walks through our doors with her one-of-a-kind smile and sparkling personality. While she is newer to the optical world, she is constantly researching, learning, and observing; her goal is to only share the best product knowledge in order to satisfy even the most curious of patients. Sarah has a keen eye for knowing exactly what frame style you will love! She is always excited to help you find your new look while providing lenses that will help you appreciate the way you see the world.

When she isn't helping you look fabulous in your new eyewear, you can find Sarah taking advantage of the great outdoors with her family (both biological and chosen), with her nose in a book, or chasing live music in her retro camper, which she has affectionately named Lucy. She has an old soul, which her music preferences and free-time hobbies reflect, and an appreciation for the simpler things in life. We are wildly thrilled to have her upbeat and optimistic self on our team!