Board of Trustees
CHRIS WROTEN, OD ’02, CHAIR | DENHAM SPRINGS, LA
completed a hospital-based residency in Primary Eye Care at the Memphis Veterans Affairs Medical Center following his graduation from SCO. After two years on staff at West Tennessee Eye in the Memphis area, he returned home to Louisiana in 2005 to become a partner in the Bond-Wroten Eye Clinics with three offices in southeast Louisiana. Dr. Wroten serves as the Bond-Wroten Eye Clinic’s Chief Operating Officer and supervises its Family Practice Residency and Optometric Externship programs, both of which he founded. He has twice been elected President of the Optometry Association of Louisiana, received a number of state, regional, and national professional awards, and serves on several boards and committees both within and outside of the profession of optometry. He was SCO’s Young Alumni of the Year in 2011. In addition to participating in clinical research, Dr. Wroten has also authored clinical case reports and eyecare articles, lectured as a continuing education speaker, and presented a number of educational posters and workshops at regional and national optometric conferences.
AMANDA BREWER-LORD, OD ’97 | SPEEDWELL, VA
is a graduate of King College in Bristol, Tennessee. She received her Master of Science degree in Education from Radford University in Virginia. Upon graduation from SCO, Dr. Brewer-Lord established Wythe Eye Associates, a private practice with three locations in Virginia. She has been active in leadership positions in optometry, including serving on the Board of Trustees for the Virginia Optometric Association, the Board of Directors of the Banzai Consortium, the Board for TLC Laser Eye Center, InfantSEE Regional Liaison, and as SECO Logistics Committee Vice-Chair, among others. At the local level, she has served on the Board of Directors for 1st Bank of Virginia and the Wytheville Chamber of Commerce. Her awards include being named Virginia’s Young OD of the Year and numerous Clinic of the Year awards in Wythe County.
DAVID A. COCKRELL, OD ’81 | STILLWATER, OK
completed his Bachelor’s degree in Zoology at Oklahoma State University and his Doctor of Optometry degree from SCO in 1981. He and his wife, Cherry Cockrell, OD ’81, opened their practice in Stillwater, Oklahoma, which became known as Cockrell Eyecare Center. In addition to serving as AOA President, Dr. Cockrell is a Diplomate and Past Chairman of the American Board of Optometry. Since 1996, he has served as a member of the Oklahoma State Board of Examiners in Optometry and in all of the organization’s officer positions, including president. He is also a past president of the Oklahoma Association of Optometric Physicians and the Southwest Council of Optometry. A Fellow of the American Academy of Optometry, he is a member of the American Public Health Association’s Vision Section. A founding board member of Optometry Cares, he has received a number of awards at the local, regional, and national levels, including Heart of America’s OD of the Year award and an honorary degree from SCO. Dr. Cockrell was recently named the Chair of the Health Care Alliance for Public Safety.
STEVEN L. COMPTON, OD ’78 | FRANKLIN, KY
is a graduate of Western Kentucky University. Following his graduation from SCO in 1978, he joined Compton & Compton Eye Care, PLLC, with his father, the late Kenneth Compton, OD ’53. A member of the American Optometric Association and the Kentucky Optometric Association, he served as the KOA’s President in 2007-2008. Dr. Compton received the KOA’s President’s Award in 2008 and was named a Melvin Jones Fellow by the Lions Club International in 2000. He has also served in leadership roles for several organizations in his local community, and previously served as a member of SCO’s Alumni Council. Dr. Compton’s son, Alex, is a member of SCO’s Class of 2016.
ANITA DAVIS, PHD | HARTFORD, CT
is a native Memphian with a passion for social justice issues. She has been a member of the Rhodes community for over 20 years and has held various leadership positions. She was the inaugural director of the African American Studies Program for five years, and Associate Dean of Academic Affairs for seven years (2008-2015) where her responsibilities included accreditation, curriculum and program assessment, faculty evaluation and mentoring, and supporting diversity and inclusion initiatives. For the past ten years, Dr. Davis has continued research on student perceptions of the campus climate surrounding diversity and inclusion. Prior to that, her work focused on the role of social support in the lives of adolescent mothers. She teaches courses in Psychology and Urban Studies including intercultural knowledge and competence, multicultural counseling, and research methods. Dr. Davis is currently on a three-year leave of absence from Rhodes College as she fulfills duties as the Director of Diversity and Inclusion at the Associated Colleges of the South (ACS), a consortium of sixteen nationally recognized colleges and universities. Her primary responsibilities are to support member institutions in their collective and individual efforts to advance diversity and inclusion goals on their campuses and in their communities. Dr. Davis has worked with numerous colleges and non-profit organizations on diversity and inclusion initiatives. She is a member of the National Association of Diversity Officers in Higher Education.
VICKI FARMER | HEBER SPRINGS, AR
is the Executive Director of the Arkansas Optometric Association. A graduate of Arkansas State University, she is a graduate of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Institute of Organization and is a Certified Association Executive. He is a past president of the International Association for Optometric Executives and has chaired Arkansans for Healthy Eyes, a ballot question committee formed to protect Act 579 of 2019.
BETTY HARVILLE BROWN, OD, FAAO | EADS, TN
was born in Somerville, Tennessee and graduated from Fayette Ware High School as Valedictorian (4.0 GPA) in 1975. She received her Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Tennessee at Martin in 1979. She attended Indiana University College of Optometry in Bloomington, Indiana and earned her Doctor of Optometry degree in 1983. Dr. Harville returned to Tennessee as the state’s first female African-American optometrist. In 1984, she was hired as an Instructor at SCO. In 2001, Dr. Harville became the first female Optometrist to achieve the title of full Professor at SCO and was also the first female African American Professor of Optometry in the U.S. She retired in August 2020 after teaching at SCO for 36 years.
MARK KAPPERMAN, OD '87 | APISON, TN
is the founder of Kapperman, White & McGarvey Eyecare. His practice, now over 30 years old, has grown into one of the largest providers of primary eye care in Chattanooga. Dr. Kapperman has served as president of the Tennessee Association of Optometric Physicians and currently serves as administrator for Vision Source in Southeast Tennessee and Northwest Georgia. He has traveled to Catacamas, Honduras for 16+ years to provide much-needed vision care. He currently serves on the Board of Directors of Predisan Health Ministries, a Christian healthcare organization that provides medical services to thousands of people in the Olancho region in rural Honduras. Mark and his wife, Anita, have been married for 32 years. She is a pediatric nurse, but now devotes herself full-time to family and volunteering for several community outreach programs. Together they have raised three children. Their son, Conner, followed in his father’s footsteps and graduated with his doctorate in optometry in 2020.
JAMES K. KIRCHNER, OD | LINCOLN, NE
was the founder of EyeCare Specialties, a multi-doctor, multi-office optometric practice in Nebraska. He retired in 2018 as President and CEO of SynergEyes, Inc., an international manufacturer and distributor of contact lenses. He is a Past President of the Nebraska Optometric Association and the North Central States Optometric Council. He is a founder of Kingdoms Harvest International, now known as Global Assist.
JENNIFER LYERLY, OD '11 | CARY, NC
graduated Summa Cum Laude from SCO in 2011 and was named an Outstanding Clinician in her class. A native of Clemmons, North Carolina, she was valedictorian at North Carolina State University. She practices in Raleigh, North Carolina with a focus on specialty contact lenses. She is the founder of Eyedolatry Blog, an eyecare website with a focus on encouraging women’s leadership within optometry, and was named one of Vision Monday’s Most Influential Women in Optometry in 2015. In 2016 she co-founded Defocus Media, a social media management company for private practice ODs, and is the co-host of the popular Defocus Media Podcast. A 2017 finalist and 2018 Transitions Academy’s Brand Ambassador of the Year, Dr. Lyerly has emerged as one of the profession’s leading content experts on best practices for ODs using social media. Dr. Lyerly demonstrates the importance of young alumni promoting the profession of optometry in a positive light. In recognition of her service, leadership, and support of SCO, she was awarded SCO’s Young Alumni Award in 2017.
STACEY MEIER, OD '84 | PHOENIX, AZ
is currently the Executive Director of the Arizona Optometric Association. Originally from Lockport, N.Y., Dr. Meier has an Associate of Applied Science degree in Ophthalmic Dispensing and continued his undergraduate studies at the University of Nevada – Las Vegas before attending SCO. His professional career includes practicing in a surgery referral center, commercial optometry and the owner of Desert View Vision for over 29 years. Dr. Meier has held leadership positions as president of the Central Arizona Optometric Society, Arizona Optometric Association, Great Western Council of Optometry and the International Association of Optometric Executives. He was appointed to the Arizona State Board of Optometry in 2010 by Governor Janet Napolitano. Dr. Meier has received several awards which include Optometrist of the Year by the AZOA and GWCO in 2009.
DAVE SATTLER | COLLEYVILLE, TX
began his career with Alcon in 1986 as a Sales Representative for the Vision Care Group based out of San Diego, California. While living in Southern California, he held a number of positions with increasing responsibility including Regional Broker Manager, National Account Manager, and District Sales Manager. In 1991, he was promoted to Director of National Accounts and relocated to Alcon’s Corporate Headquarters in Fort Worth, Texas. In this position he was responsible for sales management and marketing activities for corporate optical chain accounts, HMOs and optometry schools. In 2001, he assumed the role of Director Professional Relations and in 2008 he was promoted to Director Professional Relations – Global Optometry. Peer to peer professional marketing was added to his list of responsibilities in 2010. In 2011, Sattler became the Director Professional Relations overseeing Academic Development. After 28 years of service, he retired from Alcon in 2014. Sattler is a Fellow of the American Academy of Optometry and is currently serving as a volunteer board member for the American Academy of Optometry Foundation.
LYNN SHAW, SR. | MEMPHIS, TN
is Managing Director for Raymond James. He has more than 40 years of experience as a financial services professional and is an Accredited Wealth Management Advisor, and specializes in serving the financial needs of individuals, corporate executives, business owners, medical industry practitioners, philanthropic families and estates, and nonprofit fiduciaries. Along with his duties as an SCO board member, Shaw is actively involved in the Memphis community and his charitable support includes United Way, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and the American Cancer Society. He is a member of St. George’s Episcopal Church and chairs their Endowment Committee.
STUART J. THOMAS, OD ’84 | ATHENS, GA
owns Thomas Eye Center in Athens, Georgia. Dr. Thomas is a past chairman of the VSP Global Board of Directors. He received his Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology from the University of Georgia in 1979. He went on to earn his Doctor of Optometry degree from the SCO in 1984, the same year he opened Thomas Eye Center. He is a long-standing member of the AOA and the Georgia Optometric Association, serving in various leadership positions, including president. Dr. Thomas has also served as President of SECO, International, an organization that provides continuing education for optometrists and their staff. One of the key initiatives Dr. Thomas has championed as chair of VSP is the inclusion of standalone vision plans such as VSP Vision Care in state health care exchanges under the Affordable Care Act. His wife, Sharon Thomas, OD ’83, is a research optometrist.
TERRY L. TUCKER, OD ’84 | NORTH FORT MYERS, FL
has operated a solo practice in North Fort Myers, Florida since 1997. He attended the University of Kansas in Lawrence prior to enrolling at SCO, where he also received a Bachelor of Science degree in 1982 and earned his doctorate in 1984. He served five years on the faculty of Nova Southeastern University’s College of Osteopathic Medicine in addition to his private practice and consultation services. Dr. Tucker is an active member of SECO, the American Optometric Association and the American Academy of Optometry. In Florida, he has served two terms as President of the Southwest Florida Optometric Association and a number of key committees for the Florida Optometric Association and is a Past President of the association. Dr. Tucker has worked with the Florida State Board of Examiners in Optometry. He’s also served in leadership roles in community organizations and has been named a Paul Harris Fellow and Rotarian of the Year by the Rotary Club of North Fort Myers. He also served as a state trustee for four years to SECO.
MICHAEL DORKOWSKI, OD, FAAO ‘04 | MEMPHIS, TN
is the Faculty Representative to the Board. Prior to joining SCO, Dr. Dorkowski worked in private practice at West Tennessee Eye serving as Chief of Operations, and was an associate with Visionary Eye Care, an ophthalmic referral center specializing in pediatric and oculoplastic surgery. Dr. Dorkowski presents clinical workshops to practitioners at both state and national optometric educational meetings. Dr. Dorkowski is a member of the American Optometric Association. In the state optometric association, he has served on the Board of Trustees, and Dr. Dorkowski served as Vice-President and President for the West Tennessee Optometric Physician Society.
ANNA BRITT, ’23 | LAWRENCEVILLE, GA
is the current Student Government Association President and serves as SCO’s Student Representative to the Board of Trustees for 2021-22. She earned her undergraduate degree in Health Promotion from the University of Georgia.