Dr. Carol Alexander began her journey in optometry as an optometric technician in 1981. As an accomplished technician, Carol was named to the AOA Paraoptometric Council and was instrumental in the development of the first Optometric Technician Certification program. She graduated from The Ohio State University College of Optometry in 1987. Dr. Alexander’s leadership skills were recognized early by her classmates who elected her class president in the second, third, and fourth years. Following graduation, Dr. Alexander began working for two Toledo-area optometrists and in 1991 realized her professional vision to establish her own independent private practice in Sylvania, Ohio, Personal Eyecare. Throughout her career in patient care, Dr. Alexander was also very involved in organized optometry, serving on various committees in local, state, and national optometric associations. Early in her career she was recognized as both the state (’92) and national (’97) Young Optometrist of the Year. Her contributions included actively pursuing therapeutic legislation in the state of Ohio and spearheading quality assurance initiatives in the profession at both state and national levels, serving as Chair of the American Optometric Association Commission on Quality Assessment and Improvement (’98-99). She was elected to the Ohio Optometric Association (OOA) Board of Trustees in 1994 and was the first woman to serve as President of the OOA in 1999-2000. During her time as President, she chaired the Strategic Planning Committee to change the basic operations of the organization. She was named Ohio’s OD of the Year in 2006. In 2008, she successfully transitioned her practice to a young OD and took on a full-time role with Vistakon, where she currently serves as Director, Professional Communications and is responsible for doctor led peer-to-peer efforts for the company. In 2010 she was named by Vision Monday as one of the Most Influential Women in the Optical Industry.
