08/27/2026
Members Announce Candidacies for 2027 OOA Board of Trustees
The Ohio Optometric Association will hold an election for positions on its board of directors during the annual Congress business meeting slated for Friday, October 16, 2026, in conjunction with the EastWest Eye Conference in Columbus, OH. Elections will decide positions for 2027 President-Elect, 2027 Secretary-Treasurer and four, two-year Trustee seats. Please plan to attend and vote for your 2027 leadership!
Current Secretary-Treasurer Dr. Taylor Babcock is running for President-Elect. Current Trustee Dr. Greg Nixon is running for Secretary-Treasurer.
Sitting Trustees Dr. Katherine Fisher, Dr. Katie Greiner, and Dr. William Kegerize will each seek re-election for three of the four open Trustee positions.
Rounding out the candidates for Trustee are three members who seek election for the first time: Dr. Nick Flebotte, Dr. Cory Lappin, and Dr. KJ Shaheen. All are passionate about helping to direct Ohio Optometry and our association.
Dr. Taylor Babcock Announces Bid for President-Elect
Dr. Babcock owns and practices at Babcock Eyecare in Scioto County.
I am honored to announce my candidacy for President-Elect of the Ohio Optometric Association. Upon serving as the secretary-treasurer I feel prepared and excited to take the next step in service to the members of the OOA. I consider it an honor and privilege to serve Ohio Optometry and the OOA members in this capacity. I have served on the board of trustees since 2019, and ask for your continued trust, to serve you with honesty and integrity. I am dedicated to maintaining a strong organizational foundation within the OOA and the optometric profession. As president-elect I will continue the pursuit of broadening the optometric scope of practice in Ohio, pursuing children’s vision initiatives, maintaining a strong membership and any other issues that are prudent to Ohio Optometry.
I am the owner of a private practice in southern Ohio. I understand and will be able to represent private practices on the OOA board. Additionally, being in a more remote geographic setting in southern Ohio allows me to bring a different perspective that I feel is important to maintain on the board level. I am passionate about advocacy within optometry and have served as a Key OD to my area as well as serving on the Third Party committee. I am a Realeyes presenter, and in the past have been an iSee volunteer. Serving on the OOA board has been rewarding and encouraging and continues to strengthen my resolve to help maintain Ohio as the best state to live and practice optometry.
In addition to serving on the OOA Board, I am a board member of the AOA Optometric Historical Society, I am board president of a local nonprofit "Friends of Portsmouth" and an active member at my church. I am happily married with 3 children.
Dr. Greg Nixon Announces His Bid for Secretary-Treasurer
Dr. Nixon is the Associate Dean for Clinical Services at The Ohio State University College of Optometry in Franklin County.
It is with great enthusiasm and a deep sense of responsibility that I announce my candidacy for Secretary-Treasurer of the Ohio Optometric Association. The OOA has been a valued part of my optometric life for 30 years, but none more valuable than the last six years serving as a trustee. Throughout that time, I have gained a broader appreciation for organized optometry. The strength of the profession exists in its members. Our robust, dedicated member volunteers represent this great profession well by educating patients, the public, and legislators on the impact we have to improve the quality of life of Ohioans. The modernization of our profession can further expand the reach of our efforts and provide patients the access they need for services.
As the Associate Dean for Clinical Services at The Ohio State University College of Optometry, educating the future leaders of optometry is my passion. Education has been and always will be the cornerstone of our profession. We must convey the depth and breadth of our education with the legislators that govern our profession in order to practice to the full extent of our training. As a profession, we need to advocate for a healthcare environment where medical decisions made in the best interest of the patient are recognized and supported by third party payors, not questioned and rejected.
If given the opportunity to serve as Secretary-Treasurer of the Ohio Optometric Association, I will advocate for our profession to be recognized for the strength of our education, the extent of our abilities, and the compassionate care that we provide our patients. Thank you for your support so that I can serve on this board with new roles and responsibilities.
Dr. Katherine Fisher Announces Bid for Re-Election as OOA Trustee
Dr. Fisher practices at Middletown & Settlers Walk Eye Care in Warren County.
It is my pleasure and a privilege to announce my candidacy for another 2-year term for the position of Trustee of the Ohio Optometric Association.
I continue to serve as a board member of the Ohio Optometric Foundation. I practice in Springboro, Ohio and have a special interest in pediatric care and binocular vision.
I have seen the benefits the OOA has provided for Ohio ODs. There is so much to share about our great profession and many legislators and patients are still uninformed on our education and ability. I have actively been working with state legislators as a key OD. I regularly reach out to legislators to talk about important issues affecting optometry in Ohio. I also use every patient interaction as an opportunity to share that optometrists are the primary eye care professionals and an integral element within health care.
The last four years serving on the board have further strengthened my passion for optometry and the OOA. I am passionate about optometry and the Ohio Optometric Association. I have a strong foundation and am honored to be considered again as a candidate for the position of Trustee of the Ohio Optometric Association.
Dr. Nick Flebotte Announces Candidacy for OOA Trustee
Dr. Flebotte practices at 360Care in Trumbull County and he serves as Zone 4 Governor.
I am pleased to announce my Candidacy for the position of Trustee for the Ohio Optometric Association Board of Directors. I have truly been inspired by the dedication of our current board members. Creating awareness and advocating for optometry has long been a passion of mine since I was a student. As Trustee, you can count on me to work tirelessly to not only advance our profession but also to improve the visual welfare of all Ohioans.
It has been my great privilege to serve as Zone Governor of the Ohio Optometric Association for the past four years in addition to serving on the Membership Committee as well as a Key OD. Through those roles, I have learned the importance of educating others regarding our profession. To become a more effective leader, I have also participated in the AOA’s Leadership Institute and have taken leadership courses through Johns Hopkins University. With my experience, strong work ethic and passion, I believe I can contribute greatly as a member of the board of directors.
I have also met with some of the state legislators who govern our profession and understand the importance of communicating to them optometry’s role in healthcare and the impact we have on influencing the quality of life for our patients. In order to practice to the full extent of our training we must continue to educate and create awareness. We must also continue to fight to ensure that our patients have access to the best possible care.
I am truly honored and humbled to be a candidate for the role of Trustee. I sincerely thank you for your consideration and for putting your trust in me to help guide optometry forward in Ohio. As a profession we currently face many challenges, and I look forward to taking them head on. Ohio should, and through hard work, will be the best place in the country to practice optometry.
Dr. Katie Greiner Announces Bid for Re-Election as OOA Trustee
Dr. Greiner practices at Northeast Ohio Eye Surgeons in Summit County.
I am happy to announce that I am running for my third installment as a Trustee of the Ohio Optometric Association. With three years of board experience under my belt, I am excited to hopefully continue this journey and make more strides for Ohio Optometry. When people ask me about my passions outside of my workday, I always say it's still optometry because I love it so much!
I am optimistic that we can further modernize optometry in Ohio during my next term. I am also dedicated to working with third party payors to not make decisions for us and for our patients (especially on medically necessary contact lenses) and have enjoyed serving as the Board liaison to the Third Party Payor Committee this year. I am helping to bring fair recognition and payment for Ohio ODs on the newly launched epi-on corneal collagen cross-linking procedure.
I am ever grateful for those that volunteer their time for this organization and for the patients we get to serve because of it. I look forward to continuing this journey on behalf of Ohio Optometry!
Dr. Bill Kegerize Announces Bid for Re-Election as OOA Trustee
Dr. Kegerize practice at Geona Family Eyecare in Ottawa County.
With continued enthusiasm, I would like to announce my candidacy for a second two-year term as Trustee of the Ohio Optometric Association Board of Directors.
Serving on this board over the past two years has been an incredibly rewarding experience. I have enjoyed working alongside so many talented doctors who care deeply about our profession and the future of optometry in Ohio and nationally. I have learned a great deal during my first term about the continuous efforts that go into representing optometry and the process of both protecting and growing our profession. Most importantly, my time on the board has reinforced my desire to continue to be a part of this dedicated team.
If elected to a second term, I will continue to serve Ohio optometry with the best of my abilities, experience, and time. I feel I have developed strong working relationships with the current board and have truly enjoyed being part of this team. I look forward to continuing to learn from my fellow trustees while also bringing my own experience and perspective to the table.
Outside of scope expansion, children’s vision advocacy has been a passion of mine throughout my career. I typically screen hundreds of preschool and kindergarten students every year and have always been willing to provide elementary school education and services whenever asked. I believe that advocating for the vision and eye health of Ohio’s children is an important part of our profession’s responsibility to the communities we serve. I have been an InfantSEE, Realeyes and iSee Ohio advocate and participant since these programs' inceptions.
Personally, I reside with my wife and our four daughters. We are very active in sports, community service, church and of course, cheering on our Ohio State Buckeyes!
It has been an honor and privilege to serve the Ohio Optometric Association over the past two years, and I would be grateful for the opportunity to continue that service for another term. I sincerely appreciate your consideration and your continued confidence in me.
Dr. Cory Lappin Announces Candidacy for OOA Trustee
Dr. Lappin founded and practices at The Dry Eye Center of Ohio in Hamilton County.
I am excited to announce my candidacy for the position of Trustee for the Ohio Optometric Association Board of Directors. I have been actively involved in the AOA and my state affiliates throughout my career, serving on the Arizona Optometric Association Board of Directors until I returned back to Ohio. During my time on the AZOA Board, I served as Chair of the Membership Committee and as Secretary on the Executive Board, and I sought to further develop my leadership skills through participation in the AOA Leadership Institute 1.0 and 2.0 programs. I have been active in the OOA since returning to Ohio, serving as a member of the EastWest Committee. I have been honored to receive The Ohio State University College of Optometry Alumni Society Early Professional Achievement Award and the American Academy of Optometry Foundation Practice Excellence Award, and, in 2023, I was named the Young Optometrist of the Year by the Arizona Optometric Association.
I am passionate about the practice of optometry, which has shaped my deep involvement in our profession. In addition to being a private practice owner and active member of organized optometry, I am deeply committed to supporting the clinical education and training of our colleagues. I have had the tremendous opportunity and privilege to lecture nationally and internationally, and appear on television, radio, and podcast programs, and I have always made it my goal to use these platforms to elevate and promote our profession. Additionally, I am an editorial board member for several eye care publications including Eyes On Eyecare and Optometry 360, and serve as Chief Medical Editor of Optometric Physician, the most widely-read e-journal and newsletter in optometry. I am also a member of Intrepid Eye Society, an organization dedicated to promoting excellence and growth in the field of optometry.
As a Trustee for the OOA Board of Directors, it would be my goal to continue the work I began as a member of the AZOA Board back in my home state. Optometry has given me so much, and I would be honored to give back by working with the OOA as a Board member. Being a member of the AOA, the AZOA, and OOA has given me the opportunity to build close relationships with optometrists and supporters of optometry across the country, and I would welcome the opportunity to work alongside these incredible individuals to achieve the goals and advancement of our profession in the state of Ohio. Thank you for your thoughtful consideration as I seek this position, I truly appreciate the support of the OOA and the dedicated doctors that comprise it!
Dr. KJ Shaheen Announces Candidacy for OOA Trustee
Dr. Shaheen practices at Hills & Dales Vision in Stark County.
It is with great excitement that I announce my candidacy for Trustee of the Ohio Optometric Association Board of Directors. My exposure to Optometry has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember, and throughout my career I have developed an even greater appreciation for our profession, our patients, and the opportunities we have to continue advancing Optometric care in Ohio. My drive began watching my father thrive in his practice and I was blessed to join him, work alongside him, and learn from him. I am now blessed with my own family with an extremely loving and supporting wife, and a perfect gift from God of a daughter.
I have been practicing Optometry in Canton, Ohio since 2014 and, in 2022, took over our family practice alongside my cousin. Together, we have worked to expand the medical eye care we provide and to ensure that our patients receive comprehensive care. I am passionate about the medical scope of Optometry and believe strongly that Ohio Optometrists should be able to practice to the full extent of their education and training.
I previously served a two-year term as Zone 3 Governor and currently serve on the Third Party Committee. These experiences have allowed me to better understand the challenges facing Optometrists across our state, from third-party issues affecting our practices, to legislative efforts that will shape the future of our profession.
I would be honored to continue that service as a Trustee. Modernizing Ohio’s scope of practice is critically important, and I want to be actively involved in that effort. I also want to help ensure that the OOA continues to advocate for its members, strengthen our profession, and improve access to high-quality eye care for patients throughout Ohio.
There are incredibly talented and dedicated Optometrists serving on the OOA Board, and I would be grateful for the opportunity to work alongside them. I believe my experience in private practice, my previous OOA leadership, and my passion for Optometry would allow me to bring a valuable perspective to the Board.
Thank you for considering my candidacy for Trustee. I would be honored to earn your support and to continue serving Ohio Optometry as a member of the Ohio Optometric Association Board of Directors.
All OOA members are encouraged to attend Congress on October 16th to participate in the association's annual business meeting and to determine its 2027 leadership. With five candidates running for four open positions, there will be a contested election for Trustee. Each vote is important!
Members may submit their bids for open positions through Friday, October 9, 2026 by emailing their nomination statement to info@ooa.org.