Dr. DeKinder serves as Associate Dean of Academic Programs, Director of Residency Programs and Co-Chief of Contact Lens Services. She graduated from Northeastern State University Oklahoma College of Optometry and completed a Cornea and Contact Residency at the University of Missouri-St. Louis College of Optometry prior to joining the faculty. Dr. DeKinder lectures nationally in the areas of cornea and contact lens.She is the 2026 recipient of the Thomas J. “Tommy” Pham GPLI-NKCF Keratoconus Practitioner of the Year.
Dr. DeKinder is the course coordinator for the Contact Lens I and II courses and works with both 3rd and 4thyear students in the contact lens clinic. Dr. DeKinder conducts contact lens research with residents and students, serves as a peer-reviewer for multiple journals and is an engaged volunteer in the CCLRT diplomate section of the AAO. She is both a fellow of the American Academy of Optometry and a Diplomate in Cornea, Contact Lens and Refractive Technologies. She is a fellow of the Scleral Lens Education Society, and a member of the American Optometric Association and the Missouri Optometric Association. She is currently serving as the Chair of the Accreditation Council on Optometric Education (ACOE) and is a past chair of the Association of Contact Lens Educators (AOCLE). She has previously or currently serves on committees for the AAO, ACOE, ASCO and NBEO.
Associate Dean of Academic Programs, Director of Residency Programs, Co-Chief of Contact Lens Service, Clinical Professor
