This is a unique set of individuals that share a common trait: All are driven to help improve the vision of their patients.
It’s a drive that comes from experience. Each can tell you countless stories of how their work here has dramatically improved the lives of their patients and families. Each has felt the joy of watching a child transform from a resistant reader to a happy student. And everyday, each of them uses that passion and commitment to help you and your children.
Kellye Knueppel, OD, FCOVD has dedicated herself to helping adults and children overcome their visual problems since opening The Vision Therapy Center in 1995.
On why she pursued a career in optometry and vision therapy: "When I first studied vision therapy during my training as an optometrist, I realized that this was more than simply a specialty. After seeing the tremendous improvement vision therapy made in the lives of children, I committed myself to helping patients young and old overcome the relatively unknown effects of poor vision, often referred to as the 'hidden disability'."
Learn more about Dr. Knueppel's professional background.
Before coming to The Vision Therapy Center, Shelley Kim, OD, FOVDR, practiced primary vision care and vision therapy in Illinois for more than 20 years. Her background and professional experience enable her to take a holistic approach to optometric services.
Dr. Kim’s specialized expertise includes optometric vision therapy; myopia control, a treatment using multifocal contact lenses to slow or even stop the progression of myopia (or nearsightedness); and dry eye treatment, a process that involves finding the root cause of a given patient’s dry eyes and then providing a comprehensive treatment plan for optimal results.
Here’s Dr. Kim describing how she first became interested in vision therapy: I began studying vision therapy after I had already established my primary optometric practice. One of my sons was showing symptoms of autism. All the traditional techniques for behavior modification failed, and his teachers were pushing intervention with medication. But in my own search for answers, I discovered his problems could be connected to his vision. Then, when I saw his amazing transformation from vision therapy, I never looked back. I knew I had to make vision therapy part of my practice. I thought, “What a blessing to be able to share this information with others!”
As the lead therapist in the office, Brian uses his 24 years of experience to mentor other therapists as well as provide excellent therapy care to his patients. During that time, he has grown to realize that vision is about much more than just 20/20, and he uses his experience and knowledge of the visual system to lead his patients to meet their goals. Seeing his patients’ lives improve -- whether the infant just learning to see or a 90-year-old struggling with a deteriorating quality of life -- is the most rewarding part of the job for him, and he is passionate about helping others. He loves to keep his therapy sessions fun, and his crazy antics keep all his patients and co-workers smiling.
When asked why he chose to work as a vision therapist, Brian says, “I have always wanted to help people. In high school, my guidance counselor pulled me aside and told me he felt I should go into a field that allowed me to help people. I was flattered with his suggestion but decided to try other fields. But I found myself going back to the conversation I had with my high school counselor. I eventually got my degree in psychology and sociology. This road eventually brought me to the Vision Therapy Center. Over the years here, I’ve had the privilege to work with many, many patients. The changes that vision therapy has helped them achieve in their lives has impressed and empowered me to want to do more. I love my job. People come to us at the end of their rope. They think or have been told that there isn’t anything anyone can do for them. They often come to us thinking this is the last chance to find help. They leave saying they wish they found us first. There is nothing better than seeing someone who came in one day really struggling with life and leaving us after finishing therapy feeling they can conquer the world.”
Brian lives in Mukwonago with his wife and dog. He has three grown children. He enjoys spending time with his wife and dog at their cabin up north, as well as fishing, golfing, woodworking, and reading fantasy novels.
Andrew is passionate about helping people with their visual skills. He works hard to build trust with his patients and supports them throughout their journey by ensuring that everyone he works with feels heard, understood, and empowered every step of the way.
Before joining The Vision Therapy Center team, he gained valuable experience working as an ABA therapist for two years, three years running a summer tennis program for kids ranging from elementary school to high school, and a BS in behavioral psychology from University of Wisconsin Milwaukee which has helped him develop a better understanding of the therapy process.
Outside of work, he enjoys being active playing tennis and table tennis, kicking back and gaming with friends, and spending time playing with his dog; all of which helps him stay balanced and energized. He believes maintaining a healthy work-life balance is important to providing the best care for his patients.
Carefree and easygoing, Karen is great at adapting to each patient individually. Whether she’s administering pre-exam testing or leading a therapy session, she takes a patient-led approach that empowers them to reach their goals. Her endless patience and positivity allow her to tailor therapy sessions based on each patient’s needs and personality.
If you ever hear someone singing or humming in the office, it’s probably Karen, since she always has a song in her head. She loves music, both listening to it and making it. She joined The Vision Therapy Center after many years as a special education teacher. In her leisure time, she loves spending time with family and being outdoors in nature while hiking or biking. Her claim to fame is that her great, great, great, great, great grandfather, Joseph Walker, was once the governor of Louisiana.
When working with patients, Ethan strives to listen carefully so that he can understand exactly what each one is experiencing and tailor the therapy session to meet those needs. He brings an eclectic range of experiences to his work as a therapist, including three summers teaching English in China, five years of experience as an elementary and middle school teacher in both the general education and music classrooms, and an MA in Liberal Arts from St. John's College.
Ethan may seem quiet and reserved at first, but that's only until you get to know him. Ask him about his love for Tolkien, his favorite books, or his latest knitting project and you’d better be prepared to hear him ramble for a while. In addition to reading and knitting, he loves spending time outside with his wife and two young children.
Kim’s journey to The Vision Therapy Center began when her oldest son struggled in school. A conversation with a friend introduced her to the program, and although she’d previously had her son's eyes checked, she realized the care provided at TVTC was different. Eventually, all three of her sons participated in vision therapy programs. Vision therapy changed their lives, allowing her sons to excel in school, sports, and daily activities. Inspired by the positive experience, she joined The Vision Therapy Center to help spread the word about vision therapy.
Kim enjoys working closely with families and witnessing the positive impact of vision therapy on their lives. Throughout her twenty-five years at The Vision Therapy Center, she has been continually amazed by the success of patients who fully commit to therapy. One of her most memorable experiences involved an adult patient who, after hard work in therapy, cried tears of joy in the lobby after seeing depth for the first time. She also treasures the countless moments when patients of all ages accomplish things that were previously impossible, like excelling at tests, reading, or sports.
Kim’s hobbies include knitting, crocheting, needlework, cooking, gardening, and raising monarch butterflies. She is also considering taking up golf (with a lot of encouragement from her husband). She has been happily married for over 40 years and has three grown sons, three beautiful daughters-in-law and two amazing grandchildren.
When interacting with patients, Leslie strives to make them feel comfortable and heard, keeping in mind how she would like to be treated herself. In each conversation with a patient, she takes time to communicate that we will be able to help with their vision problems because our doctors and therapists are some of the best and truly care about their needs. Her diligent work ethic, learned while growing up on a farm, and attention to detail make her indispensable for the smooth functioning of the office. But make no mistake, Leslie is not all work and no fun—she loves to share a good laugh while she’s working hard.
If you ask her what she likes to do in her free time, she’ll reply “Free time! I’m too busy for that.” Between caring for her elderly mother, whom she adores, watching her son’s volleyball games, phone calls with her daughter in college, and occasional dinners out with her husband (her one-time middle school sweetheart) and friends, she doesn’t have as much time for bowling and golfing as she might wish. But you’ll sooner hear her singing a karaoke tune than complaining about how busy she is.
With over 15 years of experience working in retail before joining The Vision Therapy Center, Abbey has developed a passion for customer service. Her ability to listen carefully and her attention to detail enable her to learn what our patients needs are, so she can facilitate the best possible patient experience.
Outside of work, Abbey and her husband enjoy sharing their love of reading with their son. For herself, she loves delving into a good crime or mystery novel. If you see her in the morning, you’ll likely find her with her coffee mug in hand, because she can’t start her day without it.
Energetic and bubbly, Claudia enjoys working one-on-one with patients. If you can make assessment fun while keeping it accurate, you should! Claudia enjoys interacting with both children and adults as they progress in vision therapy. And if you laugh along the way, great! Smiling makes you aware of your peripheral vision.
Before joining The Vision Therapy Center, Claudia taught special education students in Wisconsin for 16 years. Her experience as a teacher taught her how important it is to meet people where they are and then guide them to success. Teaching is a team sport, and that principle definitely applies to vision therapy. Patients, parents, doctors, and therapists all work together to ensure that patients reach their goals.
Claudia enjoys working out, playing tennis and piano, and reading. She enjoys spending time with her family walking her three rescue pups. It’s important to keep learning, so she is currently studying violin in her free time.