All About Family

The holidays are officially here! And that means time with family. Did you know that Valley Eye Associates has multiple internal family connections? We asked them what their favorite holiday traditions are!

Ivy Blue, Surgery Coder/Prior Authorization Specialist
Krystle Blue, COA, Technician

Krystle shared, “I would say our family’s favorite holiday tradition is playing games and watching football!”

Ivy added, “I always make orange Danish with breakfast and we listen to old school Christmas songs. Mitch Miller is what my husband’s family listened to while he was growing up. Christmas wouldn’t be the same without that music!”

Faith Lambie, COA, Surgery Manager
Casey Lambie, Business Office

Casey shared, “My favorite holiday tradition is going to Grandma and Grandpa’s house.”

Cherie Mader, COA, Clinic Administrator
Donna Cummings, Patient Service Representative

Cherie and Donna shared, “Some of our holiday traditions include playing an assortment of holiday games and trying a new recipe each year.”

Kristina Meneau, Patient Service Representative
Rebekah Mikulaj, Patient Service Representative

Tina and Becky shared, “Every family picnic in the summer consists of Tina’s deviled eggs and Becky’s poppyseed tort. We have a lot of fun working together.”

We also see patients as members of our family. For us, it’s all about family! Thank you to all members of the VEA family, for your continuous support year after year.

Happy Holidays!

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Get to Know Dr. Natalie Kurth

What is your favorite thing about being an optometrist?

My favorite thing about being an optometrist is working with my patients! It is so rewarding to help people achieve their best vision every day, and I love the interactions I get to have with my patients.

What are your hobbies?

Outside of work, I love spending time with family and friends. I also enjoy hiking and being outdoors, fishing, traveling, cooking, and reading.

What is your favorite holiday and why?

My favorite holiday is the Fourth of July! I love spending time with family and enjoying the warm weather complete with a pool party, cookout, parade, and of course, fireworks!

Where would you love to travel to?

I would love to travel to Italy and Greece again, but Norway and Egypt are next on my bucket list!

What has been your favorite thing about working at VEA so far?

I am enjoying my new co-workers. They have all been very welcoming! I also love the variety of patients that I get to see throughout the day.

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Get to Know Dr. Colin Sigmund

What is your favorite thing about being an optometrist?

Being able to educate my patients on their eye conditions and improving their vision

What are your hobbies?

Fishing, playing cards, avid sports fan (Packers, Brewers, and IU basketball)

What is your favorite holiday and why?

Thanksgiving, there’s always a lot of football to watch on TV

Where would you love to travel to?

Europe (Greece, Italy, France, and Germany)

What has been your favorite thing about working at VEA so far?

The people. Everyone who works at VEA is wonderful and they all have made my transition from student to doctor quite enjoyable and easy.

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Our Summer 2021 Staff Retreat

“Individual commitment to a group effort — that is what makes a team work, a company work, a society work, a civilization work.”

Vince Lombardi

Last month, doctors and staff members got together on a Saturday for Valley Eye Associates’ 2021 Staff Retreat. They met at Dave and Buster’s in Green Bay for morning training and team building. A guest speaker presented on patient service and the patient experience. They also participated in a scavenger hunt throughout Dave and Buster’s arcade. All together, the VEA team consists of four ophthalmologists, 16 optometrists, 70+ staff members, and five clinic locations, so when the whole team gets together, it’s a special treat!

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Why are staff retreats beneficial?

Kara Plante, the manager of our Business Office, answered, “Our staff retreats allow Valley Eye Associates to become a stronger team as a whole by focusing on practice culture and team-building exercises. They help us build relationships and make sure we are providing the best patient care possible.”

After the morning training session, doctors and staff members met at Sunset Park in Kimberly for some fun in the sun. The after party included food trucks, a kickball tournament, and a charity dunk tank. $186.00 was raised for Feeding America – Eastern Wisconsin. We are grateful for our wonderful team!

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Valley Eye Associates is Best of the Best for 15th Year

Each day, the team at Valley Eye Associates uses the best technology available to give our patients the best vision possible.

While it’s exciting to learn and implement the latest advancements, that isn’t what makes our team look forward to their work. It’s you, our patients. We deeply appreciate the trust you put in us to improve your vision and the way you share your life during your appointments. Your stories about kids and grandkids, the shenanigans of your pets, or the insider tips from the latest trip you took brighten our days!

Because of the bonds we form during your visits, we’re especially honored when you vote us “Best of the Valley” and “Best of Winnebago County” in the LASIK Surgery Center category. You’ve allowed us to share our expertise and for that, we’re sincerely thankful.

Valley Eye Associates has won the Best of the Best contest — sponsored by the Appleton Post Crescent and Oshkosh Northwestern — for 15 consecutive years in the Valley and for five consecutive years in Winnebago County. We plan to work hard to ensure we continue to earn this honor from the communities we serve.

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Get to Know Dr. Parisa Sobhi

Where did you go to optometry school?

The Illinois College of Optometry

What is your favorite thing about being an optometrist?

I enjoy helping patients understand their vision solutions and love explaining their ocular health to them.

What are your hobbies?

My hobbies include dining out, going on road trips, listening to audiobooks, and shopping for new outfits.

What is your favorite holiday and why?

My favorite holiday is Christmas because it makes my heart warm when it’s cold and I love the decorations.

Where would you love to travel to?

Bora Bora

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Get to Know Dr. Sara Schalk

Sara Schalk, OD

What is your favorite thing about being an optometrist?

My favorite thing about being an optometrist is the one-on-one interactions with my patients, many of whom we get to know over the years.

What are your hobbies?

My hobbies are reading, playing with my kids, and outdoor activities such as camping, skiing, biking, hiking, backpacking, etc.

What’s your favorite holiday and why?

My favorite holidays are Christmas—because we usually get together with the whole family—and the Fourth of July.

Where would you love to travel to?

I want to travel everywhere! I want to go back to Greece, go to Ireland, and see more of the National Parks out West—particularly hiking the Grand Canyon.

What has been your favorite thing about working at VEA?

My favorite thing about working at VEA is our great team! I love the people I work with and knowing that we are helping people every day.

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Get to Know Dr. Kimberly Landwehr

Kimberly Landwehr, OD

We’re celebrating Dr. Kimberly Landwehr’s 17th anniversary at Valley Eye Associates!

What is your favorite thing about being an optometrist?

My favorite thing is my patients! I have met so many people, each with a different story. I look forward to catching up on their family and adventures every visit!

What are your hobbies?

Right now, my hobbies are my three kids! I watch a lot of basketball, baseball, and softball games. I also love going to Brewer games and crafting with my daughter.

What’s your favorite holiday and why?

My favorite holiday is Halloween. My middle child was also born on Halloween!

Where would you love to travel to?

I’d love to travel to Australia!

What has been your favorite thing about working at VEA?

I have the best co-workers! I also love that every appointment is something different, could be an exam, a surgery evaluation, a post-op, foreign body removal, contact lens fitting, the list goes on!

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What It Means to Us to Be Voted the Best LASIK Surgery Center in the Best of The Valley and Best of Winnebago County

At Valley Eye Associates, we are honored to be voted “Best of the Valley” and “Best of Winnebago” in the LASIK Surgery Center category for 14 years in a row. The Appleton Post Crescent and Oshkosh Northwestern publishers have hosted the contest over the past several years. We are humbled and value the confidence the community has placed in us.

“For the doctors and staff at Valley Eye Associates, it means the world to us to be able to share our expertise with our neighbors and friends who have entrusted us with their eyecare. We take the responsibility seriously. Since 1981, we have proudly served the Fox Valley and beyond with a singular focus on eye care excellence for each of our patients,” says Dr. Michael Vrabec.

We bring together state-of-the-art technology, leading doctors, and a fantastic staff to ensure you receive the best vision care available. Whether you’re interested in routine eye care to help maintain good ocular health, LASIK and other surgical options to help reduce your dependence on glasses and contact lenses, or advanced cataract treatments, Valley Eye Associates is here to ensure your vision is maintained for a lifetime.

Thank you to everyone who voted for Valley Eye Associates in this year’s “Best of the Valley” and “Best of Winnebago County” contests! We’re extremely grateful for all your support and we will continue to strive to provide the best care possible.

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