Four faculty members were hired in 2025 to join the UAB School of Optometry, with three beginning their roles that year and one joining in early 2026. Their expertise strengthens the curriculum, enhances patient care and expands research focus areas, supporting the school’s mission to advance vision science and improve eye care.
Upon joining the faculty, Mallory Wright, OD; Heidi Hernandez, OD; and Andrew P. Plaxco, OD, MPH, FAAO, immediately contributed to the school community. Greenspan, OD, PhD, FAAO, FNAP, joined the faculty in January 2026.
“The search for new faculty was extensive, and I am sure we have hired four of the best in optometry and vision science to join our team,” Dean Kelly Nichols said. “They each bring different experiences and areas of expertise to our program that will benefit our students, patients and UAB’s collaborative research community.”
Three of the four new faculty members joined as assistant professors. Wright, a co-valedictorian graduate of the Southern College of Optometry, completed her residency in primary care at UAB. She has a strong clinical interest in anterior segment disease and primary care optometry.
“UABSO is a tight-knit family that is very welcoming, which is a big reason why I chose to stay and join the faculty,” Wright said.
In her new role, she sees patients in the Primary Care Clinic, the Dry Eye Relief Clinic and at Cooper Green Mercy Health. She is passionate about education and mentoring students. Her love of teaching began as a tutor and teaching assistant and continued during her residency, where she found joy in precepting students.
Hernandez, Class of 2023, returned to her alma mater after completing a rigorous two-year residency in neuro-ophthalmic disease at The Eye Institute at the Pennsylvania College of Optometry, Drexel University. Her advanced training and collaborative experience with neurology and neurosurgery specialists bring a new area of specialty care to the clinical team. She sees patients in the Primary Care Clinic, Adult Binocular Vision Clinic, Neuro-Ophthalmic Disease Clinic and in several community-based clinics.
“I hope to bring the unique clinical and educational experience gained from my residency program back to the school to instruct and inspire the students, as future optometrists, in their own treatment and management of patients with neuro-ophthalmic conditions,” Hernandez said.
Plaxco, a graduate of the Southern College of Optometry, brings a diverse background in clinical care and public health to his new role. His career began with an ocular disease residency at the Memphis VA Medical Center, followed by work with a corneal specialist in private practice in Richmond, Virginia.
He sees patients in the Contact Lens Clinic, Primary Care Clinic and in several community-based clinics.
Plaxco’s interest in education began during his undergraduate studies at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga.
“I had several excellent mentors there and always enjoyed the collegiate atmosphere,” he said. “This was reinforced in optometry school and residency, both of which I enjoyed greatly. I find it very rewarding to work with our students.”
Greenspan joined as a professor, bringing more than three decades of experience in education and clinical care. Prior to joining the UAB School of Optometry, she was an associate professor at the Pennsylvania College of Optometry at Salus University.
Her career began in 1990 as a clinical educator and transitioned to classroom instruction in optics 25 years ago. She said her passion for teaching stems from the way it deepens her own understanding.
“I learn better when I teach, and I learn best from students,” Greenspan said. “They ask questions that challenge me to revisit the literature and expand my knowledge. I love that.”
Her expertise includes optics, vision science, perception, eye movements and clinical care for patients with acquired brain injury. Greenspan said she is eager to contribute to research at UAB, particularly in developing evidence-based vision examination and treatment techniques for patients with stroke and brain injury.
She said she was drawn to UAB by its strong infrastructure and collaborative environment.
With their diverse backgrounds and shared commitment to education, clinical excellence and research, these four educators are already shaping the future of the UAB School of Optometry. Their presence strengthens the school’s ability to prepare the next generation of optometrists, expand access to specialized care and contribute to the advancement of vision science.