For Immediate Release
Executive Director, SECO International
770-451-8206
info@secostaff.com
SECO International Announces 2026 Leadership Team
Distinguished Optometry Leaders to Guide One of the Profession's Largest and Longest-Standing Optometric Congresses
ATLANTA, GA -- SECO International, one of the largest and longest-standing continuing education events for optometry, with more than 100 years of history, has announced its 2026 officer slate, bringing together accomplished leaders committed to advancing optometric education and excellence in patient care.
"SECO is not just a conference - it's a community. It's where our profession comes together across states, generations, and experiences to learn, lead, and move forward together."
Dr. David Rouse, President of SECOThe leadership team represents decades of combined experience in clinical practice, optometric advocacy, and professional education:
2026 SECO International Officers
President
Dr. David Rouse
Co-founder and owner of Rouse Family Eye Care in Sunrise, Florida, Dr. Rouse brings over three decades of patient-centered optometric care to his leadership role. He currently serves as Chairman of the Florida Board of Optometry and is actively involved in shaping the profession through the Florida Optometric Association and the Southern Council of Optometrists. A Fellow of the American Academy of Optometry and Diplomate of the American Board of Optometry, Dr. Rouse is also an adjunct faculty member at Nova Southeastern College of Optometry. His dedication to excellence has earned him multiple professional honors, including the Florida Optometric Association's Optometrist of the Year and the prestigious Edward K. Walker Optometrist of the Decade Award.
President-Elect
Dr. D. Matthew Burchett
Since 2002, Dr. Burchett has practiced with the Eye Care Center in Richmond, Kentucky, and is a Diplomate of the American Board of Optometry with extensive leadership experience in organized optometry. He previously served as President of the Kentucky Optometric Association (2013-2014) and currently chairs the Medicaid Technical Advisory Committee while serving as Third-Party Chair. At the national level, Dr. Burchett served on the American Optometric Association's State Government Relations Committee for 10 years, lecturing at events and providing guidance to states in advancing optometric practice. He has also volunteered with the Special Olympics Opening Eyes program and provided care at the St. Pious X Vision Clinic in Kingston, Jamaica.
Vice President
Dr. Brad Lane
Co-owner of Appalachian Eye Care in West Virginia, Dr. Lane is a graduate of the Pennsylvania College of Optometry who also holds an MBA and a Master's in Instructional Design. A Diplomate of the American Board of Optometry, he serves on several national boards, including the Optometry Cares Foundation. Dr. Lane is a past president of the West Virginia Association of Optometric Physicians and a frequent contributor to AOA Focus magazine. Deeply committed to education and community service, he serves as Vice Chairman of the Concord University Board of Governors and has funded multiple student scholarships.
Treasurer
Dr. Patricia Walker
Dr. Walker received her Doctor of Optometry from Northeastern State University Oklahoma College of Optometry in 1996 and completed her residency at the Memphis Veterans Affairs Medical Center. She earned her Master of Business Administration with an emphasis in Healthcare from Christian Brothers University in 2024. Currently serving as Chief of Adult Primary Care Services at The Eye Center at the Southern College of Optometry, Dr. Walker is past president of the Tennessee Association of Optometric Physicians and brings extensive co-management surgical experience from her work in referral centers in Alabama and Tennessee.
Secretary
Dr. Lori Roberts Hauser
Dr. Lori Roberts Hauser is the owner of Aiken Eye Care in Aiken, South Carolina, which she founded in 2022 after 17 years of practice in Charleston. She is a past president of the South Carolina Optometric Physicians Association and has served in numerous leadership roles, including legislative chair, trustee, and president of the Coastal Carolina Optometric Society. At the national level, she has contributed to the American Optometric Association through service on multiple committees, including the Communications Excel Committee, membership, and new technology initiatives, and is a recipient of the Southern Council of Optometrists Young Optometrists of the South Award and the AOA Distinguished Leader Award.
Immediate Past President
Dr. Tim Barry
A 1994 graduate of UAB School of Optometry, Dr. Barry has dedicated his career to optometric advocacy and scope advancement. As a third-year student in 1993, he was instrumental in helping pass Louisiana's first therapeutic law. As President of the Louisiana Optometric Association, he led efforts to expand scope to include all orals, narcotics, and injections. Dr. Barry served on AOA's State Government Relations Committee and as PAC Chairman in Louisiana, earning the AOA PAC Chair of the Year Award.
For over a century, SECO has been deeply committed to advancing the eye care profession.
That's more than 100 years of delivering top-notch education and hands-on training; creating opportunities to forge meaningful connections and impactful partnerships; and providing access to the latest research, innovations, and techniques in eye care.
As a mission-driven, non-profit organization, SECO continually reinvests in programs that support and strengthen the profession, delivering an event rooted in authenticity and purpose.
Built by the profession, for the profession, SECO stands apart in a landscape of for-profit conferences and remains a premier annual gathering for thousands of eye care professionals, industry leaders, and allied healthcare providers.
In addition to its flagship annual congress, SECO continues to expand its educational reach through strategic collaborations, including the Eye to Eye Las Vegas program in partnership with the Association of Armed Forces and Federal Optometric Services (AFOS).
For more information about SECO International, contact info@secostaff.com.