Marshall B. Ketchum University (MBKU) recognized 11 alumni for outstanding professional achievement, leadership and service during its 2026 Distinguished Alumni Awards, presented as part of the university’s fourth annual Alumni Homecoming Day on Saturday, Sept. 19, at the Fullerton Arboretum.
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Marshall B. Ketchum University’s 2026 Distinguished Alumni
Honorees were recognized across three categories – Distinguished Alumni Award, the Professional Achievement Alumni Award and the Recent Graduate Alumni Award – which honor MBKU graduates whose careers in optometry, physician assistant studies and pharmacy have advanced their professions and communities.
“These 11 honorees didn’t set out to win awards – they set out to solve problems, and that’s exactly what MBKU trains people to do,” said Julie Schornack, OD, MEd, President of Marshall B. Ketchum University. “Watching them stand alongside our Class of 1966, whose service shaped this university’s identity six decades ago, is a reminder that what we build here doesn’t end at commencement; it just keeps finding new places to matter.”
2026 Distinguished Alumni Award
- Sherry Day, OD, ’97 — Assistant professor at the University of Michigan School of Medicine and a 2026 Fulbright Scholar, recognized for more than two decades advancing low vision rehabilitation education, training and research worldwide.
- Weslie Hamada, OD, ’01 — Field marketing leader for IZERVAY® and veteran of Johnson & Johnson Vision, Luxottica, AbbVie and Astellas, recognized for more than a decade of leadership across the ophthalmic and pharmaceutical industries.
- John Larcabal, OD, ’88 — Longtime Norwalk and Brea practice owner and former California Optometric Association president, recognized for more than 50 international humanitarian vision trips and overseeing screenings for more than 400,000 students.
2026 Professional Achievement Alumni Award
- Alicia Feis, OD, ’08 — Dean of the Arizona College of Optometry at Midwestern University and the youngest woman to serve as president of the Associated Schools and Colleges of Optometry.
- Valerie Lam, OD, ’12 — Co-founder of Insight Vision Center Optometry, recognized for building one of California’s fastest-growing private optometry practices around pediatric and neuro-optometric care.
- John Pack, OD, ’91 — San Diego practice owner and professional affairs consultant for Johnson & Johnson, recognized for more than 25 years of patient-centered care and leadership with the San Diego County Optometric Society.
- Marina Su, OD, ’12 — Vice president for clinical affairs and executive director of the University Eye Center at SUNY College of Optometry, and the first person of color to serve as New York State Optometric Association president.
- John Tassinari, OD, ’87 — Chief of pediatrics in the Eye Care Institute at Western University of Health Sciences College of Optometry, recognized for nearly four decades in vision therapy, pediatric optometry and optometric education.
2026 Recent Graduate Alumni Award
- Tiffany Khieu, PharmD, ’21 — Assistant professor of pharmacy practice at MBKU and psychiatric pharmacist at West Anaheim Medical Center, recognized for her work in dual diagnosis and treatment-resistant mental illness.
- Malisha Patel, PA-C, ’23 — Orthopedic surgery physician assistant and founder of lowGPA-C.com, recognized for mentoring the next generation of PA applicants.
- Annabelle Storch, OD, ’19 — Optometrist at UCI Health’s Gavin Herbert Eye Institute and former national American Optometric Student Association president, recognized for continued leadership in organized optometry.
This year’s homecoming also honored the Class of 1966, known among alumni as the “class that served,” on the 60th anniversary of their graduation. Amid the Vietnam War-era Doctor’s Draft, 22 of the class’s 30 graduates entered military service; three deployed to Vietnam, including a Navy aviator who flew more than 80 combat missions. Approximately a dozen surviving classmates reunited for the occasion, which included a color guard tribute in their honor.
About Marshall B. Ketchum University: Marshall B. Ketchum University (MBKU) is an independent, private, non-profit, accredited educational institution located in Fullerton, California proudly preparing the health care leaders of the future through immersive and rigorous academic programs that teach, train and graduate tomorrow’s clinical experts. Established in 1904, more than 100 years later, MBKU today includes three primary schools: 1) Southern California College of Optometry which offers a Doctor of Optometry and a Master of Science in Vision Science degree; 2) its School of Physician Assistant Studies which awards a Master of Medical Science degree; 3) its College of Pharmacy, that offers a Doctor of Pharmacy degree; and 4) its Doctor of Medical Science program, which provides a Doctor of Medical Science degree. With a nationally recognized faculty known for offering the highest level of expertise and experience in clinical education and training; a commitment to introducing students to the latest in technology, diagnosis and treatment; as well as small class sizes and a tight-knit family feel—MBKU graduates become part of a diverse and inclusive alumni group that includes some of the health care industry’s most accomplished researchers, clinicians and teachers. MBKU also provides personalized care to the communities it serves from two state-of-the-art optometry clinics offering comprehensive vision care for all ages, from infants to seniors. Its wide array of services include cornea and contact lenses, pediatric vision, ocular disease treatment and consultation, vision therapy, low vision and more. More services can be found online at the University Eye Center at Ketchum Health Anaheim and University Eye Center at Ketchum Health Los Angeles. Accessible primary care medical services are also available at its Ketchum Health Medical Clinic. To learn more about MBKU’s programs or public clinics visit, https://www.ketchum.edu/ or follow on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn.
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