Meet Our Staff

Kristin joined Lakeside Family Eye Care in 2012 after earning her Medical Administration degree. Prior to that she spent almost 20 years in the Telecommunications and Fiber Optics field managing customer installations and services. She has been fortunate enough to find a workplace that offers a healthy balance between work and family life. She thoroughly enjoys learning about the optometric field and the changing technologies that continue to improve patient care. Her and her husband moved to Prior Lake in 2001 where they have raised their son and Weimaraner, Baron. They truly love loving in this community! In her spare time, she enjoys photography, paddle boarding, kayaking, working out, bonfires, reading, time with family and friends, and cheering on our MN sports teams!

Carol was born and raised in South Minneapolis. She now resides in Prior Lake with her husband Brian, son Harrison, and daughter, Gillian.  She enjoys spending time “treasure hunting” at thrift shops, garage sales, and antique shops. She just “really likes to look” is what she tells her husband anyways! Carol has been in optical since 1996. She learned most of her skills from her dad and friends who had been in the business for over 40 years. She got her ABO Certification in 2001 and continues to learn new ways to help you look and see better! One of her favorite things about her job is fixing and adjusting glasses. She takes great pride in being part of a small business and looks forward to “Giving you a better Outlook”!



Nicole has been in the optical field since 1994 and has enjoyed working in every area of the clinical setting yet is amazed to still learn something new every day! She has been recognized by the American Board of Opticianry as a certified optician and by the American Optometric Association as a certified paraoptometric. Her main goal is to always provide the highest quality of personalized service to each patient. She joined the Lakeside family in June 2020. Nicole and her husband reside in Waconia with their 2 children and dog Rocky. In her free time, she enjoys winter beach vacations, summers spent at the cabin, boating, swimming, reading and spending time with her family and friends. 

Michele joined the Lakeside family in 2017 and feels incredibly blessed to be a part of a group that feels like family. She grew up in the Mankato area and got her start there at Duling optical in 1992. Certification came a few years later with her friend and now again co-worker, Carol. Michele loves all things sports, especially the MN Gophers…SKI U MAH! And is passionate about animal rescue. She would have about 15 dogs if her fiancé would let her! She currently lives in Burnsville with her fiancé Barry and rescue pupper Calli.

Karie joined Lakeside Family Eye Care in 2022 as a certified technician. She was born and raised in South Minneapolis, and now lives in Lakeville. Karie comes with 20+ years of experience in the optical field. She is Certified Paraoptometric Assistant (CPOA), American Board of Opticianry (ABO) and National Contact Lens Examiners (NCLE) certified. She likes to spend time with her friends, family and her 14 year old dog Bianca. What Karie loves the most about her job is watching people try their glasses/contact lenses for the first time, and seeing their excited reactions on how well they can see!

Gina joined Lakeside Family fall of 2023 after her move back to Minnesota from Florida. She loves spending time with family as well as all things energy, body, mind and spirit related.
Weekends are spent doing energy work at local expos, retreats, and wellness centers. Her favorite part of both energy work and being a receptionist are the people she meets along the way.

Cara joined Lakeside Family Eye Care in the winter of 2023. She recently moved to Prior Lake with her fiancé and their 3 beautiful children and her cat Teddy. She has used her cosmetology license to pursue medical aesthetics, where she quickly discovered her passion for working with people. She has previous experience in the optical industry as well.

In her spare time, she loves to read, decorate, draw, play piano, travel and spend quality time with friends and family.

Traci joins Lakeside Family Eyecare after ten years in the specialty coffee industry. She lives in Prior Lake with her spouse Ian and their dogs, Esme and Reggie, and their cats, Zuuly and Wallace. They love spending time outside, cooking, and getting together with family.

In her downtime, Traci loves to bake (especially cookies!), listen to music, solve any kind of puzzle, and “nerd out” over coffee. She is excited to continue to grow and learn in a new field and serve the community she calls home.

Gabe joined Lakeside Family Eye Care in the summer of 224. He comes with
15 years experience in the optometry field. During that time he’s
expanded his knowledge of all things eyes, and developed a passion for
people and helping them see.

Gabe was born and raised in South Minneapolis, went to school in
Bemidji, and now resides in Eagan with his cat, Wrigley. He’s a big Cubs
fan, but we don’t hold that against him. He likes to spend his free time
with friends and family, he enjoys hopping on a plane for a quick
weekend trip that he plans on a Thursday night. Enjoys playing golf
(although he hasn’t kept score in a while) watching sports and keeping
up to date on Survivor, or whatever is all the craze on streaming.

Angela joined Lakeside Family Eye Care in the summer of 2024 with eight
months of optical experience. Although she is new to the field, she has
enjoyed learning and is eager to continue to grow. Before starting her
career in optical, she spend many years working at a doggy daycare. She
has spent most of her life in the south suburbs and currently resides in
Farmington with her husband, two children and their three dogs, Emma,
Gizmo and Bam Bam.

In her free time, Angela enjoys doing random crafting, grilling and
spending time with her family and friends.