Michelle Steenbakkers, O.D., F.A.A.O. (Class of 2004)
Biography
Michelle Steenbakkers graduated from Queen’s University with a Bachelor of Science degree in 2000 and went on to complete her Optometry Doctorate (OD) at the University of Waterloo in 2004. While at Waterloo she received the Dr. Irving Baker Award for Clinical Excellence and the Canadian Association of Optometrists Award of Merit.
Upon graduation, Michelle completed two residencies with the University of Houston, the first focused on Community-Based Family Practice and the second, as Chief Resident in Ocular Disease at Bridge Builder’s Eye Clinic.
In 2006, Michelle joined the Family Vision Clinic in Halifax and Dartmouth, Nova Scotia and practiced there until 2010 when she returned to the University of Waterloo School of Optometry & Vision Science to become a Clinical Lecturer and has recently transitioned to an Associate Clinical Professor.
Since graduation, Michelle has embraced an enthusiasm for patient-centered care, continuing education and research. She has delivered over 100 hours of continual professional education and has actively published articles in peer-reviewed journals and publications as well as presented 16 posters, abstracts and papers at international and national conferences. She has published public interest articles on websites and local newspapers and given numerous invited addresses across North America, covering a wide range of topics from “What to Expect: Pregnancy and the Eye” to “Interactive Grand Rounds”, “Glaucoma: First Impressions” She is also actively involved inter-professional promotion and education initiatives.
She embraces new teaching methods, including the production of several videos that provide instruction on clinical techniques.
Dr. Steenbakkers is currently part of the Canadian Assessment of Competence in Optometry (CACO) Eligibility Re- establishment (CER) Panel, and the Association of Regulatory Boards of Optometry’s Council on Optometric Practitioner Education (COPE) as a certified reviewer for courses. She serves on the Canadian Examiners in Optometry, Canadian Assessment of Competence in Optometry, National Item Validation Team and is a National consultant for the Alcon Advisory Board. She has also been extensively involved with the Canadian Examiners in Optometry serving on various committees.
She is a Fellow of the American Academy of Optometry in Primary Care and a member of the Waterloo-Wellington Optometric Society, the CAO and the OAO.
Michelle has been actively involved in the University of Waterloo’s daycare, where her children attend, and she was the creator and organizer of the “Optometry Rack Pack” which has raised over $30,000 for the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation. She is always organizing fundraisers and pulling people together to advance important causes in the community. All of this while raising a young family with three beautiful children Anna, George and Josephine together with her husband Danny.