Dr. DeKinder is Director of Academic and Programs, Director of Residencies, and Chief of Contact Lens Services.  Her primary clinical responsibilities include attending students in several contact lens clinics and working with the Cornea and Contact Lens Resident.  She teaches in the Introduction to Contact Lenses course and Specialty Clinic Laboratory. 

Dr. DeKinder conducts contact lens research. She completed a Cornea and Contact Residency at the University of Missouri-St. Louis College of Optometry in 2005. She is a fellow of the American Academy of Optometry and a member of both the American Optometric and Missouri Optometric Associations. Dr. DeKinder serves as the faculty advisor for Beta Sigma Kappa and SVOSH. She serves as a member of the Residency Committee for the American Academy of Optometry, the Residency Committee for Accreditation Council on Optometric Education (ACOE), and the Part I Exam Development Committee for the National Board of Examiners in Optometry (NBEO).  She currently services as Secretary for the Association Optometric Contact Lens Educators (AOCLE).