Providence Eye Doctors

Dr. Susana Chan is a native of Mozambique, Africa, but grew up in Portugal. She graduated summa cum laude from the University of Massachusetts Boston in 1994 with a double major in Biology and Chemistry. She graduated from the State University of New York College of Optometry with a Doctor of Optometry degree in 2001. Dr. Chan completed an internship in Cornea and Contact Lenses at SUNY College of Optometry and an internship in primary care at the Bronx Lebanon Hospital in New York. Before relocating to Rhode Island, Dr. Chan was an associate doctor at NY Laser Group from 2001 to 2006.

She provides comprehensive eye care including routine eye examinations, contact lens fittings, screening for ocular manifestations of systemic diseases, management of anterior segment conditions, glaucoma diagnosis and treatment, and post-operative care of cataract and refractive surgeries. Professional affiliations include the American Optometric Association and the Rhode Island Optometric Association. Dr. Chan is fluent in English, Portuguese, and Spanish, and has been a member of the Westminster Eyecare family since 2006. She resides in Barrington with her husband and two sons, and enjoys reading, exercising, and spending time with her family.

Dr. Theresa Colonna is originally from upstate New York and attended the State University of New York College at Oswego with a major in Chemistry. She received her Doctor of Optometry degree from the State University of New York College of Optometry in Manhattan, NY. She was a member of the beta Sigma Kappa Honor Society and received awards for academic and clinical excellence. Dr. Colonna was an active member and president of the student division of the Lion’s Club and has also been involved in the Special Olympics Opening Eyes program which provides free eye exams to participants of the Special Olympics. Dr. Colonna has completed internships in primary care, ocular disease, and geriatric care at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in New Haven, CT and the OMNI Eye Services in New Jersey. She is residency trained in ocular disease and geriatric care from the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Boston, MA and published a poster presentation on Ocular Melanoma. Dr. Colonna has been on staff at Westminster Eyecare Associates since 2002 and has experience in primary eye care, treatment and management of ocular disease, contact lens fitting, and post-operative care of ocular surgery. Dr. Colonna is a member of the American Optometric Association. She is a member, and past board member, of The Junior League of Rhode Island, a volunteer organization which works to improve the lives of women and children in the state.

Dr. Sarah Guarascio is originally from Long Island, New York. She attended Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island where she received a Bachelor of Science degree in Neuroscience. Dr. Guarascio received her Doctor of Optometry degree from the State University of New York College of Optometry in Manhattan. She was a member of the Beta Sigma Kappa Honor Society and a two-time recipient of the Schnurmacher Merit Scholarship during her four years in optometry school.

Dr. Guarascio completed training in primary eye care, ocular disease including pre- and post-operative management, pediatrics, low vision services, specialty contact lenses, and vision therapy. Her experience includes internships at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Northport, New York, Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland, a cornea and contact lens specialty private practice in Rochester, New York and the University Eye Center in New York, New York. She has traveled on a mission trip with Unite for Sight to Accra, Ghana where she provided eyecare to patients in remote villages in underserved communities.

Before relocating to Rhode Island, Dr. Guarascio was an associate optometrist at Advanced Eye Care Center, a medically based private practice with locations in Port St. Lucie and Fort Pierce, Florida, for two years. She joined the staff at Westminster Eyecare Associates in August 2017. She enjoys spending time with friends and family, indoor cycling/spinning classes, and golfing with her husband.

Dr. Jacob Hettinger is originally from Lansing, MI. He received his undergraduate degree in Human Biology from Michigan State University in East Lansing, MI. He then attained his degree in Optometry from the Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences University in Worcester, MA.

Dr. Hettinger completed internships at the Veteran Affairs Medical Center in Huntington, WV; Clayton Eye Center in Morrow, GA; and Fenway Community Health Center in Boston, MA. He then completed a one-year residency in primary eye care and low vision with emphasis in ocular disease through the Veteran Affairs Medical Center in Columbus and Chillicothe, OH. He has presented on various ocular pathologies including ocular melanomas and maculopathies. In his spare time, he enjoys hiking, traveling, and swimming.

Dr. Leanna Olennikov is one of our optometrists at Westminster Eyecare Associates in Providence, RI. She is excited to treat our patients and give the best care possible to make sure everyone has healthy eyes

Dr. Tina Parker is a native of California. She received her Doctorate of Optometry from the New England College of Optometry in Boston, MA., and her Bachelor’s Degree in Chemistry with a French minor from California State University, Fresno, CA. She has also completed intensive coursework from the University of Sorbonne in Paris, France. After graduation, Dr. Parker completed her optometric internships in primary eye care at the Dorchester House Community Health Center, the Lahey Clinic, the South Boston Community Health Center, the VA Hospital in Fresno, CA, and a Specialty Contact Lens Internship at the New England Eye Institute in Boston. Her specialty in contact lens fittings include patients with Keratoconus and other corneal irregularities.

Dr. Parker has received the prestigious F. Dow Smith Award by the faculty for exceptional leadership potential, as well as the Pediatric Optometric Award for excellence in pediatrics. She received a diploma for her Pediatric Residency training in primary eye care, contact lenses, and Vision Rehabilitation from the New England College of Optometry. Her pediatric internships included the Cotting School for the Physically Handicapped, Dimock Health Center, Perkins School for the Blind, Spaulding Rehabilitation Center, and the New England Eye Institute for Specialty examinations, contact lens fittings, and Vision Rehabilitation. She was granted research moneys for her work in Binocular Vision, and has completed certifications from the Lighthouse Low Vision Course in Manhattan, NYC, and the Nancibell Visualizing and Verbalizing Program for reading.

Dr. Parker has been in private practice since 1999, and has volunteered her professional services for the National Eye Institute for public education on Low Vision, the New Bedford Health Center, and local schools. She is a member of the Optometric Extension Program foundation and the college of Vision Development, and is licensed to practice in Massachusetts and Rhode Island. She is an advocate for children and reading, and is a supporter of a nationwide tennis program for children with Autism called “ACEing Autism”.

Her hobbies include family, music, eating organic healthy foods, dance, Broadway, theatre, exercising, tennis, history, movies, French, enjoying life, smiling and laughing!

We are proud to have Dr. Kayla Rose as one of our optometrists at Westminster Eyecare Associates in Providence, RI. Dr. Rose is a caring and thorough doctor who pays attention to all her patients’ needs