Dr. Ali Genilo enjoys caring for patients of all ages and abilities, though she has a special passion for working with pediatric patients. A Kansas City native, she earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in Human Biology from the University of Kansas. She received her Doctorate from Southern College of Optometry in Memphis, Tennessee, where she graduated Magna Cum Laude.Â
During her time at SCO, Dr. Genilo was active in various professional organizations and received several honors, including the Outstanding Clinician Award, Clinical Skills Award, and Excellence in Pediatrics and Developmental Vision Award, as well as induction into the Beta Sigma Kappa Honor Society and Gold Key Honorary Optometric Society.Â
During her externship rotations, she trained in the areas of adult primary care, pediatrics, contact lenses, and vision therapy and rehabilitation. She is a member of the American Optometric Association, Kansas Optometric Association, Missouri Optometric Association, Optometric Society of Greater Kansas City, and the College of Optometrists in Vision Development.
Dr. Genilo practices at the Lee's Summit, MO location. She is excited to see you and your family members.
QandA with Dr. Genilo
- 1. Explain how good you are with kids. I love seeing kids! Vision is such an important part of children's learning and development, and I enjoy ensuring that my pediatric patients are using their vision to the best of their abilities, whether that be with prescription glasses, healthy vision habits, or training eye skills in vision therapy.
- 2. Have you done any volunteer work in your community? I was the community service and philanthropy director for my sorority in college, which included planning our chapter's philanthropy events and tracking our members' community service hours. At Southern College of Optometry, I organized the school's blood drives and worked with the Lions Club to support low-income patients who needed assistance paying for eye examinations and glasses. I also volunteered on SVOSH mission trips, providing eye exams and glasses to patients in need in Belize.
- 3. Are you involved in your local church or other religious or community organizations? If so, how? My husband, Austin, and I are parishioners at Cure of Ars Catholic Church in Leawood.
- 4. Pet names and anything interesting about them.  We have a Goldendoodle, Finn, who loves long walks, socializing at the dog park, and cuddling :)
- 5. Tell me about the moment you decided to become an optometrist. From a young age, I knew I wanted to work in a profession where I could care for others, so I always gravitated toward the healthcare field. In 7th grade, my science class dissected cow eyeballs, and that was what initially sparked my interest in eyes specifically! One summer in high school, I had the opportunity to volunteer in an optical department and had the incredible experience of witnessing a little boy received his first pair of glasses. Seeing how his eyes lit up as he saw the world clearly for the first time is what affirmed my decision to become an optometrist!