Staff

Dr. Mark D. Noss is a graduate of the Michigan College of Optometry and has been a Developmental Optometrist and Neuro-Optometry specialist in Traverse City for over 35 years. Dr. Noss works with those children struggling in school, he develops the skills and visual learning strategies necessary to be successful. He also retrains the visual system of individuals that have had a traumatic brain injury or stroke. 

Professional Vocations:

Executive Director of Excel Institute
Vision Consultant to public schools
Co-authored several papers regarding vision as it relates to learning
Requested speaker to parent and professional groups

Professional Affiliations:

American Optometric Association
Michigan Optometric Association
College of Optometry and Vision Development
Optometric Extension Service Foundation
Council of Learning Disabilities
Neuro-Optometric Rehabilitation Association
Brain Injury Network of Northern Michigan

Personal Interests:

Spending time with family and grandchildren
Mountain biking and road cycling
Tennis and volleyball
Bird hunting with my English Setter Layla

Dr. Rebekah Noss Lynch is a graduate of Alma College and the Michigan College of Optometry. Dr. Lynch has been practicing optometry since 2008 and received her training in vision therapy from her father, Dr. Mark Noss. Dr. Lynch became passionate about developmental vision and vision rehabilitation because of the amazing results her patients were having following their vision therapy treatment at the Excel Institute. She is committed to helping children and neuro-rehabilitation patients achieve better vision and stronger visual skills to help them succeed in school and every day life.

Professional Affiliations:

Michigan Optometric Association
American Optometric Association
Clinic Director of Excel Institute
Brain Injury Network of Northern Michigan

Professional Vocations:

Traverse City Chamber Young Professionals
National Cherry Festival Board of Governors

Personal Interests:

Spending time with family
Road cycling and beach volleyball
Reading a good book
Traveling

Brooke Ensing is our lead Vision Therapist. Brooke is a graduate of Saginaw Valley State University where she received her master's degree in Occupational Therapy. Brooke is dedicated to creating a client-centered plan to assist her patients in achieving better visual skills through therapeutic interventions. Her background in Occupational Therapy compliments Vision Therapy in many aspects allowing the therapy to be both engaging and effective.

When Brooke is not in the therapy office, she enjoys spending time with husband and two playful and energetic boys in the beautiful landscape Northern Michigan has to offer. Brooke and her family are hobby beekeepers and enjoy camping and fishing. Brooke is passionate about her career here at the Excel Vision Institute and continues to develop her knowledge base by attending conferences and continuing education opportunities to further her skills and competency as our Vision Therapist.

Affiliations:

Michigan Occupational Therapy Association
American Occupational Therapy Association
Brain Injury Network of Northern Michigan

Interests:

Spending time with family
Beekeeping
Camping
Fishing

Kari Hallead is one of our vision therapists. She is a graduate of Central Michigan University with a Bachelor’s Degree In Speech/Language Pathology. After raising her two daughters, Kari returned to school to earn her Occupational Therapy Assistant(OTA) degree and subsequent certification. In 2018 she completed her Vision Therapist certification and continues to attend conferences and educationals to further her vision therapy skills. As a COTA, she works alongside our OT, Brooke, in providing skilled and engaging therapy sessions for our patients in order to improve school success or retrain the brain and visual system affected by Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI). Kari has a passion for helping people. It is her desire to encourage people and help them to regain function so that they can reach their full potential. Kari and her husband, Tom, came to the area from Ludington, MI in 2019 to join our team.

Professional Affiliations:

Michigan Occupational Therapy Association
American Occupational Therapy Association
Brain Injury Network of Northern Michigan

Personal Interests:

Reading
Spending time with family and friends
Playing cards and games

Erika Brown is our Patient Coordinator. She will be the first one you meet whether it's on the phone scheduling your appointment or greeting you at the front desk for your first visit with Dr. Noss. She also will be assisting with some of your initial testing at that first visit.

Erika and her husband were both born and raised in Northern Michigan and love to enjoy all that it has to offer. They have 2 energetic and beautiful children that keep them extremely busy. She loves the outdoors, gardening, finding fun parks with her kids, do it yourself projects around the house, and spending time with her family.