Member Profile – Kate Montealegre, OD
Where are you from?
Shoreview, MN
Where do you currently live?
Lake Elmo, MN
Where do you currently practice?
HealthPartners Eye Care–Arden Hills
What schools did you graduate from (undergrad and postgrad)?
Undergrad: UW–La Crosse
Grad: Indiana University
What do you like to do when you're not working?
Home projects! I love doing things around my house: re-tiling everything to making built-ins for my washer/dryer, painting, messing with my landscaping. I'm looking for the perfect tree–grows fast, doesn't die, not cottonwood–open to ideas. My daughter has also recently gotten me into bedazzling everything we can find and stick gems to. I feel like I'm back in the 90s, and it's fabulous.
What leads you to continue serving your community as an optometrist?
I truly enjoy problem solving a patient's presenting issue and being a part of a collaborative team in a multidisciplinary setting. I like doing the deep dive of trying to sort something out and get someone on the right track to better health and vision. The personal connection with patients makes my day.
If you weren't an optometrist, what would you be?
Literally anything? Carpentry/construction or lawn care. I love working outside. Funny to choose a profession that sits in a dark room indoors all day, huh? Realistically, some kind administrative role or MSL position. I would get out of direct patient care and instead help shape a practice or network and educate my peers.
What drives you to continue your membership with the Minnesota Optometric Association?
Oh the MOA is my jam. I've been on a few sides: first as a student member going to AOA advocacy in DC and seeing political advocacy in action, then as a member OD, and now on the board for the past few years. It is so meaningful and great insight to see all of the work that's done behind the scenes by people that truly care and want to advance our profession at the state and national level.
What fun fact would you like to share about yourself?
I spent a year teaching high school physics on the Texas/Mexico border after graduating from college. Why? I don't know, fell backwards into it. That was one of the hardest years of my life–I gained so much respect for the work that teachers do.
