Dr. James E. Venable, a graduate of East Tennessee State University (‘85), attended optometry school at Southern College of Optometry (’89) in Memphis, Tennessee. He received intern training at the James H. Quillen College of Medicine & V.A. Hospital and the Chattanooga Vision & Perception Center, also in Tennessee. He has been active in intern and resident education throughout his career having held adjunct faculty status at Southern College of Optometry, The University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Optometry, The Michigan College of Optometry at Ferris State University and The Houston College of Optometry. Currently Dr. Venable serves as Vice President for Clinical Programs at Southern College of Optometry in Memphis, Tennessee. Prior to his duties at SCO, he served as Regional Vice President for VisionAmerica / Eye Health Partners of Tennessee where he directed operations and was responsible for on-boarding of new optometric and medical physicians.
Dr. Venable is certified by the College of Optometrists in Vision Development (COVD) where he holds Fellowship status. Dr. Venable is a 30 year member of the American Optometric Association, a past-chair of the Pediatric & Binocular Vision Committee of the AOA, a Fellow of the Tennessee Academy of Optometry (TAO), a Past-President of the Tennessee Association of Optometric Physicians (TAOP), a member of the Association of Schools and Colleges of Optometry (ASCO), a past-chair of the ASCO Clinic Director / Administrators SIG, current chair of the ASCO Government Affairs Committee and has served on Speakers Bureaus for several US ophthalmic equipment and pharmaceutical companies. He currently also serves as an educator and facilitator for Cleinman Performance Partners.
Dr. Venable’s research interests include healthcare informatics and technology in clinical education. He is also working in the area of transforming the clinical practice of optometry for the evolving future of US healthcare. During his tenure as VP of Clinical Programs he has guided efforts of his team to expand patient census by 40% and net revenues by 51%. These efforts have resulted in a 60% reduction in the cost of providing clinical education to the College.
For over 20 years, Dr. Venable has been very active promoting legislation to enhance patient access to optometric care by optometric physicians in Tennessee and several other states.
Dr. Venable has been honored over the years by receiving the Tennessee Association of Optometric Physicians’ Optometrist of the Year Award (2005) and is a four-time nominee of the Memphis Business Journal’s Health Care Hero’s Award for his work in Community Outreach and Healthcare Innovations.