BS: Biology, University of California, Los Angeles
OD: Southern California College of Optometry, Marshall B. Ketchum University
Post-Graduate Optometric Residency, Primary Care and Geriatrics: Sepulveda Ambulatory Care Center
MPH: Emphasis in Community Health Sciences
Dr. Melissa Contreras, O.D., MPH, FAAO, is a public health-focused optometrist and equity-centered leader with more than 13 years of experience in higher education, clinical care, and healthcare leadership. She currently serves as the inaugural Associate Vice President for the Center for Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Accessibility (IDEA) and Title IX Coordinator at MBKU. In these roles, she leads strategic initiatives that strengthen organizational capacity, foster inclusive excellence, and advance equity-driven change.
Dr. Contreras designed and implemented the university's inaugural interprofessional IDEA course for students. She has extensive teaching experience in medical Spanish, optometric clinical skills, and public health, educating learners across multiple health professions. Her recent scholarly contributions include serving as a commissioned author for the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine's 2024 publication on improving access to myopia care.
She is a Fellow of the American Academy of Optometry (AAO) and the founding Chair of the AAO ¡Salud! Special Interest Group. She also serves as Treasurer of the American Public Health Association (APHA) Vision Care Section and is the past Chair of the Public Health Educators Special Interest Group for the Association of Schools and Colleges of Optometry. Her commitment to community health extends to her service on the Board of Directors for the Blind Children's Center in Los Angeles. Through her leadership, scholarship, teaching, and service, Dr. Contreras works to integrate public health principles across health professions education, preparing future clinicians to advance health equity, improve access to care, and achieve better health outcomes for all.