Your St. Johnsbury Staff

Dr. Shippee is the owner of Shippee Family Eye Care, P.C. and The Surgical Center at Shippee Family Eye Care.  He has dedicated over two decades to the patients of New Hampshire's North Country and Vermont's Northeast Kingdom.   With extensive clinical expertise and training in glaucoma, macular degeneration, ocular trauma and ocular-systemic disease, he is fully prepared to handle our region's eye care needs. 

Dr. Shippee received his B.S. from Jacksonville University in Jacksonville, Florida and his Doctor of Optometry degree from Southern College of Optometry in Memphis, Tennessee.  He is a current board member of the New Hampshire Optometric Association and an associate member of the American Optometric Association and the Vermont Optometric Association.  Previously, Dr. Shippee volunteered his time and equipment to establish the Hillsborough Clinic in Grenada, West Indies, helping to provide both examination and optical goods for this underserved island community.

When not in clinic, you can run into Dr. Shippee on the hiking trails, waterways or the slopes with his wife Karena or their three children. 

Dr. Karena L. Shippee graduated Summa Cum Laude from Jacksonville University and received her doctorate training at Southern College of Optometry. 

Since 2004, Dr. Shippee has provided quality eye health care for all ages at Shippee Family Eye Care, P.C. Her expertise in treating and managing glaucoma, diabetic complications, macular degeneration, trauma, and eye infections has been invaluable to our community. 

Dr. Shippee is a member of the American Optometric Association, the Vermont Optometric Association, and the Contact Lens and Cornea Section of the AOA. She has served as Vice President, President, and is currently Legislative Chair of the Vermont Optometric Association. 

Dr. Shippee resides in Danville with her husband and three children where she enjoys being involved in her children's school and activities. 

Dr. Phipps received his B.S. degree from Arizona State University in Tempe, Arizona, and his Doctor of Medicine degree from Creighton University in Omaha, Nebraska. He completed his residency in ophthalmology at Penn State University/Hershey Medical Center, in Hershey, Pennsylvania.

Dr. Phipps has practiced in St Johnsbury, VT, and Littleton, NH, since 2000. He received his board certification from the American Board of Ophthalmology in 2001 and was recertified in 2011. He has served as secretary, Vice President, and President of the Vermont Ophthalmological Society, and as President of the Medical Staff at Littleton Regional Healthcare. In 2018, Dr. Phipps completed a 21-month Executive MBA program from Auburn University, in Auburn, Alabama.

Dr. Phipps is a member of the Vermont Ophthalmological Society, the NewEngland Ophthalmological Society, and a Fellow of the American Academy of Ophthalmology. A perpetual student, Dr. Phipps enjoys learning about the latest developments in the treatment of eye disease, and over the years has tried to incorporate the safest and most effective of these into his practice.

Dr. Overturf graduated Magna Cum Laude from the University of Colorado in Boulder, Colorado, and later received her Doctor of Medicine degree from the University of Colorado in Aurora, Colorado. She completed her residency in ophthalmology at the University of South Carolina in Columbia, South Carolina and received her board certification from the American Board of Ophthalmology in 2016.

After residency, Dr. Overturf joined the ophthalmology department at the Suncoast Medical Clinic and St. Anthony’s Hospital in St. Petersburg, Florida. During her time there, she excelled at treating patients with a wide variety of ocular pathologies, including cataracts, glaucoma, uveitis, corneal diseases, and retinal diseases. While in Florida, she also served as Treasurer of the Tampa Bay Ophthalmological Society in 2016. Now, Dr. Overturf is elated to join Shippee Family Eye Care, where she looks forward to continuing her patient-focused practice.

Originally from Littleton, Colorado, Dr. Overturf is excited to be calling Littleton, New Hampshire her new home. She is an avid hiker and skier, and is delighted to be living where she will have ample opportunities to explore the beauty of the Northeast Kingdom. When not adventuring with her Great Dane, Luna, you might find Dr. Overturf visiting a local farmer’s market, cooking up one of her grandmother's recipes, or seeking out a good game of Mahjongg.

Originally from Georgia, Dr. Julia Kitchens graduated magna cum laude from Southern College of Optometry in Memphis, TN in 2019. During school she spent her rotations focusing on post-op care and surgical management at John Kenyon Eye Institute in Louisville, KY and dry eye disease and general optometry at Eyesight Ophthalmic Services in Somersworth, NH. After completing school, she spent three years providing eye care in Missouri but always longed to come back to the New England area. Dr. Kitchens and her husband are excited to experience the Northeast Kingdom together with their four dogs.

Dr. Jennifer Boggie is a 2008 graduate of the New England College of Optometry in Boston, MA, and has been practicing Optometry for over 15 years. Originally from Raleigh, NC, she earned her B.S. in Pre-Professional Biology from Appalachian State University before moving to Boston, MA to pursue her doctorate in Optometry.

She recently re-located to the Northeast Kingdom, having spent the last 15 years practicing in the greater NYC and greater Boston areas. She enjoys practicing primary care optometry, and has a special interest in the treatment and care of glaucoma. She has extensive experience in refractive care, treating and managing ocular surface disease, treatment and management of glaucoma, and co-management of cataract and refractive surgeries.
 
She enjoys the performing arts and the great outdoors, and is looking forward to exploring the trails and activities the NEK has to offer. We are excited to have Dr. Boggie join our practice and look forward to her enjoyment of the NEK quality of life.

Kelli is a Certified Paraoptometric and has worked in the health care field for over 14 years and joined our practice in 2011. Her flexible skill set allows her to solve your scheduling needs while handling her contact lens patient requests. Her enthusiasm and cheerful personality are a perfect match for training patients with new contacts or assisting you in our dispensary. Her diversity allows her to assist in countless responsibilities. Kelli is a Northeast Kingdom native and currently resides in Glover with her husband.

Rita's positive attitude and caring personality are the key to her management success in our Littleton practice. Her ability to create and maintain a positive work environment is extremely beneficial to our team, as well as our patients. With over 20 years of eye care experience, Rita enjoys sharing her vast knowledge and helping guide others to success. As surgical coordinator, Rita will assist you with all your surgical questions and concerns. Her compassionate and attentive manor shows her genuine care for each and every one of our
patients. In her free time, Rita enjoys spending time with her family and friends. We are excited to share her skills and expertise with our community and are confident she will make your experience with Shippee Family Eye Care the excellence in eye care you deserve.

Emily joins SFEC with 20+ years of experience in customer service and healthcare, both clinical and clerical. Her dedication to patient care and experience is especially important to her. Emily’s diverse skillset makes her valuable in all aspects of patient care. Her talents and compassion have been a wonderful addition to SFEC. 

While her NEK roots run deep, she loves to travel when the opportunity arises.  In her free time she enjoys gardening and continues to explore surrounding mountains and lakes, often hiking, kayaking and camping. 

Jennifer is a Certified Paraoptometric and has 13 years of experience as an Eye Care Professional and has proven to be an exceptional asset to our practice. With collegiate education from Champlain College, Lyndon State College and UNH, her education is diverse and speaks to her eagerness to advance. Her ability to learn quickly in a rapidly changing healthcare environment is a reflection of her wealth of knowledge. As one of our billing specialists, Jen is always happy to help answer your insurance questions and concerns. Jennifer resides in St. Johnsbury with her husband and three children.

Kate comes to Shippee Family Eye Care with over 20 years experience in customer service in a multitude of areas. She previously studied psychology at Purdue Global with a focus in the ABA program and working with children with learning and emotional difficulties. When Kate is not at work, she is home with her youngest child and their family pets. They enjoy taking their dogs for hikes and going kayaking during the summer. Kate was born in New Jersey but has lived in Vermont, Virginia, and Nevada. Moving around a lot as a child is something Kate enjoyed and gave her a love for travel and meeting new people. Kate's warm and caring personality is a great addition to our team. We are confident Kate's expertise in patient care will make your experience with our office a great one.

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Matt joined the Shippee Family Eye Care team in the fall of 2016 bringing with him nearly 20 years of optical experience. He started his career in optical in 1999 working as a Registered Dispensing Optician in West Lebanon NH. Since then he has been a member of the New England Contact Lens Society, NH Opticians Society and the Opticians Association of Vermont. He is an ABO certified, licensed optician with extensive knowledge and history dealing with the evolution of spectacle lenses and treatments, as well as knowing how they can benefit each patient's individual needs.

Mariah joins our practice with over five years of customer service experience. She brings with her a positive attitude to the work place while creating an energetic atmosphere. Mariah's kind and caring nature makes her a huge asset to our patient care team. Mariah is a life long resident of the North East Kingdom and is excited to help others in her community.

Samantha joins us with several years of experience in a variety of health care settings. She brings with her a positive attitude and energy that supports her peers and our patients. Samantha has always had a passion for helping others and continuing to grow her knowledge, this really shines through in our clinics.

When she isn't working, she enjoys spending time with her family and going on adventures with her pups here in the Northeast Kingdom. Her upbeat personality and sharp intellect are a great addition to our Shippee Family Eye Care Team!

Emily joins our team as an optician in training.

Jill joins our practice with over 20 years of experience in health care and customer service. Jill is excited to be working in patient care and serving her community. Her patients and coworkers appreciate her caring and companionate nature, we are more than happy to have her on our team. Her optimism and positive attitude are a great addition to ShippeeFamily Eye Care. Jill is a proud Vermont native, born and raised in St.Johnsbury, where she resides with her husband and 3 children. When not working she enjoys outdoor adventures and all that the four seasons have to offer.

Danica come to us with over ten years of customer service experience, a degree in Sociology and Biology from Plymouth State University, and a military background from the US Navy. Danica brings a diverse skillset to our clinic. Danica is excited to be able to assist our patients with their eye care needs. In her free time she enjoys hiking, reading, and spending time with her variety of animals. 

Madison joins our team with 5 years of customer service experience including the health care field. She brings her natural warmth and kind nature to every patient interaction , assuring our patients feel seen and heard.

A native Vermonter, Madison has lived in Vermont her whole life and is newly relocated to the NEK. In her free time, she likes spending time with her daughter and her yellow lab, Tucker.  Madison also enjoys hunting in the fall and spending time with her family back home. Madison's caring and happy to help attitude are a great addition to the SFEC family, and we are excited to have her on the team.

Gabrielle joins our team with over four years of experience with customer service. Gabrielle brings a diverse skill set with positive energy and excellent patient care. Her sharp intellect and keen observation skills make her well suited for patient care.  She has been a wonderful addition to our clinics.

In her free time, Gabrielle enjoys competing her horses, going for runs with her dog, and spending time outdoors.

Talyn joined Shippee Family Eye Care as an ophthalmic technician with over 2 years of customer service experience. She exudes her upbeat and caring personality in combination with a eagerness to learn daily in clinic. She is a quick study and masters skill efficiently.  She is kindhearted in patient care and welcome addition to our SFEC team. Talyn grew up in a small town in the NEK, where she is a part of her local volunteer fire department, giving back to her community. When she is not working and running into a fire, you are likely to find her spending quality time with her family or on an adventure out in the woods. 

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