Midwest Born and Bred
See the Difference
Experience Heartland Optical
The Heartland Family
At Heartland, family isn’t a term we throw around loosely. Every member of our team plays a very specific role within the Heartland ecosystem and while roles vary, the common denominator among all team members is passion. We pride ourselves on our shared passion for eyecare, our years of extensive experience, and our reputation for the team that gladly welcomes challenges.
Join the Team
Casey Conrad
Tom Conrad
Dr. Jennifer Wemhoff
Dr. Jennifer Yager
Dr. Dennis Kappenman
Dr. Paul Lackore
Erica A.
Morgan B.
Jana B.
Michelle B.
LaRhonda C.
Cara D.
Ana F.
Joel F.
Kelli H.
Mike H.
Pati H.
Jean J.
Lori J.
Jennifer K.
Maranda K.
Bre L.
BJ M.
Karen P.
Brian S.
Hannah T.
Roxana T.
Courtney T.
Lisa W.
Jan “Squirrel” W.
CEO | Owner
Casey Conrad
Casey has been in the optical business ever since he could walk and talk. He is a master at adjusting glasses and can pick up a conversation with anyone. Casey loves movies; some day he will direct one! Casey has a passion for the continued growth of North 27th Street. He is the President of the North 27th Street Business and Civic Association.
President | Owner
Tom Conrad
Tom earned his law degree from the University of Nebraska College of Law. During college, he spent a semester abroad at Oxford College in England. Shortly after college, the family business beckoned him back and it’s been his home ever since. Tom is our go-to-guy, problem solver, and master negotiator. Don’t let his tough exterior fool you, in addition to being a CenterPointe board member, he has a generous heart.
Optometrist - Lincoln East
Dr. Jennifer Wemhoff
Dr. Wemhoff was born and raised in Columbus, Nebraska. She received her Doctorate in Optometry from Indiana University School of Optometry. She is a member of the American Optometric Association and Nebraska Optometric Association. She likes being active with soccer being her favorite sport to play. She enjoys spending her free time with friends and family, as well as traveling.
Optometrist - Lincoln
Dr. Jennifer Yager
Dr. Yager was raised in Thedford, Nebraska and received her Doctorate in Optometry from Indiana University School of Optometry. She started practicing optometry in 2001 and loves the excitement her patients experience when they can see better. In her free time, Dr. Yager loves attending her kids’ sporting events (there are six girls in her family!), going for walks, reading and an occasional Big Mac from McDonald’s.
Optometrist - Lincoln
Dr. Dennis Kappenman
Dr. Kappenman was raised in Columbus, Nebraska and received his Doctorate in Optometry from Southern College of Optometry in Memphis, TN. He has been in practice since 2001 and loves caring for and helping others. Several years ago he participated in a mission trip to Ghana, Africa. During his month-long trip, he was able to help hundreds of residents receive the vision care and medicine they needed. He’d love to go back! In his free time, he enjoys traveling and spending time with his family.
Optometrist - Grand Island
Dr. Paul Lackore
Dr. Lackore has lived in Aurora, Nebraska since 1992. He received his Doctorate in Optometry from Indiana University School of Optometry. Prior to attending Indiana University, he earned his Bachelor’s degree in biology from Nebraska Wesleyan University. Dr. Lackore has been a member of the Nebraska Optometric Association and the American Optometric Association for nearly 30 years. He serves on the city council, is active within his church and enjoys being with family and staying active.
Bilingual Optician - Lincoln
Erica A.
Erica loves staying busy at Heartland; there’s always something to do or someone to help. Erica fluently speaks both Spanish and English. She enjoys styling, coloring and cutting hair. She is very close with her family and spends as much time together as possible.
Optician & Contact Lens Expert - Lincoln
Morgan B.
Morgan’s favorite part of working at Heartland, are the laughs; the jokes are pretty okay too. She feels comfortable with the team and can be her true self. Interestingly, Morgan hates wearing shoes. Even in the winter, you’ll see her wearing sandals inside. She also drinks more milk than any adult human. Morgan loves her pup and other animals and knows that a room full of puppies would be heaven.
Safety Account Manager
Jana B.
Team camaraderie amongst the team is Jana’s favorite part of working at Heartland. She never encounters a dull moment and she laughs the most at work. Interestingly, Jana dislikes both horses and hugs, but also loves Metallica. Jana is addicted to skydiving and enjoys spending her free time playing with her little (BIG) pups.
Bilingual Optician - Grand Island
Michelle B.
If you call our office or stop by, chances are you’ll be greeted by Michelle. Michelle was born and raised In San Francisco, CA and loves music and dancing. She speaks both English and Spanish and loves that she learns something new about the optical industry every day!
Optician - Lincoln
LaRhonda C.
LaRhonda has spent most of her adult life perfecting her skills as an optician. She was born and raised in Lincoln but spent many years in Omaha; she’s excited to be back! Besides helping others, she loves learning new things about lenses and the optical industry. In her free time, LaRhonda loves to travel, quilt and sew. She hopes to return to Martha’s Vineyard some day.
Practice Administrator
Cara D.
Cara’s favorite aspect of the Heartland team is the amount of experience, knowledge and teamwork found throughout the office. She’s also a fan of the jokes. Cara’s sister is her best friend – their families are very close and so, Cara’s family moved to Waverly in 2018 to live a few houses away. In her spare time, Cara loves being on the move and staying busy – you can often find her trying new restaurants, wineries and breweries.
Bilingual Optician - Grand Island
Ana F.
Ana is happy to be back in the eyecare industry after a few years away. She speaks both English and Spanish. When she is not preparing patients for our doctor, you’ll find her helping our patients find the perfect pair of glasses. She loves the friendly and welcoming atmosphere at Heartland Optical. She is excited to put her experience to the test and help grow other coworkers and help patients at the same time.
Lab Manager
Joel F.
If Joel had to pick his favorite part of working at Heartland, he would choose the variety within the team. Similarly, he also loves the variety of burritos found at gas stations and has found great success with the potato diet. In his spare time, Joel enjoys caring for his lawn and being handy in general – this guy can fix just about anything.
Billing Specialist - Lincoln
Kelli H.
Kelli loves working at Heartland and shared that the people are the best she’s ever worked with. Interestingly, she refuses to wear a coat, even in the winter. In her spare time, Kelli enjoys neighborhood bars and spending time with her family.
Certified Optician - Lincoln
Mike H.
When asked what he likes most about working at Heartland Optical, Mike replied with “everything!” He loves the patients, the equipment, the trust, the knowledge and talent of every other team member. Mike is ABO Certified and has served as the President of the Nebraska Optometric Association’s Optician Division. His goal is to be recognized as the best Optician in the United States. In his free time, you’ll find Mike training for his next Iron Man race or spending time with his family.
Ophthalmic Technician- Lincoln
Pati H.
Pati has been in the optical industry nearly all of her adult life and loves the challenges the industry brings. Pati helps prepare our patients for our doctors and has helped with contact lens ordering and training for nearly 15 years. In her free time, she enjoys walking, traveling and spending time with friends and family. Pati loves Mexican food!
Optician - Lincoln
Jean J.
Jean loves everything about being an optician…. talking with patients, picking out glasses, adjustments and repairs; you name it, she loves it all! In years past, Jean and her husband owned one of the most iconic bars in downtown Lincoln, P.O. Pears. Now that she has free time, she loves to travel!
Optician - Lincoln
Lori J.
Lori was destined to be an Optician. She loves catching up with patients that she’s helped for many years. She has an insanely great memory. From the patient’s name to what they like; she remembers it all! She loves working out and spending time with her grandkids…. her kids are okay too 🙂
Patient Care Coordinator - Lincoln
Jennifer K.
Jennifer loves working with her teammates; especially Karen. Not everyone knows that Jennifer sang opera in college. In her spare time, she likes doing laundry. Lots of laundry. And, spending time with her family.
Optician - Grand Island
Maranda K.
Maranda loves working with kids and learning about each unique personality. She enjoys seeing patient’s excitement when putting on their glasses for the first time. Maranda likes DIY projects. She always thinks she can make it herself for less money!
Ophthalmic Technician- Lincoln East
Bre L.
Do you have an appointment scheduled with one of our docs? Chances are, Bre is the gal preparing you for your visit. She loves being part of a team and helping people every day. Bre loves to clean! In a previous life, she owned her own cleaning business. On the weekend, you’ll find her spending time with her family and watching medical or crime shows.
Optician/Technician - Lincoln East
BJ M.
BJ loves helping our patients to see better. Whether it be caring for patients alongside our doctors or fixing, adjusting or picking out frames; he simply loves helping. Because of BJ’s extensive experience in our industry, you’ll find him in several areas of our office. In his free time, he likes to sing with a Barbershop Quartet, help at the Lincoln Community Playhouse, and go camping with his wife.
Patient Care Coordinator - Lincoln East
Karen P.
Karen loves being around people and noise which we have plenty of! Fun fact – Karen won a scholarship to college for winning a couple of typing contests. At her best, she could type 131 words per minute. When she’s not at Heartland HQ or typing rigorously, Karen enjoys quiet evenings with her husband, Bill, and playing the card game, canasta, with her sisters.
Lab Technician
Brian S.
Brian’s favorite part of working at Heartland is his continuous growth opportunities – he loves the challenge. Even though he’s been in the industry for over 20 years, there’s always something new. A true people person, he can make friends with anyone. Be cautious if you find yourself needing to out-jump Brian. For the last 27 years, he has held the high jump record at Lincoln Pius X. In his spare time, Brian fantasizes about spare time. Brian has six kids, chickens, two great danes, and two cats #sleepWhenYourDead
Optician - Lincoln
Hannah T.
Hannah loves helping people! She loves the optical industry because it allows her to make meaningful connections with others. Her goal is to be the bright spot in someone’s day. She loves being an aunt to eight awesome nieces and nephews. You may remember Hannah from the Lincoln Children’s Zoo; from guest services to driving the train! Hannah has a slight obsession with elephants.
Bilingual Optician - Grand Island
Roxana T.
If you call or stop by, chances are you’ve been greeted by Roxana. She speaks both English and Spanish. Roxana loves helping people and will do anything possible to do so; often times learning something new in the meantime! In her free time, she enjoys cooking for her family.
Ophthalmic Technician- Lincoln
Courtney T.
Courtney works alongside our doctors and helps prepare patients for their eye exam. She truly loves helping people and the medical industry has definitely fulfilled this for her. Growing up in a military family, she has been able to live on both coasts. Courtney loves being a dog mom and enjoys spending time fishing or kayaking; anything outdoors! She’d love to learn how to play acoustic guitar this year.
Optician - Lincoln East
Lisa W.
You will find Lisa at our new Lincoln-East location! Lisa moved to Lincoln from Iowa City in 2023 and has spent most of her career in the optical industry. Lisa earned superhero status after raising six boys. She loves staying active, spending time with her family and helping and serving others. She has a fun, kind spirit that can brighten anyone’s day.
Lab Technician
Jan “Squirrel” W.
Squirrel loves getting daily hugs from Brian, Mike and Casey. Her nickname is the best and she’s fully embraced it. In her free time, she likes gardening, bird watching and, of course, squirrels.
