Staff

At Drake Eye Center, our main responsibility is to provide you and your family with the highest quality eye care. Every patient is given an extremely thorough eye examination and time is always taken to discuss the findings and to address your questions or concerns. At Drake Eye Center, the focus is on you, the patient. We strive to ensure that every patient that walks through our doors is treated kindly and with the utmost respect. We work hard to make certain that every patient has a pleasant experience at our office.

We have provided our services to the residents of Hartselle and all of the wonderful neighboring towns and communities since 2003. We now have the distinct honor of providing that same high level of eye care and eyewear to the citizens of Decatur and Priceville. We look forward to serving you and your family for many years to come.

Dr. Drake was born and raised in Hartselle, where he graduated with honors from Hartselle High School in 1995. Dr. Drake continued his education at UAB, where in 1999, he graduated Cum Laude with a major in Biology and a minor in Chemistry. In May 2003, Dr. Drake received his Doctor of Optometry degree from the UAB School of Optometry. Dr. Drake is an active member of the American Optometric Association and the Alabama Optometric Association.

Drake Eye Center in Hartselle officially opened for business on September 29, 2003. The business remained in the Morgan Shopping Center for a little over 7 years, and at the end of 2010, moved to a newly constructed, free-standing facility. In 2025, renovations began on a 2nd location. This new Drake Eye Center in Decatur/Priceville is located in the Mallard Village Shopping Center.

Dr. Drake has been happily married to his wife Stacy (Strickland), also a native of Hartselle, since 2003. They have two children, a daughter named Brantley (born in 2005) and a son named Jack (born in 2007). In his spare time, Dr. Drake enjoys spending time with family and friends, working out, attending concerts, and he is also an avid sports fan. Dr. Drake and his wife are also members of Grace Chapel Community Church in Cullman.

Dr. Lindsey Elmore Guyse is from Hartselle, AL and graduated with honors from Hartselle High School in 2013. She completed her undergraduate education at Mississippi State University where she graduated Summa Cum Laude with a Bachelors in Biological Sciences with minors in Spanish and Business Administration. In 2021, Dr. Guyse graduated Magna Cum Laude from the University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Optometry (UAB) obtaining her Doctorate of Optometry. After graduation, Dr. Guyse returned to Hartselle and began working at Drake Eye Center.

Dr. Guyse enjoys working in private practice because of the relationships formed in patient care in her local community. She offers services in routine eye exams, contact lenses, eye injuries, eye infections and ocular disease management, such as glaucoma, dry eye and cataracts.

Dr. Guyse has been married to her husband, Jordan Guyse, since June 2021. They have two children, a son born in 2023 and a daughter born in 2025. Dr. Guyse enjoys hiking, water skiing, snow skiing and spending time with her family. They are active members at Lifepoint Baptist Church in Decatur.

Whitney has been a valued member of our team since 2023, serving as the friendly and professional face of our front desk. She enjoys creating a warm, welcoming environment for every patient and takes pride in making each visit a positive experience. She can and will do anything for the doctors, her co-workers, and, most importantly, our patients. Drake Eye Center does not function without Whitney. She has been the office manager for most of her tenure at Drake Eye Center, but she doesn’t just manage. She works as hard as anyone in the office.

Outside of work, Whitney enjoys spending time with her husband, Dustin, and their son, Braydon. She’s also a proud dog mom to Sophie and Patch. In her free time, she loves traveling – especially to sunny, beachside destinations – and has a passion for great food and being outdoors.

Sherry is originally from Cullman and graduated from Fairview High School in 1988. She has been working in the eye care industry since 1989. She has worked in almost every position in an optometry office, but she has primarily been an optician since 2000. Sherry started working as an optician at Drake Eye Center in 2022. She currently serves as the lab manager at the Hartselle location. She has been involved in the optical world for so long that it is not unusual at all for patients to come to Drake Eye Center just because patients only want her to select, fit, and adjust their eyeglasses.

When not at work, Sherry enjoys baking and spending time with her family. She has been married to her husband, Toby, since 1992. Their son, Caleb, is married to Lacey, and they have one son, Zane. Her other son, Colt, is married to Kelli, and they will have a new baby girl in 2026.

Lindsey is a Hartselle native who graduated from Hartselle High School in 2017. She joined our team in 2018, where she worked as an optician for 6 years. Lindsey was away from Drake Eye Center in 2024 and 2025, working as a sales rep for a frame company. In this new career, she traveled extensively and sold her lines to hundreds of opticals around the southeast. She is now back at Drake Eye Center (for good), where serves as the optical manager at the Decatur/Priceville location.

Lindsey devotes her free time to fitness, as well as spending time with friends and family.

Katie was born and raised in Hartselle and still proudly calls it home. She lives here with her husband, Braxton, their son, Maverick, and their two sweet pups, Ryder and Chloe. She joined Drake Eye Center in January 2025 as an optician and genuinely loves what she does. She is a great employee and ultimate team player, always ready to help any way she can. She is never overwhelmed by the moment and always remains calm, even in stressful conditions, which is a real asset when working in a busy optometric practice.

Outside of work, her and her husband run a local inflatable rental business, Jump On It Inflatables, and also serve as youth leaders at their church—a role that Katie describes as “close to our hearts’. When not helping patients or scheduling bounce houses, you’ll likely find her with a coffee in hand, spending time with loved ones, or getting lost in a good book.

Kaylee graduated from Sparkman High School in Harvest in 2021 with honors, placing among the top 10% of her class. She enjoys working in all parts of the office at Drake Eye Center. Kaylee is committed to ensuring all patients receive the high-quality care and service they deserve. Most days you can find her in the optical, where she loves helping people find the perfect frame that they love and in which they feel the most confident.

Kaylee and her husband married in 2023, and they now have 2 cats and a very spoiled dog (which they both love very much!). Outside of work, she enjoys a simple yet meaningful life filled with reading, baking, and walks with her dog. She also cherishes time spent with her loved ones. Whether she’s trying a new recipe or getting lost in a good book, Kaylee finds joy in the cozy everyday activities that bring calm and connection.

Misty is a Morgan County native who graduated from Falkville High School in 2010. She joined the team at Drake Eye Center in 2021, where she works checkout at the front desk and helps as an ophthalmic technician when needed. She is the absolute sweetest and is always wearing a smile, regardless of the situation. She is LOVED by her co-workers and that speaks volumes about her attitude and work ethic.

She married her husband (Drew) in 2015, and they have two beautiful children—a daughter and a son. When she isn’t working, she loves cheering on her children in their academic and athletic endeavors, as well as spending time with her extended family. A country girl at heart, she still loves an outdoor adventure like tubing down the river or exploring a nature trail. Those who know her best know that she loves to laugh with friends and loved ones, but she also has an introverted side.

April Langham was born and raised in Hartselle. She brings years of experience from both the medical field and as a licensed massage therapist. She’s passionate about helping others feel cared for and at ease. April works at the front desk and in the insurance and billing department, where her friendly and approachable nature helps create a welcoming experience for every patient.

April has been married to her husband, Brian, since 2018. She has 3 daughters, Courtney, Heather, and Abbey, and has 2 granddaughters, Blakely and Maggie. Outside of work, she enjoys spending time with her husband, family and friends, ballroom dancing, golfing, and fishing.

Emily lives in Danville and was a graduate of 2004 graduate of Danville High School. She has worked in the medical field since 2006 and joined Drake Eye Center in 2022. She spends the majority of her work day verifying medical and vision insurances for patients’ upcoming appointments, assisting with billing and payments, and helping at the front desk when needed. She is also, as Dr Drake says, the in-house tech person, when we have software and technical difficulties.

Emily is married to Cody, and they have one son, Brantley, along with a plethora of animals. She spends her free time watching Brantley play sports, camping, and also runs a part time photography business (find her on Insta and Facebook).

Sabrina is a native of North Alabama and graduated from Decatur High School. She has been working in the eye care industry since 1999. She began working at Drake Eye Center in 2010. Sabrina works primarily in billing, spending a good bit of her time with insurance filing and reconciliation. She is well versed in all types of medical and vision insurance and is very helpful when patients or staff have questions regarding coverage. Although she is fairly quiet, her kind spirit makes her a pleasure to be around. She is as reliable as anyone in the office and for an employer, there is no greater compliment for an employee.

Sabrina has been happily married to her husband, Danny, since 1983. They have one daughter, Brandi, and one granddaughter, Chanler. In her spare time, Sabrina enjoys swimming and reading. She is also an active member at Midway Church of Christ.

Kris is from Jasper and is a graduate of Walker County High School. She has been employed at Drake Eye Center since 2010. She has been the lead ophthalmic technician for the majority of her tenure. Kris always comes to work with a great attitude and treats each and every patient and co-worker with kindness. She is a very experienced tech and, based on patient history, medical conditions, and complaints, she knows what extra testing the doctors will want before they even ask. Drake Eye Center does not run near as smoothly when Kris is out of the office.

Kris enjoys spending time with her 3 grown children, Daniel, Ben, and Sarah, as well as her sweet little dog, Bentley. She also likes antiques, reading, coffee, taking road trips, relaxing at home, and cooking.

Clara was born and raised in Hartselle, Alabama. She graduated from Priceville High School in 2023 and went on to continue her education at Wallace State Community College. She has been working as an optometric technician since January 2024. She comes to work every day with a smile on her face and a great attitude. She is a major asset at Drake Eye Center and is absolutely loved by the staff and patients.

Outside of work, Clara enjoys traveling with her husband, Garret, and their dog, Frankie. She loves hiking and photographing national parks, but she’s just as happy spending time at home, cooking, baking, and hosting family and friends.

Dayana was born and raised in Chicago, IL where she graduated high school in 2018. She moved to Alabama after meeting her future husband, Oscar, and joined our team in 2025. Dayana has a background in social services and case management and enjoys using her skillset from her previous line of work to provide excellent patient care at Drake Eye Center. She is also a native Spanish speaker.

Although she grew up as a city girl, she enjoys country music, horseback riding, and wearing her cowgirl boots. Dayana is a proud member of Most Merciful Jesus Catholic Church in Madison, AL.

Brooke is a Morgan County native and a 2022 graduate of A.P. Brewer High School. She continued her education at Wallace State Community College, where she earned degrees in Culinary Arts and Hospitality. Her academic background reflects her strong work ethic and passion for service, creativity, and excellence in her field.

Brooke has a deep appreciation for the culinary arts, with a special love for baking and creating memorable experiences through food. Beyond her professional pursuits, she enjoys thrifting for unique treasures and attending live music events and concerts.

In her free time, Brooke values quality time with her husband, Timothy, and their chocolate lab, Luke. Whether traveling, attending car shows, or exploring the outdoors, they enjoy embracing new experiences together.