Doctors & Staff
Meet the experienced and friendly doctors and staff who make Oakmont Eyecare the leading provider of vision care products and services in Cleveland.
Dr. Blake Peterson, OD Practice Owner
Dr. Peterson is a 1976 graduate of Bradley Central High School. He received his Bachelor of Science degree from Middle Tennessee State University and his Doctor of Optometry (O.D.) degree in 1985 from Southern College of Optometry. His internship from 1984-1985 was at the Veteran’s Administration Hospital in Johnson City, Tennessee and OMNI Eye services at Chattanooga, Tennessee.
Dr. Blake Peterson was past president of the Tennessee Academy of Optometry. He is also a member of the Tennessee Optometric Society and a founding member of the American Optometric Society.
His wife, Paula is a Physical Therapist and they have a son, Nicholas and a daughter Kate.
Dr. Peterson is a member and past President of the Cleveland Kiwanis Club. He has also served in several positions in the local Boy Scouts of America and in his church, First Lutheran of Cleveland.
Dr. Kari Hudson, OD
Dr. Kari (Klemm) Hudson graduated from Notre Dame High School and from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga as a William E. Brock Scholar before attending the Southern College of Optometry, where she received her doctorate of optometry in 1996. She completed two internships – one with emphasis on primary care optometry with extensive exposure to contact lens fitting and related pathology and another with emphasis on diagnosis and treatment of ocular disease.
Dr. Hudson has been active member of the American Optometric Association, the Tennessee Association of Optometric Physicians and the West Tennessee Optometric Association, serving as vice president and president of the latter between 1997-2002. She has served on the Health Products Research Contact Lens Panel, the TLC Laser Center of Memphis Advisory Board, and the Omni Eye Services of Memphis Advisory Board. In 2005 Dr. Hudson was honored as one of the Top 40 Under 40 in the Memphis Business Journal. The Alpha Delta Pi Foundation named her the National Volunteer of the Year Award in 2000. She is a provider for the InfantSEE program, providing free eye examines to children under 12 months of age. She has served as a volunteer for Vision USA, the Gift of Sight Program, the Lions Club, the Ronald McDonald House, and has gone on 2 mission trips to Costa Rica to provide free eye exams and glasses. In 2019 Dr. Hudson was selected as one of Chattanooga’s Women of Distinction, an award which honors women based on their civic, cultural, philanthropic, human service, environmental and professional contributions to our community.
Dr. Hudson is married to Jay, who is CEO/Realtor with Jay Hudson Homes-Keller Williams Realty. They have two precious daughters.
SAMANTHA KAPPERMAN, O.D.
Dr. Samantha Macchio Kapperman was raised in Redding, Connecticut and completed her Bachelor of Science at Ursinus College near Philadelphia, PA. She moved to Memphis, Tennessee to pursue her degree in Optometry and graduated magna cum laude from the Southern College of Optometry in 2020. While in optometry school, she was a member of the Beta Sigma Kappa Honors Society, Lions Club, and was selected for the Health Professions Scholarship Program with the United States Army.
After graduation, Dr. Kapperman was commissioned a Captain in the United States Army and served three years as an optometrist at Fort Bragg in North Carolina. There, she provided comprehensive eye examinations for soldiers, veterans, and their family members. She also served as an emergency eye care provider for ocular disease, infections, and trauma that occurred during soldiers’ field training exercises.
She was selected as Officer-in-Charge to manage the clinic operations at one of the Fort Bragg health facilities and earned herself distinguished achievements. In 2023, she was presented with The Meritorious Serve Medal for outstanding optometric care to the soldiers of the 82nd Airborne Division and Special Operation Forces.
Dr. Kapperman completed her military service in July 2023 and is thrilled to join Oakmont Eye Care in Cleveland, TN. She is married to Dr. Conner Kapperman, who is also an optometrist in Chattanooga, TN. They enjoy playing golf, pickleball, cooking, and traveling together.
Meet Our Staff!
Beth-Practice Manager
Linda-Licensed Optician
Angela-Optician
Tina-Certified Ophthalmic Assistant
Darlene-Insurance Clerk
Barton-Lab Assistant
Jess- Front Desk