Our doctors
Having made work a family affair, a lot of Dr. Lisa’s spare time is spent making sure that the business is successful. She does enjoy some down time, of course.
Spending time with her family is number one. Both kids are outgoing and involved in extracurricular activities in which she likes to share. When she’s not at work and the kids are at school, she loves being outdoors and especially likes working in the yard.
You can also find her in spin class at the YMCA or biking with Dr. Scott!
Dr. Scott E. Gontarek is a down to earth, caring optometrist who wants only the best for his patients. A native of Hastings, MN, he earned his bachelor’s degree in physiology at Northern Michigan University. In 1998, he earned his doctorate from Southern College of Optometry in Memphis, TN.
These experiences gave Dr. Scott the opportunity to hone his skills under different conditions. Time management was essential in the high volume practice, administrative abilities were critical to running his own practice, and co-management of surgical patients important in clinical experience as well as good communication. All of these skills have helped him to build his current practice in Western Branch and continue to allow him to grow Gontarek Eye Care with Dr. Lisa.
Dr. Scott moved with his family to Chesapeake in 2003. He agreed that the support of family is invaluable and knew that in order to realize the goal of opening their own practice they would need lots of help. Not to mention that living near so much water would mean the possibility of boating and fishing! Dr. Scott has become well known in the Western Branch area and will certainly become so in the Oak Grove/Greenbrier area as well.
When not taking care of his patients, Dr. Scott likes to spend time with his wife and kids. He likes to take them camping, fishing, and for jet ski rides. Gavin and Katie like to join their parents on the boat, too. Previously an avid skier, (he went to the Olympic trials for cross country skiing!) his new home is more conducive to another hobby, biking. He is most enthusiastic about fishing. When the kids are in school, and he is not at work, he can often be found on the family fishing boat, in search of rock fish.
Dr. Lisa V. Gontarek is an enthusiastic, compassionate optometrist who truly enjoys helping her patients. Raised in Newport News, she graduated from Menchville High School and then a biology degree at Mary Washington College in Fredericksburg, VA. She got her doctorate at Southern College of Optometry in Memphis, TN in 1997 and stayed to complete a Primary Care residency which included clinical work at SCO and the Memphis VA Hospital.
In 1998, Dr. Lisa accepted a position at Ophthalmology Associates, a multi-specialty practice in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. While there, she gained invaluable experience in a setting that allowed her to fully utilize her training. Not only did she see her own patients for comprehensive eye care, she was responsible for covering on call services for several local hospitals, saw pre- and post-op surgical patients as requested by her colleagues, was responsible for staff training and for running the high volume contact lens department.
After marrying Dr. Scott and the arrival of son, Gavin, Dr. Lisa moved back to Hampton Roads with her new family. Ready to take the next step in her career, she took over a practice next to LensCrafters in Greenbrier Mall. This location was a busy one and she worked hard to make it successful.
After the arrival of daughter, Katie, and a total of seven and one half years in this location, it was time to finally realize her ultimate goal – a stand alone, private practice.
And thus, with the help of Dr. Scott, Gontarek Eye Care, Optometrists, LLC was born in July 2010 and is thriving at its new location at the corner of Battlefield Blvd and Kempsville Rd.