Meet Our Staff

Meet the experienced and friendly staff who make Dr. Hanlen and Associates the leading provider of vision care products and services in Boalsburg and surrounding communities.

Joan Morgan, BS

Joan is our optometric technician. She has been an associate with us since 2013. Her responsibilities include conducting pre-testing measurements and taking scans and photos for the doctors. In addition, she manages our contact lens inventories with responsibilities for ordering and patient training in contact lens handling and care.

Joan’s educational background is in health policy and administration, with studies in long-term care, but she has had extensive patient care experience at other local optometric offices prior to joining our care team.

She enjoys meeting our patients and hearing about their eye and vision concerns. Joan says, “It makes me happy when patients are surprised to find the care they receive is so much more comprehensive than the care they’ve received elsewhere.”

Joan is a native of Howard, PA. She lives in State College with her husband, Frank. She has three adult sons.

Debra Ponish

Debra is our optician. She joined our team in September, 2016 with extensive experience in optical, patient care and relations, customer service, retail design and stocking. For over 10 years she worked for Dr. Tinkelman in Bellefonte and gained experience in fitting and dispensing eyewear.

Debra attended Bald Eagle Area High School and was active in many activities. She is a graduate of Centre County Vo Tech School with training in data processing and dental assisting. She is the proud owner of a 1988 Firebird Formula that she has lovingly maintained and shown for 25 years.

Debra is a real “people person” who gets to know our patients so she can better serve their needs. Her responsibilities include frame buying and inventory management. She is an expert at fitting the style to the person, recommending the right lens style and features and fitting and the repair and maintenance of eyewear.

Debra lives in Howard, where she grew up, with her husband Phil and three cats. She enjoys spending time with her adult children and grandchildren and attending her grandchildren’s sports activities.