Meet Our Team.
Elizabeth Wyles, OD
CES Founder
Dr. Elizabeth Wyles is the founder of Creative Education Studio. She received her Doctor of Optometry degree from the Southern California College of Optometry and completed a residency in Hospital Based Primary Care Optometry at the Crownpoint Indian Health Care Facility in Crownpoint, New Mexico. She has over 20 years of experience with graduate level optometric education and her commitment to quality education has been recognized by receiving multiple teaching awards from students. Her passion for education and learning fueled the development of Epi, as the quest to support student learning is ever evolving driven by changes in culture, curriculum and technology. She is dedicated to fostering innovation, creativity, collaboration and excitement for the betterment of learning.
Alan C. Reck
Chief Technology Officer
Alan C. Reck is the chief technology officer at Creative Education Studio. Alan's passion for computers began as soon as he could reach the keyboard, and by fourth grade, his parents began to teach him computer programming. By 2000, Alan had released a multiplayer game titled Paint Ball 3 EXTREME, garnering over 80,000 downloads from its international fanbase. His prowess has continued ever since, with a degree in computer science, becoming the leading game engineering faculty member at Flashpoint Academy, to pioneering VR as principal research engineer, and more. In parallel, Alan has continued his zeal game development as well, releasing one of the earliest indie titles on Steam, and continuing to publish to this day. Alan is a strong believer that gaming can be a powerful education tool."
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Alison Ou, OD
Designer
Dr. Alison Ou is the designer of Creative Education Studio. A 2024 graduate of the Illinois College of Optometry, she holds a Doctor of Optometry degree. Her passion for art began in childhood, with a lifelong love for drawing and crafts. Her decision to pursue optometry stemmed from her deep appreciation for science and a desire to help others see the world more clearly—including the beauty of art. Her dream is to fuse her two great passions: art and optometry. As a recent graduate, Dr. Ou understands the challenges of a demanding curriculum and is committed to easing the learning process by creating engaging visuals and schematics.
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Anastasiya Dudnyk
Medical Illustrator
Anastasiya Dudnyk is the medical illustrator at Creative Education Studio. She is currently completing her Doctor's of Optometry degree and is scheduled to graduate in 2026. Although she loves science, her love of art cannot be ignored and she is very excited to be able to merge anatomy and art into one with Epi. When she's not hunched over her lecture slides or her drawings she likes to go hiking, rock climbing and hanging out with her friends.
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Barclay Bakkum, DC, PhD
Anatomical Consultant
Dr. Barclay Bakkum's journey from small-town Manchester, Iowa, to becoming an expert in anatomy and neuroscience reflects his unwavering dedication to education and precision. A proud alumnus of Wartburg College and Palmer College of Chiropractic, Dr. Bakkum spent several years in private practice before pursuing his passion for teaching and research. He earned his Ph.D. in Anatomy and Cell Biology with a specialization in Neuroscience from the University of Illinois at Chicago, solidifying his expertise.
Over his distinguished career, Dr. Bakkum has inspired countless students by teaching gross and microscopic anatomy, embryology, and genetics at the National University of Health Sciences for 15 years, followed by 19 years teaching neuroanatomy and physiology at the Illinois College of Optometry. Additionally, he taught part-time in the gross anatomy lab at the University of Illinois, College of Medicine for 12 years. Retiring in 2024, Dr. Bakkum continues to channel his passion for anatomy and lifelong learning into Epi-Anatomy, where his meticulous attention to detail ensures the highest standards of anatomical accuracy for student success.​