Lt Col Evangelista, MD, is the Ophthalmology Flight Commander at Wilford Hall Eye Center, JBSA Lackland, TX, the largest DoD eye center, encompassing the largest combined DoD Ophthalmology Residency Program and Refractive Surgery Center. She also serves as Refractive Surgery Consultant to the Air Force Surgeon General, ensuring the highest standards of care for our service members.

Lt Col Evangelista completed BS Biology at University of Maryland, graduating magna cum laude. She earned her MD and Master’s in Health Professions Education from the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USUHS). She completed her ophthalmology residency at San Antonio Uniformed Services Health Education Consortium, where she received the Michael Lambert MD Outstanding Ophthalmology Resident Award. She pursued fellowship training in Cornea and Refractive Surgery at Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary.

Lt Col Evangelista is an Assistant Professor of Surgery at USUHS. Previously, she directed the JBSA Lackland Joint Warfighter Refractive Surgery Center. She deployed to Afghanistan in support of Operation Resolute Support. A dedicated researcher and principal investigator for five prospective clinical studies on laser vision correction in the military, she has been awarded two DoD research grants. She has authored 10 peer-reviewed publications and over 50 abstracts and presentations, and lectures widely on ocular conditions and surgeries. Lt Col Evangelista also serves on the San Antonio Eye Bank Board of Directors.