Dr. Slade is a native of Mobile. She received her Bachelor of Science degree in Medical Technology, from the University of South Alabama, in 1983. She worked in the clinical laboratory at The University of South Alabama Medical Center, from 1983-1993.
 

Dr. Slade received her Doctor of Optometry degree, from The University of Alabama at Birmingham, School of Optometry, in 1997. She is a member of the American Optometric Association and the Fellowship of Christian Optometrists.
 

Dr. Slade completed her residency training in Primary Eye Care from the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Bay Pines, Florida in 1998.  She provided treatment of ocular disease, along with spectacle and contact lens exams, in both nursing home and private practice settings, in Florida’s Tampa Bay area from 1998-2002.