Our team

Our principal Optometrist and Practice founder, Chris has over thirty years of Optometry experience. He established Canterbury Eyecare with his wife Athena in 1996. Chris has a special interest in eye diseases and offers full-scope optometry services, including ocular therapeutics.

Chris is also passionate about helping those without access to quality eye health services, being a volunteer participant in the Sumba Eye Program and a supporter of the Australian College of Optometry Eye Health program. Find out more about the Sumba Eye Program and the ACO Eye Health programs by following these hyperlinks: Sumba Program and ACO Eye Health.

Chris has a long connection to Maling Road as he grew up in Canterbury. He has passed on his passion for his beloved Tigers to his three adult children, enjoys keeping fit, travel and riding his Vespa.

With over thirty years of experience, Genevieve worked in private practices in Melbourne, Western Australia and regional Victoria before opening her own practice in Prahran in 2001. She then joined the Canterbury Eyecare team in 2006 and became a partner in 2010. She has a particular interest in children’s vision and ocular disease, and is qualified to prescribe ocular therepeutic medications. She prides herself on taking time with each patient; listening carefully to their needs, providing a thorough examination and offering tailored advice.

Genevieve lives locally with her husband, daughter and their Bernese Mountain Dog puppy. Sunday mornings sharing breakfast with her family at their favourite café is a weekly highlight.

Laura graduated as an Optometrist from Deakin School of Medicine in 2015 after completing a Bachelors degree in Vision Science (with Distinction) then a Masters in Optometry. Laura completed further training in 2017 in Myopia Management, and in 2025 Dementia-Friendly Eyecare, both through Melbourne University.

Laura offers a full scope of optometry services. She has a practice interest in dry eye disease as well as managing myopia in children, which includes speciality contact lenses such as orthokeratology.

She has previously worked in an ophthalmology clinic and in private practice in Melbourne before joining the team at Canterbury Eyecare in 2019. She also has the unique experience of working in the film industry with actors who wear prosethetic contact lenses.

Laura is a director and Vice President of Optometry Vic/SA and a former committee member of Early Career Optometrists Vic/SA.

Matt joined the Canterbury Eyecare team in 2011. He brought with him a wealth of knowledge and experience in management and training, having worked in corporate optometry practices located in both metro and regional areas. He has years of experience in the optical industry and is a qualified Optical Dispenser with a Guild of Dispensing Opticians Certificate. Matt is in charge of the dispensing side of our practice and is known for his high standards and attention to detail.

Athena established Canterbury Eyecare with husband, Chris in 1996. As Practice Manager, she oversees the efficient running of the practice and ordering everyone's birthday cake!
In her time away from the Practice, Athena enjoys watching her beloved Tigers in the AFL, watching musicals, running and volunteering at parkrun and riding her Vespa.

One of our experts, Lea is a qualified Optical Dispenser and has worked in the Optical industry for over 40 years. Her experience includes involvement in the manufacturing of spectacles as well as lens design and selection and staff training. With a special talent for finding the perfect frame for every individual, it’s not surprising that Lea has a legion of fans who come to our practice knowing she’ll find the perfect frame for them.

Lea loves spending time with her two wonderful grandchildren . In her spare time, Lea loves to knit, sew and travel.

After completing a Bachelor of Health Sciences, Pamela joined the Canterbury Eyecare team in 2017. In this time, she has developed a passion for all aspects of dispensing, particularly helping patients find their perfect pair of glasses which combine the latest in fashion, lens technology and comfort. In addition to Pamela's expertise in dispensing, she has recently expanded her skills to include IPL (Intense Pulsed Light) treatments for dry eye management. On a personal note, Pamela enjoys travelling, cooking and reading.

Lauren joined the Canterbury Eyecare family in 2021 bringing decades of experience in Customer service with her. In addition to Lauren's flare for design and assisting patients to find the right eyewear to update their look, her skills include IPL (Intense Pulsed Light) treatments for dry eye management and undertaking Visual Fields tests for patients.

Since gaining a Diploma in Auslan, in her spare time Lauren enjoys further developing her Auslan skills, travelling and spending time with Betty her cavoodle.

Stephanie joined our team in 2021. She has a Diploma of Optical Dispensing and an amazing 39 years of experience in the optical industry having worked in both corporate and independent practices more recently. Steph's passion is finding the best pair of glasses for our patients, ensuring they fit well, look great and suit the patients lifestyle perfectly.

She is a mum of two girls and in her down time enjoys a stroll with her dogs and heading to a class of reformer Pilates. Her ideal getaway is a weekend away with the family, wake boarding in Bundalong.

Maya joined us in 2020 and has over 15 years experience in the optical industry. Having previously worked in practices with high volumes of children and contact lens patients she is passionate about these areas of interest but also loves helping patients choose the perfect frame.

Outside of work, Maya is an aspiring writer, loves reading and spending time with her young family and cavoodle puppy, Tango.

Maria joined us in 2023 with 34 years of optical experience, in fact Maria and Matt did their apprenticeship together in the early 90's. Maria enjoys the joy that patients express when they try their new glasses and experience their new, clear vision. With her wealth of experience there isn't much Maria doesn't know about optics and she is a valuable addition to our team.

Maria is a mum of three adult children. She is an avid Pies supporter and is pleased she has some colleagues at Canterbury Eyecare who also follow Collingwood.