About Our Practice in Wainwright & Vermilion

Jennifer was born and raised in Cape Breton, Nova Scotia. With a diploma in medical administration in hand, she headed out to Wainwright, Alberta, in the fall of 2005 and has yet to look back since. Jennifer joined the Prairie Vision team in 2008 and became a certified optometric assistant in 2012. She loves learning something new every day and is always up for a challenge, which has helped her work in many different areas of the office and created a path to becoming a clinic director. 

Jennifer was honoured to be rewarded the Alberta Optometric Assistant of the Year reward by the Alberta Association of Optometrists in 2016. In her spare time, she loves spending time with her husband on their farm, driving the backroads of Alberta, taking her sons to a hockey game, or volunteering as a leader at Youth Group.

Kathryn was born and raised in Wainwright, Alberta, and is proud to call it home. She attended Lakeland College in Vermillion for early learning and childcare and worked briefly in the area’s daycares and elementary schools, which she finds beneficial to her current position.

In the summer of 2015, Kathryn joined Prairie Vision and has since become a full-time vision therapist. She is proud to be a part of the inaugural class of Vision Therapy Canada’s Practical Vision Therapy Accreditation Program. Kathryn thoroughly enjoys working with patients of all ages, with a special focus on the kids she sees every week for vision therapy. 

Kathryn has taken on additional roles at Prairie Vision, including myopia management consultant and digital marketing lead. As a myopia management consultant, she helps patients manage and slow the progression of nearsightedness. As the digital marketing lead, Kathryn handles all digital and social media aspects of the office, helping patients stay informed and engaged with the latest news and updates. 

Kathryn enjoys spending time with friends and family outside of the office. She is also passionate about engaging in various crafty activities, loves music, and is a true crime fan. Her favourite eyewear lines are Longchamp and Maui Jim.

Extracurricular Achievements:

• VTC (formerly COVT&R) – Practical Vision Therapy Accreditation Program
• OEP VT 1 Vision Therapy/Visual Dysfunctions
• OEP VT 2 Vision Therapy/Learning-Related Visual Problems
• OEP VT 3 Vision Therapy/Strabismus & Amblyopia
• OEP RCS Reflex Foundations in Vision Therapy

Marie has worked at Prairie Vision (formerly Dr. Baker) since the fall of 1996. She has worked in pretesting, the welcome center, and staff supervision. Now, you will find her mostly behind the scenes as the account manager and assisting with staff planning when needed. Marie still likes to share her experience in staff meetings regarding the importance of excellent customer service.

When not at the office, Marie can be found camping in the summer, seeking a sunny destination for a short winter break or an occasional mountain escape. Since becoming a grandparent to not 1 but 3 grandchildren in 2019, family get-togethers have become even more special.

Marie’s favourite eyewear lines are Michael Kors, Modo, and Maui Jim for sunglasses.

Mindy lives in Wainwright with her 2 girls and her husband. They have a love for the outdoors and animals. She loves to spend her weekends in the summer kayaking, and there is often a kid in the front and a dog in the back. She is an avid science fiction and horror movie buff, living a busy lifestyle chasing kids and travelling when she can. She loves the small-town feeling while still having so many opportunities. Community and helping others are very important to her, and she is always looking for fun ways for Prairie Vision to be involved in the community.

Mindy joined Prairie Vision in 2018 and was promoted to clinic lead in January 2023. She provides the clinic staff with the training and experience to provide an excellent level of care to our patients. Mindy has earned her Canadian Certified Optometric Assistant certificate. Her favourite part of the course was learning more in-depth about the eye’s physiology and the practice’s medical aspect. She enjoys learning new things and is always excited to work with new equipment.

Mindy’s favourite eyewear lines are FYSH, Michael Kors, and Longchamp.

Theresa was born and raised in Wainwright. Along with her husband Sean, she has raised 4 girls, 2 of whom have moved out to pursue their own new chapters in life and 2 who are soon to follow.

Theresa has just celebrated 10 years with the Prairie Vision team. She started as a lab technician and eventually took on the role of frame gallery supervisor. Theresa earned her optometric assistant accreditation in 2014 and continues to build her wealth of knowledge daily, helping with eyewear repairs, adjustments, and stylish frame selections.

When she is not at work, Theresa confesses to being mostly a homebody who enjoys reading, spending time with family, gardening, and the occasional run when the weather is sensible. Her favourite eyewear lines are Longchamp and Michael Kors.

Tracie has been with Prairie Vision since 2005 and is happy that she hung in through many changes. She is thrilled to be “part of such a wonderful team!!” Tracie obtained her Optometric Assistant Certification in 2007 and continues improving her skills through continuing education.

When not at the office, she enjoys inspiring others to fulfill their dreams while working on her own. Most importantly, she spends time with family and friends, playing in the garden, and making memories with her husband. Tracie’s favourite eyewear line is Longchamp.

Andrea was born and raised in the suburbs of Toronto. After high school, she attended the University of Ontario Institute of Technology in Oshawa, Ontario. There, she obtained a Bachelor’s in Criminology and Justice Policy, spending one semester at the University of Northampton in England. She also earned a diploma in Social Service Work from St. Lawrence College in Kingston, Ontario.

She moved to Wainwright in the summer of 2012 and has been with Prairie Vision since January 2014. In the spring of 2015, Andrea completed the Certified Canadian Optometric Assistant course.

“I love working with this wonderful group of people at Prairie Vision, and I am passionate about helping the people of this great community see their best!”

In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with her husband and their crazy pets, Sadie, the English Bulldog, and Raj and Cornelius, the cats. Andrea’s favourite eyewear lines are Paradox and Aspire.

Kirsten was born in Wainwright with some family in Czar but moved to Lac La Biche when she was 3. She graduated high school and completed her Journeyman Hairstylist License shortly after. Kirsten met the love of her life in February 2011. Kirsten and Jeff had their daughter and then moved to Wainwright in 2016, where they had their son in 2017.

Kirsten started her journey as an optometric assistant in February 2021. In 2023, Kirsten completed the Canadian Certified Optometric Assistant Program. She has enjoyed every moment of the learning process so far. When she started, she was in pretesting, but she has made her way into the frame gallery, where she enjoys helping patients find a frame and lens design that makes them feel and look their best! 

Outside of work, you can find Kirsten spending time with her family or at her friend’s lake lot. She loves a good word search puzzle and being involved in community events.

Kirsten’s favourite frame lines are Etnia Barcelona, Longchamp, and WOOW.

Kendra was born and raised on a farm in Wainwright and has made it her home all her life. She has a passion for meeting new people and always enjoys a good laugh. With many years of experience in customer service roles, Kendra loves serving the community she grew up in. 

Since 2021, she has been a part of Prairie Vision, where she continues contributing to the community. In her spare time, Kendra loves spending time with her family and participating in her children’s activities. She takes pride in being a sports mom, supporting her son’s golf and curling endeavours and her daughter’s figure skating and softball pursuits.

Kendra’s favourite eyewear line is Woow. 

Shyah is the newest member at Prairie Vision, joining in 2023 and bringing her unique experiences and passions to our team. As a proud military wife, she was posted to Wainwright in 2021 with her spouse, 3 beautiful sons, and 2 dogs. Shyah’s dedication to fitness and health is evident in her love for activities like hiking, spin class, and even competing in bikini body competitions. 

When she’s not busy running a houseful of boys, Shyah enjoys indulging in her downtime hobbies. She’s a fan of playing board games, watching scary movies, and diving into the world of true crime. With a penchant for all things spooky, she adds a touch of intrigue to our team.

Shyah’s favourite frame lines are Michael Kors, Nuevo, and Longchamp.

Laura was born and raised in Wainwright before moving to Irma in 2005, where she raised her four children. A dedicated stay-at-home mom for many years, Laura also balanced family life with driving a school bus for eight years. With two kids grown and two more close behind, Laura decided to expand her skills, completing the Administrative Professional course through Lakeland College online in 2020-2021.

Now working in diagnostic testing, Laura is dedicated to providing accurate and timely results for patients. In her free time, she enjoys traveling, spending time with her family and new grandson, and her favorite eyewear brand is Ted Baker.

Stacey was born and raised in Lloydminster. After high school, she embarked on an international adventure, spending six months working in London, England, before heading to the Netherlands, where she spent a year working and studying the Dutch language. Upon returning to Canada, Stacey pursued her education at Lakeland College, earning a Professional Accounting diploma, an Advanced Business diploma, and later a Bachelor of Commerce degree from Athabasca University. In June 2022, she and her family made Wainwright their new home.

In January 2024, Stacey joined the Prairie Vision team as an Optometric Assistant, primarily working in Pretest. She loves interacting with patients and thrives on learning new skills. Stacey has a strong desire to further her career by completing the Certified Canadian Optometric Assistant course.

In her spare time, Stacey enjoys spending quality time with friends and family, watching movies, and playing board games.

Stacey’s favorite frame lines include Silhouette, Ann Taylor, and Maui Jim.

Leanne grew up on a farm near Saskatoon, SK, and moved to Vermilion to pursue education at Lakeland College in September 2004. She had originally planned to live in Vermilion for only 2 years, but that plan quickly went out the window when sparks flew with a local guy, which led to marriage.

In her spare time, Leanne enjoys volunteering within the community and at St. Jerome’s School, as well as cheering from the sidelines at her son’s volleyball games, swim meets, and curling games.

Jorianne, her husband, and their French bulldog have called Vermilion home since 2016. In addition to a career in esthetics, Jorianne joined the optical industry in January 2018. She completed the Certified Canadian Optometric Assistant course in the spring of 2022 and enjoys building on her education and knowledge in the ever-expanding field of optometry. Above all, she values a welcoming, positive patient experience in her care.

When Jorianne is not working, she enjoys leading group fitness classes, participating in marathon events, spending time with friends and family, attending concerts, travelling to new destinations with her husband, Chris, and spending time with their dog, Zeppelin.

Carrie moved to Vermilion in 2001 to attend Lakeland College. She earned a diploma in Animal Health Technology and worked at the local veterinary clinic, where she was introduced to the many great citizens of this community and surrounding area.  

In 2009, she decided that life would take her in a different direction and started working for Dr. Moneo. In 2010, she earned her Optometric Assistant Certificate. She has worked in all office areas, from contact lens training to pretesting, front desk, and dispensing. She enjoys interacting with patients regularly. She is excited to be a part of the Prairie Vision team and looks forward to adding to her knowledge and skills.

When Carrie isn’t working, she enjoys spending time with her husband doing yard or house projects, gardening, and cooking. She enjoys watching hockey, the Calgary Stampede, and the Olympics.

Skye is excited to return to Prairie Vision and continue to offer top-notch service. A Manitoba import, Skye worked in the broadcasting industry for 12 years before working in an optometric office. She married a local boy from Wainwright, making Vermilion home when their kids started school at St. Jerome’s School. 

Skye has worked in Vermilion for 18 years, receiving the Chamber of Commerce Employee of the Year in 2010, becoming a certified optometric assistant in 2011, and earning Optometric Assistant of the Year in 2022. Skye and her husband enjoy camping, cigar box guitars, and family time.