Meet Our
Team
ZAAHID
Optical Manager
Zaahid was born and raised in North Vancouver, and takes pride in being a true North Shore kid. He completed his Bachelor of Science degree from the University of British Columbia in 2017, and returned to the university in 2019 to complete a Bachelor of Education degree. He first started working at Lynn Valley Optometry in 2015 as a co-op student, and hasn’t looked back since! Zaahid loves educating, laughing and interacting with all of his patients, and his biggest reward is seeing smiles on their faces when they notice improvements in any aspects of their lives. In his spare time, Zaahid enjoys playing sports, watching hockey and spending time with his family. When he’s feeling lazy, you can find him relaxing with a cup of coffee, a bag of candy and a classic movie or TV show. He can quote practically every line from “FRIENDS” – could he be any more obsessed?
Caitlin
Clinic Manager
Caitlin was born and raised in Calgary before moving to British Columbia and calling it home. Prior to settling down in Vancouver, Caitlin was able to gain invaluable experience in the fields of optometry and ophthalmology, working as a front desk receptionist, physician assistant, clinic manager and executive director at numerous practices across Canada over an 11-year span. Caitlin enjoys spending time with her fantastic team members each day, and she is extremely passionate about working with people and helping them be the best versions of themselves. During her spare time, Caitlin enjoys kayaking, camping, foraging and hiking the local trails. When the weather is not co-operating, you can find Caitlin rewatching the entire Harry Potter series – accio popcorn!
katarina
IPL Technician
Katarina was born and raised in Slovakia before moving to North Vancouver in 2018. She graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Urgent Health Care and completed further studies at Tamwood College in 2019. When she’s at the clinic, Katarina enjoys interacting with patients and learning more about the field of optometry, and she strives to challenge herself everyday. You can always count on her to be happy and supportive, which made her a perfect fit for our LVO team! During her spare time, Katarina enjoys playing volleyball, exercising and curling up with a good detective novel. Her favourite movie is Pretty Woman, but you can also find her catching up on the latest flicks that hit the big screen!
lizelle
Contact Lens Technician
Lizelle was born and raised in the small town of Frankfort in South Africa, where she completed her optometry qualifications in 2000. Lizelle practiced as an optometrist for many years in Johannesburg, and also lived in Namibia for five years before relocating to Vancouver in 2017. She always strives to provide the best patient care, and her extensive experience made her a perfect fit for our LVO team. Lizelle looks forward to enhancing the lifestyle and daily needs of all of her patients, and she enjoys helping them appreciate the importance and ease of contact lenses. During her spare time, you can find Lizelle soaking her feet in the sand, exploring the beautiful and secluded B.C. trails, or spending quality time with her boys. She describes herself as a giver of nature, and this quality really shows in her positive and caring personality. When the weather is not cooperating, you can find Lizelle cozying up with a book, or rewatching her favourite episodes from Schitt’s Creek. But please, whatever you do, don’t ask her how to fold in the cheese.
Waseem
Optical Lab Technician
Waseem was born and raised in Iraq before moving to Vancouver and calling it home. He has extensive experience in the optical field, having previously worked as a machine operator and lab technician in other clinics. Waseem looks forward to assisting as many patients as he can, and he approaches every challenge with critical thinking, positivity and a good sense of humour. During his spare time, Waseem enjoys playing and watching soccer, and catching up on the latest movies. You can always count on him having a smile on his face, especially when we are using our popcorn machine, and you’ll often find yourself tapping your feet when you hear his music coming from our lab!
Johannes
Diagnostic Technician
Johannes combines the energy he gets from helping people with his love of math and spreadsheets in his role at our clinic. He enjoys the challenge of finding the right solution for each patient while developing new skills at the same time. You can find him in the backcountry near the Headwaters or practicing Thai kickboxing on his days off.
Eric
Diagnostic Technician
Eric was born in Calgary before moving to Vancouver and calling British Columbia home. He attends the University of British Columbia, where he specializes in Biology. He also previously completed an 8-month co-op work placement at the clinic in May 2020. Like many of our team members, Eric looks forward to interacting with the patients at our clinic. He is also very interested in developing a deeper understanding of the human eye, and enjoys closely working alongside our great doctors. He’s also quick with a joke, so get ready for some laughs during your diagnostic testing! When Eric is not in the clinic, he enjoys hiking, golfing and watching Game of Thrones. Unfortunately, he can’t do the first two activities from November to March because that’s usually when winter is coming.
Artin
Diagnostic Technician
Artin was born in Montreal before moving to North Vancouver when he was seven years old. He currently attends the University of British Columbia, where he is pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in Kinesiology. When he’s at the clinic, you can always count on Artin to provide the best service to all of his patients, while also making his team members laugh and smile. During his spare time, Artin enjoys playing soccer, trying out new restaurants and spending time at the lake. When he is feeling more low-key, you can find Artin rewatching his favourite episode of Curb Your Enthusiam, or cheering on his favourite team, the Montreal Canadiens, both of which can be summed up as “prett-ay good, prett-ay good, prett-ay good”.
Pooneh
Patient Care-Coordinator
Pooneh was born and raised in Tehran, Iran, where she completed a Bachelor’s degree in Biomedical Engineering. She also spent a few years in Italy, completing a Health and Engineering management program at the University of Bergamo, before moving to British Columbia and calling North Vancouver home. Pooneh strives to provide the best patient care for everyone that walks through our doors, and she is always keen to learn and collaborate with her amazing team members each day. When she is not in the clinic, you can find Pooneh spending time with friends, catching up on the latest flick or trying to beat her best time on the Grouse Grind. Pooneh also loves listening to classic 80’s songs, so don’t be surprised if you hear some of her favourites playing when you visit. In other words, she’s the Radio Gaga of the office.
Ema
Patient Care Co-ordinator
Ema was born and raised in Mission before moving to North Vancouver and calling it home. Before joining the LVO team, Ema worked as a florist, designing and creating flower arrangements for her clients, which was a perfect fit for her optimistic and enthusiastic personality. When she is in the office, Ema loves interacting with all of our patients and providing them with the best care and knowledge for their eye health. During her spare time, Ema enjoys reading, enjoying the local coffee scene and spending time with her dog, Haku. When she is feeling low-key, you can find her enjoying her favourite movie, Django Unchained. And remember, the D is silent!
Doug
Eyewear Consultant
Doug was born and raised in a small town in Alberta, and takes pride in being a true prairie dog. Doug brings an extensive amount of experience to the LVO team, having worked nationally for a variety of European eyewear brands, while also opening a number of independent boutique opticals in Canada. Doug prides himself in being a good listener and having the ability to see what you might not see in yourself, and he loves every opportunity to change peoples’ lives by having them look and see better than ever before. When Doug is not in the clinic, he enjoys spending time with his grandkids, picnicking outside with his wife and trying out all of Anthony Bourdain’s delicious recipes. His favourite movie is Madagascar, which is very fitting once you see Doug in person. He might even be taller than Melman the Giraffe!
Jackie
Eyewear Consultant
Jackie was born and raised in Edmonton before moving further west to be closer to the calm waters of British Columbia. Like Doug, Jackie brings an extensive amount of experience in the optical industry, having managed two modern and independent boutiques in Canada for many years before joining LVO. You can always count on Jackie to be funny, charismatic and trusting, three qualities that make her a fantastic person to help you with all of your exciting and new eyewear needs. During her spare time, you can find Jackie cruising around the streets of Lower Lonsdale on her electric bike, collecting (but likely not reading) all of the novels on Oprah’s Book Club List, or rewatching The Sound of Music for the hundredth time. It’s quite the eclectic list for Jackie, but what can we say? These are just a few of her favourite things!