Our Team of Eye Care Professionals

Mayfair Optometric Clinic has been proudly serving the greater Victoria area for over 20 years and Dr. Stephen Taylor has been seeing Victoria patients for over 30 years. Born and raised in Victoria, he is a graduate of Oak Bay High School. In 1986 Dr Taylor graduated from Pacific University in Oregon. He is licensed to practice optometry in British Columbia, and Washington. Dr. Taylor attends seminars throughout the year to remain current in advancements in his profession. He participates in close to sixty hours per year in continuing education. In his spare time, he loves to support his favourite teams the Victoria Royals, Victoria Harbour Cats and the Seattle Seahawks.

“I want every patient to feel that their individual and unique concern was addressed, their questions answered and their needs met.” – Dr. Peddle Dr. Peddle grew up in Southern Ontario, and has always had a passion for the outdoors. His love for hiking the backcountry brought him out to the West Coast Trail in 2006, and led to him falling in love with Victoria. After receiving a Bachelor of Science in Biomedical Sciences, and an Optometry degree from the University of Waterloo, Dr. Peddle relocated to Victoria permanently. He joined our team in 2009, and has since continued to bring his optometric expertise and excellent patient care to our clinic. Outside the office, you will find Dr. Peddle hiking, rock climbing, mountaineering and always planning his next world adventure.

Mary Lou Newbold started working in the optometry profession in 1987 with Dr. Stephen Taylor as a part time receptionist. Almost 30 years later, Mary Lou oversees a staff of 15 and shares ownership in “the leading eye care" business in Victoria. At Mayfair Optometric Clinic, Mary Lou is responsible for finance, marketing including social media strategy, human resources, community engagement and patient experience. As an alumna of Royal Roads University with a graduate certificate in Leadership & Management, Mary Lou values continued learning as a high priority. Co-op students from Camosun College and the UVIC Gustavson School of Business have completed work terms under her direction, and Mayfair Optometric Clinic as an organization has mentored many optometry and opticianry students as well as learners interested in other areas of business over the years. Outside the office, Mary Lou is a strong supporter of community engagement, and is heavily involved with the BC Children’s Hospital and the Victoria Chamber of Commerce. Mary Lou is the current Vice-Chair of the BC Children’s Hospital Festival of Trees, as well as the volunteer coordinator, and is an Ambassador on the Member Engagement Committee with the Victoria Chamber. Past achievements include BC Section Coach of the Year (Figure Skating), and Business of the Year (11 – 25 Employees) Victoria Chamber of Commerce.

Diane Scudder-Ord grew up as a prairie girl in the “City of Champions,” Edmonton, before coming to Victoria to attend the University of Victoria. She has been working in the optical field for thirty years, with an emphasis on technical customer care and laboratory assistance. She began her career in 1986 as a receptionist in Vancouver at a contact lens practice. She then moved to London, UK where she worked for an acclaimed contact lens specialist, before moving back to Vancouver to work at variety of optical businesses. In 2002 Diane landed in the South Okanagan to pursue a life balanced between a new family, vineyard management and optical work. She enjoyed new opportunities at a Penticton optometric clinic in the fields of contact lens and laboratory work. In 2015 Diane moved to Victoria and continues to pursue her main interest as a contact lens specialist. She maintains a personal interest in all things wine related, and spends her free time exploring Victoria’s outdoor beauty with her family and dog.

Emma is a recent university graduate, and has been in Victoria her whole life. Like her mother Rhonda, who also works here, she went to Spectrum Community School and Camosun before heading to UVIC for an English and Writing degree. She has a passion for literature and has used her degree to translate into her work at MOC. Emma enjoys being active and giving back to the sporting community. When she is not in the office she can be found coaching high school girls basketball. Emma is dedicated to her work in the clinic and will always find a way to make a patient's experience as pleasant as possible.

Lynn is a second generation optical professional, having grown up around the business, and has officially been working in the optical industry for sixteen years, eleven of those based here in Victoria. After several years of apprenticeship, she decided to further increase her knowledge of optics in order to help her clients obtain the best vision and fit possible with their eyewear and obtained her dispensing optician's licence in 2012.

“I am especially excited to help patients choose their new look—with MOC’s wide variety of styles and price range for frames and lenses, there is literally something here for everyone!” Melissa brings 14 comprehensive years of optical knowledge, superior customer service and great energy to our office! Melissa is another artistic MOC member and sees the little details of a frame or sunglasses that works for patients. She can help you choose frames, inform you about lens choices, teach you how to wear contacts and more! She is our social media expert and works with CEO Mary Lou daily to ensure our online messages are well delivered. Melissa loves that her job allows her to help people see more of the world. She aims to meet the needs of all her patients by “doing her best to provide clear answers on any questions they have relating to optics.” She especially enjoys meeting all sorts of different people: “I am always so engaged when patients tell me their stories because it gives me an idea of who they are. I find it fascinating that one person might be extremely attracted to bright blue frames, while another prefers only neutral coloured ones.” Fun facts you should know about Melissa: she absolutely adores dogs and spends much of her time volunteering as a dog walker for the CRD with her sister. She enjoys reading, painting and all sorts of crafts. She’s a fan of the Victoria Royals Hockey Team and has a weakness for Tim Burton films.

“I enjoy having a positive, transformative effect on the way clients see the world, as well as on the way they look and feel when I have done my job well!” Travel fanatic and nature lover Michelle grew up in Salmon Arm, BC and later moved to Victoria where she completed her Arts degree at UVIC.  She has traveled extensively around the world and then finally decided to make Victoria her permanent home. Michelle’s favourite part of her job is “combining the latest eyewear fashions with the most advanced lens products available, and putting the result of all that research and design expertise on people’s faces every day.” She is also a firm believer that glasses are a great way for self-expression: “while glasses are an important and necessary tool, I like to remind our clients to have fun with them too, because they really do have the potential to make a powerful personal statement.” When Michelle is not at the office, she loves being a mom to her young son and cuddling with her fur baby, Marco the Mexican Wonderdog. She also enjoys reading, travelling and going out for a hike with friends.

“I love that I take part in helping patients see more clearly with their new glasses, and interacting with people of all ages and different walks of life!” Sandi is one of of our first impression experts; she answers our phones, handles questions, keeps us all organized and brings endless enthusiasm to our team. As Operations Manager, Sandi aims to “bring awareness to the public that Mayfair Optometric is the ‘Leading Experts in Eyecare’, create a cohesive team and make sure everyone has fun at work!” Having worked 30 extensive years in the customer service and administrative end in the life insurance industry, Sandi was able to find a good niche at Mayfair Optometric Clinic. Her favourite part of her job is “seeing the patient leave with a smile on their face!” Outside of work, Sandi loves to stay active; she enjoys camping, going to aqua fit classes, gardening and volunteering. She volunteers with several different groups, like the Victoria Highland Games Society and she is on Think Local First Board of Directors. Like several members of the MOC team, Sandi loves the Victoria Royals and can be seen at most home games throughout the season.

Rhonda was born and raised here in Victoria, and knows all of the best hiking and beach spots around town! She graduated from Spectrum Community School before spending time at Camosun College. Rhonda has vast work experience and is great with numbers, organization, and spreadsheets. She’s a hard working team player, at the office and at home. Her daughter Emma works for us too! She loves to be active and get out on her bike or go for a run. Rhonda takes pride in the relationships she builds, whether that is with fellow coworkers, patients, or friends, she is a positive light in any room.

Robin raised her three wonderful children in Dawson Creek BC before making the move to Victoria. Two of her children have even worked for us in the past! When she’s not in the office greeting you on the phone or in person, you can find her riding her bike or out for walks with her husband and dog Soda. Robin has a vast background in medical reception work, and is committed to providing the best experience to each patient that she interacts with.