Our Practice in Saskatoon

Dr. Courtney Kennedy is a proud Métis entrepreneur and works part-time at Kennedy Eye Clinic & part-time at The Eye Studio by Kennedy Eye Clinic.

Dr. Kennedy was born and raised in Saskatoon and graduated high school in 2005 with a bilingual (French & English) diploma. She then attended the University of Calgary, where she completed a Bachelor of Health Sciences degree (with honours) in Biomedical Sciences in 2009 and finished her Optometry degree (with honours) at the University of Waterloo in 2014.

Dr. Kennedy interned in many places as a student, including a Veterans Hospital in New York City, where she focused on ocular disease and therapeutics.

Between 2015 and 2018, Dr. Kennedy opened 2 non-dispensing optometry practices in Saskatoon. In 2020, she decided to amalgamate her practices into 1 full-scope private practice known as Kennedy Eye Clinic.

In 2021, she was fortunate to open her second location, The Eye Studio by Kennedy Eye Clinic.

There are a few accomplishments that Dr. Kennedy is very proud of:

• • 2023 – Present: Dr. Kennedy was 1 of 100 women across Canada to participate in the Women for Wishes campaign for Make-A-Wish Canada! The collective goal is to raise over 1 million dollars.

• • 2023 – Present: Dr. Kennedy brought the ICEE (Indigenous Children’s Eye Exams) program to SK and led a team up north to Île-à-la-Crosse to provide free eye exams and free eyewear.

• • 2022 – Present: Kennedy Eye Clinic is partnering with Dress for Success (Saskatoon chapter) and providing one deserving woman with a free pair of glasses each month!

• • 2022: Dr. Kennedy won the Swinging with the Stars charity fundraiser in Saskatoon and raised over $44K for the City Hospital Eye Foundation! This money directly benefited her patients because it funded new equipment for the Eye Centre.

• • 2022: Dr. Kennedy was a finalist for the Women Entrepreneurs of SK’s Indigenous Entrepreneur of the Year Award.

• • 2022: Kennedy Eye Clinic was a finalist for the NSBA’s Business Builder Awards for the Pursuit of Excellence Award.

• • 2021: Dr. Kennedy was featured by the Government of SK in their Women’s Entrepreneur’s Week and recognized for all her accomplishments.

• • 2020: Dr. Kennedy won iMed Pharma’s Top Dry Eye Provider Award in Canada.

• • 2018: Johnson & Johnson selected Dr. Kennedy as one of Canada’s Top 40 Under 40 Optometrists.

Dr. Kennedy is a big advocate for supporting local. She gives back to the community any chance she gets.

Since 2010, Dr. Kennedy has volunteered with local humane societies and is currently volunteering with the Saskatoon SPCA and SCAT Street Cat Rescue. She is a HUGE animal lover and has 2 dogs and 2 cats.

Dr. Kennedy has also been fortunate to go on several mission trips to Peru, Thailand, and the Philippines. She plans to go on many more in the future. In her spare time, Dr. Kennedy enjoys spending time with family and friends, going to the lake and mountains, and travelling every chance she gets.

Dr. Kennedy is passionate about doing eye exams on people of all ages. She welcomes new patients to her clinic and looks forward to meeting you!

Dr. Elash was born and raised in Saskatoon. After completing her three-year Bachelor of Science degree in anatomy and cell biology at the University of Saskatchewan (with great distinction) she moved to Waterloo, ON for optometry school. She graduated from the Doctor of Optometry program (with honours) at the University of Waterloo in 2014. Among other recognitions during her training, Dr. Elash was the recipient of two general proficiency awards for academic achievement.

As part of her training, Dr. Elash was fortunate to complete an internship at the Jack C. Montgomery Veteran Affairs Medical Centre in Muskogee, Oklahoma. Here she gained extensive training and hands-on experience in diagnosing and treating ocular disease in the geriatric population. Dr. Elash is also passionate about doing pediatric eye exams and has traveled with Dr. Kennedy to Île-à-la-Crosse and La Ronge to provide eye exams for children in these areas.

When Dr. Elash is not taking care of your vision needs, you can find her enjoying all the great local businesses and events the Broadway area of Saskatoon has to offer with her family – she lives in the core! She is an avid baker, and often works on trying to master her grandma’s famous family recipes. Dr. Elash currently sits on various boards, including the Board of Examiners with the Saskatchewan Association of Optometrists. She also volunteers with SCAT and loves all things cat related.

Dr. Elash joins The Eye Studio as a new partner. She has 10 years of experience working in the city and previously owned a non-dispensing clinic, Optic Eye Clinic, in downtown Saskatoon. In joining The Eye Studio Dr. Elash is most excited to practice alongside a group of optometrists who value the same practice mentality as her – exceptional eye care with a focus on meeting your individual needs and goals. She is excited to welcome all patients (new and returning!) to see what The Eye Studio has to offer.

Dr. Anna Matiko has worked part-time at The Eye Studio by Kennedy Eye Clinic since 2023. She has practiced optometry for over 10 years.

Dr. Matiko was born and raised in Regina, Saskatchewan. When she was younger, her dad always said she would be an optometrist and live in Aruba—1 out of 2 isn’t bad!

She attended the University of Saskatchewan, completing her Bachelor of Science in Anatomy and Cell Biology in 2008. She finished her optometry degree (with great distinction) at the Illinois College of Optometry in 2012. While in Chicago, she got to experience living in a city with over double the population of the entire province of Saskatchewan!

For the first part of Dr. Matiko’s career, she worked in non-dispensing optometry clinics in Saskatoon and Regina. She is now excited to be part of the team at The Eye Studio by Kennedy Eye Clinic because it allows her to offer a tailored patient experience from start to finish.

Dr. Matiko has received her certification to fit orthokeratology lenses and scleral lenses. She is certified to fit Paragon CRT, Be Free, and Moonlens orthokeratology lenses. She is also certified to fit OneFit scleral contact lenses. She accepts all new patients into her practice and can’t wait to meet you!

In 2021, Dr. Matiko became a first-time mom to her son, Jasper. Dr. Matiko and her husband, Sheldon, could not be happier with their happy and energetic little boy. In her spare time, Dr. Matiko tends to her garden, plays with her son, or explores everything Saskatoon has to offer.

As a new mom, Dr. Matiko connects well with other parents and enjoys working with families and patients of all ages. She often presents to the Mom & Baby groups in Saskatoon about eye health and vision development in kids.

Dr. Darroch was born and raised in Saskatoon, SK, and graduated high school in 2012 with a bilingual diploma. He completed his Bachelor of Science in Anatomy and Cell Biology and his Bachelor of Science Honours in Physiology and Pharmacology at the University of Saskatchewan. In 2021, he received his Doctor of Optometry from the New England College of Optometry in Boston, MA.

As part of his training, he completed externships in Boston, Manchester, NH, and Philadelphia, PA, offering full-scope optometry to a diverse population.

Dr. Darroch practised for 2 years in Victoria, BC, before returning to Saskatchewan in 2023. He is happy to see patients for general eye care, contact lenses, and management of ocular disease. In his free time, Dr. Darroch enjoys playing basketball and cheering on his favourite teams, the Toronto Raptors and the Saskatchewan Roughriders. He looks forward to travelling more, experiencing new places, and having new adventures.

Savannah was born and raised in Saskatoon. She’s excited to work in a clinical setting and has learned so many interesting things about the industry since she started here in 2023.

In her free time, Savannah enjoys going to raves and music festivals and spending time with her partner and their pets!

Fun fact: Savannah and Dr. Kennedy are NOT related, even though they share the same last name.

Brenda Shewchuk joined The Eye Studio team in 2023. She has been in the optical industry for 28+ years and received her optician certificate in 2002.

Brenda really enjoys helping people with their optical needs. She focuses on creating a great experience in the clinic and meeting your vision needs.

Brenda is also a certified yoga instructor. She received her 200-hour yoga teacher certification in 2017. Her belief is that yoga is accessible to everyone. She does her best to spread that message. Brenda always looks forward to meeting new people and can’t wait to help you find the perfect pair of glasses at The Eye Studio.

She has been married for 33 years and is a mother of 2 adult children, of whom she is extremely proud.