Meet the team

The team at Sercombe and Matheson Opticians is made up of four optometrists, three dispensing opticians, an optical technician, an optical assistants, a receptionist and a practice manager. We're all Wellingtonians by choice. Wellington is a great place and it deserves to be seen clearly! We think that looking after your eyes should be a priority in life and we'd like to help you look after yours.

The Directors

Roger Sercombe
Dispensing Optician

Roger started work in what was then his parents' business in 1987 and qualified as a Dispensing Optician in 1991. A couple of years working in London in the early nineties widened his experience and he returned to the family business in 1994. These days, Roger's particular area of expertise is progressive (multifocal) glasses - many previously dissatisfied wearers have benefited from his advice and problem solving skills  2016 saw Roger become a multifocal spectacle wearer so now he can empathise as well as advise. Outside work, his interests include mountain biking and movies.

email Roger
 

Anne Matheson, BOptom (Auckland), CertOcPharm

Optometrist

Anne's Bachelor's degree dates from last century but she completed Auckland University's Post-graduate Programme in Ocular Therapeutics more recently. Anne's particular work interests include multifocal contact lenses, diagnosing glaucoma, and social media.  She's a past president of the Cornea and Contact Lens Society of New Zealand and a former part-time Covid vaccinator. Anne is short-sighted and has been wearing glasses since she was eight and is now a multifocal wearer herself. She thinks the film festival is the highlight of the Wellington winter, and likes to swim outdoors in the summer. Anne works on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Fridays.

email Anne

Natalie Beardsworth,  FBDO, BSc(Hons), MCOptom, MClinOptom,
Optometrist

Originally a dispensing optician, Natalie studied optometry at the University of  Wales in Cardiff. After graduation in 2002 she worked as a hospital optometrist at the Leicester Royal Infirmary and emigrated to New Zealand in 2004. Since joining Sercombe & Matheson in 2007 she has completed a Master's degree in Clinical Optometry and  The Australian College of Optometry's Certificate of Ocular Therapeutics in 2022. Her special interests include paediatric optometry and myopia control. She works at the paediatric clinics at Hutt Hospital and Wellington Hospital as well as working with us. Outside work Natalie enjoys good coffee, reading, and going on holiday. Natalie works on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

email Natalie    Natalie's Linked in profile
 

Annette Morgan B.Optom (Auckland), Cert Oc Pharm,
Optometrist

email Annette
 

Frances Misich B.Optom (Hons), MSc (Hons), BSc
Optometrist

Following 2 degrees in Microbiology, Frances got her Optometry degree in 2002, She's had a wide range of jobs in both optometry and ophthalmology including that of Lead Optometrist at The Australian College of Optometry in Melbourne. Frances works with us  on Mondays and Wednesdays, and you may recognise her from her other job in the Glaucoma and Dry Eye Clinics at the Thorndon Eye Clinic here in Welllington. Frances likes to read, and wrangling her family and the dog keeps her very busy..

Ian Bennett
Optical Technician

Ian's first job was working as a technician in a wholesale optical laboratory. Since then he has had a varied working life, including spending time as a cycle courier. Ian is a talented spectacle repairer  - the more challenging the job, the more satisfying he finds it. He has a sideline profession maintaining and installing lens edging machines around the country and occasionally further afield. Ian is a multifocal spectacle wearer. Ian is into tramping, climbing and cycling and he's a volunteer fire fighter and supporter of the Paekawakawa reserve in Island Bay. On the home front keeping chooks and gardening are steps on the way to becoming self-sufficient.

email Ian
 

Arnold Dela Cruz B.Sc
Dispensing Optician

After deciding medical school wasn't for him, Arnold worked in pharmaceutical sales. He joined the optical industry when he moved from the Philippines to New Zealand in 2008, which was a change he's found satisfying and rewarding. He qualified as a Dispensing Optician in 2013. Arnold loves the customer interaction involved in dispensing, especially the challenge of matching the customer's optical needs to their lifestyle needs. Outside work, he's acquired a Diploma in Business Management from Victoria University in Melbourne and he enjoys playing guitar and percussion, gardening, car maintenance, DIY projects, video games and going to the gym.

email Arnold
 

Belinda Wood
Dispensing Optician

Belinda comes from an office administration background but discovered optics a few years back after she moved from South Africa to New Zealand. She qualified as a dispensing optician in 2025. She's fluent in Afrikaans, so if that's the language you'd like to discuss frames and lenses in, she's the person for you. Her outside interests include motorcycles and reading.

 

Vanessa Sercombe
Practice Manager

Vanessa is a former early childhood teacher. 16 years educating and nurturing children, managing staff and running early childhood centres and community creches gave her an abundance of organisational and people skills which she applies to Sercombe and Matheson's business. Mildly shortsighted and an enthusiastic wearer of avant-garde glasses, she's delighted to be involved in both frame purchasing and sales. Helping our clients choose frames provides a nice contrast with the many administrative tasks she's involved in.  Fostering puppies for an animal rescue organisation keeps her busy outside work. 

email Vanessa
 

Piper Sercombe

Optical Assistant

Piper finished her Industrial Design degree at the end of 2024. Over the course of 2025 she's worked for us as an optical assistant and is now contemplating joining the team full time and training to become a dispensing optician.

Lauren Gibson

Receptionist

Our newest recruit.