Jonathan E. Mennucci, O.D.

Education: B.S. Construction Management; California State University, Chico
Optometry School: Southern California College of Optometry, graduated Magna Cum Laude
Training: University Eye Center at Marshall B. Ketchum University, Eye Center at VA Salt Lake City Health Care System, Kaiser Permanente in Denver, Colorado.
Clinical Interests: Comprehensive Optometry, Ocular Disease, Dry Eye
Community Service: Habitat for Humanity construction services, International Eye Care Missions

Jon Mennucci grew up locally in Chico. His youth was spent swimming in Butte Creek and backpacking in the Sierra Nevadas. From a young age he loved music, learning some skill on the piano, as well as acoustic guitar and electric bass. He played in various bands in Chico, and after high school moved with his brother to San Francisco to write and perform at various night clubs and bars.

After rocking out for a couple of years in the Bay Area, Jon’s dreams of being a rock star took a back seat to reality, and Jon moved back to Chico where he enrolled at Chico State. Another passion of his being construction, Jon went on to receive his bachelor’s degree in Construction Management. After graduating in 2009, he took a job back in the Bay Area working for a specialty glazing contractor. There, he was an estimator for a team that put curtain wall glass on skyscrapers.

At this point you are wondering, OK how and where does optometry fit into this story? After a couple years, Jon began to miss the more relaxed hometown feel of Chico, and became more interested in getting back to his roots. He was enjoying his work in construction management, but it was a career path that was somewhat limited to the big city. His father had been an optometrist in Oroville, and Jon had always been intrigued by optics and the anatomy of the eye. So he decided to go back to school to get his optometry license. By 2012 he was enrolled at Southern California College of Optometry in Fullerton, CA. 

Throughout his time in graduate school, Jon reached out to the local eye care professionals here in Northern California. He met Dr. Isaac Barthelow and Dr. Anthony Rudick, partners and owners of North Valley Eye Care in Chico and Ridge Eye Care in Paradise. On his summer off, he worked for them as a technician, and it became clear that it would be a good fit for employment in the future. Before he knew it the path was set for him to work there after graduation.

In 2016, Dr. Jon Mennucci commenced work at North Valley Eye Care. Since his homecoming, he has focused on comprehensive optometry, with special interest in ocular disease and dry eye. He sees many patients with a range of ocular health conditions, and really enjoys helping people see better whether it be with a good pair of glasses or contacts, or surgery if needed. He appreciates having ophthalmology in house, and being able to provide full-service eye care. And lastly, Jon greatly enjoys being able to help the community he grew up in and loves.

When Jon isn’t looking at eye balls, he is a family man. He is married to his beautiful wife, Ashley, who used to work at North Valley Eye Care, and now is an accountant at Enloe. They recently had their first baby, Eliana, born in February 2024, who is ridiculously cute and the apple of her parents’ eyes. He still enjoys construction, and hates paying contractors to do anything for him. There is always a woodworking project he is working on, or a home renovation he is in the middle of. He also still writes and plays music. In between patients, you might catch him grooving some acoustic guitar in the back office.

Come see Dr. Jon at the clinic!