At Skin + Aesthetics, we understand fully that coming to us with your skin concerns is a private and vulnerable experience and because of that, we believe in a personalized and private experience for each and every patient. We pride ourselves on not being a "cattle-call" type practice, but instead providing an atmosphere where you will feel safe and that all aspects are confidential while we work one-on-one with you to address your concerns.
When you schedule a visit with Skin + Aesthetics, you will always be initially assessed for medical clearance by our owner and Nurse Practitioner,
Blakelee Paige Smith.
Blakelee Paige Smith,
MSN, APRN, AGPCNP-BC, NP-C
14+ Years of Experience in Aesthetic Dermatology
Dermatology - 10 years
Plastic Surgery - 3 years
Medspa - 4 years
national trainer for galderma,
gain podium faculty,
Hydrafacial Key opinion leader and
advisory council chair,
Advisory Board member
International speaker and educator
speaking at most of the nation's largest and most-attended aesthetic medicine educational conferences
Dual Board-Certified Nurse Practitioner
Born in Cookeville, Tennessee and raised in Livingston, Tennessee, Blakelee is no stranger to the Upper Cumberland. After graduating from Livingston Academy, Blakelee attended Tennessee Technological University, majoring in Psychology before pursuing her nursing career. She moved away from the Cumberland Plateau for many years, living in New Orleans, Kansas City, and Nashville before returning home. During that time, she devoted her time and energy to learning all things skin, focusing on both the medical and the cosmetic aspects by working in general dermatology, Mohs surgery, plastic/reconstructive surgery, and as a cosmetic dermatology injector. She is grateful that prior to the opening of her own clinic that she had the opportunity to work extensively for many years in both private practice and in academic hospital settings such as Vanderbilt Medical Center and Children's Mercy to further her learning, as both have been integral into becoming the provider she is today. She has worked tirelessly over her career to become a name known for being the provider who provides ethical, evidence-based care that gives results.
Blakelee holds three honors degrees in nursing, graduating Summa Cum Laude (4.0), is a proud member of the American Association of Nurse Practitioners, Tennessee Nurse Practitioner Association, Sigma Theta Tau Nursing Honors Society, International Society of Plastic and Aesthetic Nurses, Dermatology Nurses’ Association, and also serves as part of the Dermatology Nurse Practice cohort, creating valuable educational materials for dermatology nurses and nurse practitioners alike. Additionally, she is the co-chair of the Tennessee chapter of AmSpa, focusing on legislature related to Medical Spas. She values continuing education above all else and is an international-level clinical speaker, speaking at the most highly-sought after aesthetic conferences, allowing her to share her focus on safety and efficacy with fellow providers, is a national trainer for aesthetic providers, and serves as a key opinion leader and advisory board member for several top aesthetic companies.
When not learning or working, Blakelee prefers to spend her time with family and friends, riding on her Peloton, track racing, or at the beach (slathered in SPF, of course!).
looking for training?
click here.
coca-cola
dr. pepper
waffles
pancakes
Going Out
Staying In
Fall
Spring
am - 7
pm - 6
steps in skincare routine:
10-12
average educational conferences attended per year:
Epicutis Lipid Serum
skincare
product:
Macaroni + Cheese
Seafood
DESSERT
Food:
Colorescience
Flex or Brush-On
sunscreen:
Late Night Cereal
(Preferably Frosted Flakes)
Guilty pleasure:
Dysport or BBL
anti-aging
procedure:
favoRites:
reality tv
dogs
traveling
sunburns
Exceptional Nursing - 2023
Excellent qualities in Nursing Practice - 2023
nursing excellence - 2019
great catch - 2018
clinical excellence - 2014
awards received:
high performance driving/Racing
Hobbies:
fun facts about blakelee
pilates & cycling
obsessively cleaning and organizing
jamming to 90s rap
Skin Health
Procedure:
Hydrafacial
"Blakelee cares about her patients and it shows! I love how detailed she is every visit and makes sure we are on the same page about results. She makes me feel comfortable.
Katie | Tennessee
CLIENT LOVE
Maddie Parks
Clinic Manager + Director of Operations
Madeleine is also a Cookeville, Tennessee native and has spent most of her life living right here in her hometown. Due to her incredible fusion of experience in both the beauty industry and in business, Maddie was the absolute perfect fit and answer to S+A's need for a Director of Operations.
Beginning at a young age, Maddie's involvement in pageantry sparked her love for the beauty industry. She began learning the tricks of the trade by assisting her longtime friend and official Miss Universe Organization makeup artist, DeLaney Henry, and determined her education wouldn't stop there. Not only did she study Business and Marketing at Nashville State, but she also obtained her cosmetology license (#189060) and pursued formal training in makeup artistry, making her an absolute all-star in the beauty business.
In 2017, Maddie earned her certification as an Advanced Professional Makeup Artist at the Academy of Make Up Arts in Nashville, TN, where she received instruction from Emmy award-winning artists. She was fortunate to quickly find opportunities as a makeup artist, working with a variety of clients for all types of special events. While she is always honored to be a small part of all special moments, pageant styling is where her heart lies. She has traveled to local, state, and national pageants to style clients for the stage and allow them to look and feel like the best version of themselves.
Maddie maintained a full schedule as a traveling makeup artist for several years before having her two children.
As her children got older, she ultimately decided to scale back her freelance work and sought a career that would still be in the same field that she has loved for so long, but would allow for more time with her family and offer more structure within her schedule. Thankfully for us, she found her calling as the Clinic Manager at Skin + Aesthetics, as she not only makes the world a more beautiful place through her incredible makeup artistry skills, but also makes the clinic a much more beautiful atmosphere with her focus on patient care. She’s passionate about being the true definition of a leader, as well as in being an integral part in S+A’s patients’ transformations as they grow in confidence and begin to look and feel like their best selves.
When she’s not at her desk making sure all operations run smoothly or working tirelessly to keep Blakelee on time in clinic and not yapping, you can still occasionally find her painting a face or two, cruising Dale Hollow Lake with her family, or tending to her garden.
Cassi Slagle
Licensed Aesthetician + Hydrafacialist
We're excited to continue to grow our team!
Check back soon for Cassi's entire bio!
INFO COMING SOON
Certified Laser Technician
We're excited to continue to grow our team and are actively adding new team members. Check back soon for more info on our new provider!
INFO COMING SOON
Registered Nurse
We're excited to continue to grow our team and are actively adding new team members. Check back soon for more info on our new provider!
Kurt Gilbert, MD
Medical Director
Dr. Kurt Gilbert, MD is a board-certified Internal Medicine physician with over 9 years of clinical experience and a deep commitment to patient-centered care and clinical excellence. A Cookeville native, he earned his Bachelor of Science in Chemistry from Tennessee Technological University before going on to receive his Doctor of Medicine from ETSU’s Quillen College of Medicine. He completed his Internal Medicine residency at the University of Kentucky, where he developed a strong foundation in evidence-based medicine and comprehensive patient care.
Dr. Gilbert lives in Cookeville with his wife, two sons, and their family dog. When he’s not caring for patients, he enjoys camping, traveling, and spending time on the lake with his family.
Beasley Smith
Chief Canine Officer + Therapy Dog
If you've met Blakelee, you know her love for dogs, so it should come as no surprise that she created the most important clinic position of all, the CCO.
While Beasley's job was initially to be a work-from-home position, he quickly proved to us he was ready and willing to take on much more. After seeing Beasley's incredible thirst for learning and his calming temperament, Blakelee sent Beasley to become a trained therapy dog to assist in clinic on occasion.
Beasley is a hypoallergenic mini goldendoodle and to ensure the safety of our patients, he has routine strict veterinary health screenings to ensure his wellness, remains up to date on all vaccinations, and has been specifically trained for these activities. He resides in patient common areas, in his bed, or on his couch in Blakelee's office and is trained to not ever enter treatment areas unless specifically requested by a patient for his services. After each session, thorough cleaning protocols are implemented.
We believe fully in the power of therapy dogs, which have not only been found to reduce anxiety, depression, pain levels, blood pressure, and heart rate in a number of clinical studies in medical settings including ED, orthopedics, and oncology settings, but have also seen it firsthand with Beasley aiding patients in clinic as well.
When not working, Beasley enjoys running figure-8s in his backyard, going for walks and r-i-d-e-s, scheming for ways to earn treats, strewing toys throughout his house, patiently waiting for his next BarkBox to arrive, and coordinating his next clinic outfit.
We are not only proud of the way Beasley serves our patients, but are grateful for his sweet demeanor and always-happy personality in our office.
