Meet the Staff

Our Office Team

We have a wonderful office team that works diligently to give our patients the highest level of care and consideration. They include Barbara Miguel, our Office Manager, and Norma Patrone, our Medical Records Specialist.  Our patients appreciate their kindness, efficiency, and support.  They join Dr. Pletsch and her clinical staff in our commitment to providing you with great service and a positive experience throughout your time with us.

Lisa Patterson, RN

Lisa has been with our practice since 2006, participating in initial consultations, taking medical histories of new patients, and advising them on the cost of the procedures they are seeking.  She also schedules pre- and post-operative appointments.  Originally trained in dentistry, she completed her schooling in a Dental Assistant program and then worked in an Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery practice as an assistant for 16 years.  She also does medical assisting and records ongoing research data for Dr. Pletsch, who is a primary investigator for five different breast implant studies for three different implant companies regulated by the FDA.

Lisa finds her work highly rewarding, noting that Dr. Pletsch does not advertise; instead, other patients primarily refer new patients to the practice.   “Our practice has an excellent reputation and I really enjoy medical assisting - particularly the patient care aspects of my work.  Reassuring patients before surgery and helping them to feel comfortable throughout the process is gratifying.”

She is also committed to providing patients with clear and concise information about the procedure they’re considering.  “There is so much information accessible online, and our patients often hear about a specific surgical technique on TV, but just because a new technique is available doesn’t mean it’s the best one for a particular patient.  We want them to get the results they desire, and Dr. Pletsch is honest and ethical, always choosing the right procedure for the patient’s unique facial or body structure.  We all hold ourselves to Dr. Pletsch’s high standard, and my philosophy is that every one of our patients deserve to be treated with respect and kindness.  If there’s anything I can do to help along the way, I always want to do it.  I’m a caretaker at heart.”

Please contact us to schedule your consultation.

Judy Lee, R.N.

 Judy is a specialist in Aesthetic Nursing, and has been with our practice since 2003.  She does dermal fillers, Botox, and laser treatments for a large number of very satisfied patients.  They seek her services for FotoFacial IPL (Intense Pulse Light) and Matrix RF (sublative) laser treatments to brighten, lighten and smooth skin and treat acne scarring and VelaShape to smooth the appearance of cellulite. 

Raised in Delaware, Judy has been nursing since 1977.  She nursed for 18 years at Dominican Hospital in Santa Cruz, CA.  where her positions included floor nursing, endoscopy, oncology, and IV therapist.  “My career has always been centered on patient contact and care,” she says.  “And my extensive experience with giving IV and other injections has given me a knack for quickly and competently injecting dermal fillers, among other things.  I really like this part of my work.  As a matter of fact, if I could, I’d inject [Juvederm, Botox, etc.] all day long!  Many of our patients also like the VelaSmooth cellulite treatments too, which firm and tone the body without drugs or side effects.  We want to to give our patients exactly what they need.  For instance, we use the Syneron blue light to treat acne, which has been truly exciting for our patients who have not responded to other treatments.” 

Judy works in tandem with our aesthetician, Angela and with Dr. Pletsch to determine what will give patients optimal results.  “For instance, many of our laser patients are prepped ahead of time with an Obagi skin care products regimen, which facilitates the effectiveness of the laser treatments.  We get a high degree of patient satisfaction by combining skin care with non-surgical or surgical facial procedures because the skin is properly prepared.”  She points out that when patients come to the center, they have decided to do something for themselves and that this is often a motivating factor for taking better care of themselves afterward – particularly in terms of exercise and a better diet.  “There’s a cascade of positive reactions that we see in our patients, which is gratifying.  I love talking with women and seeing them feel better about themselves.  I tell my patients, ‘Come play in my room!’  I want them to have fun.  And they do.  I get to know my patients and take pride in giving them great care and keeping them comfortable.  I try to give each one of them what they want and to address their concerns.  It something bothers them about their appearance, we take that seriously.  We want them to be happy.”

Angela Laurel, Clinical Aesthetician

Angela is a certified Clinical Aesthetician, licensed by the state of California since 1995.  She does pre-op skin care planning and consultations with our patients, working collaboratively with Dr. Pletsch and Judy Lee, R.N. to make sure each patient gets the best possible skin care regimen.  She has been with our practice since 2005 performing glycolic facials, acne facials, facial waxing, and microdermabrasion, treating acne, rosacea, mature skin, and skin damage caused by overexposure to the sun.  “We talk to patients and educate them, believing that proper skin care and skin care education is often the missing link in patient care.  It’s important for our patients to have a customized skin care program suitable to their unique skin type,” she says. 

Prior to coming to our practice, Angela worked in a skin care center and also worked full time in an outpatient surgical center.  She then accepted a position in a plastic surgeon’s office in Mountain View, CA, where she became a laser technician and consultant to patients, managing the laser program.   During that time, she also worked with the Obagi skincare system for two years, before launching her own skin care business, which she ran successfully for seven years. 

Angela has also worked with California Skin Care Supply, running their microdermabrasion clinic and teaching salon-based aestheticians to do treatments and to work with a range of pharmaceutical grade skin care products.  Angela points out that our patients get total care at the center, and says that the part of her work she derives the greatest satisfaction from is seeing patients happy with the results they attain.  “I want to make a difference in their lives, and find it rewarding to get them to their goals.  I had acne as a young person and remember grasping at straws to find something that would help.  I became a specialist in the treatment of acne because I understood what others go through.  When their skin challenges are corrected, their lives change.  That’s what I’m here for.”