Kim Burke
Kiss Aesthetics founder, medical director, and CEO Kim Burke is no stranger to the aesthetic care field. Kim is a certified nurse practitioner, and is listed as one of the “Top 100 Best Injectors in America.” She has trained and learned from the best in the aesthetic and plastic surgery industry; she also trains the best in the industry by instructing the Kiss Academy, her own private injectable training course.
Kim holds a Bachelor of Science in Nursing Degree and a Master of Science in Nursing Degree from Illinois State University and The University of Saint Francis, respectively, and has been a guest lecturer and speaker for conferences, podcasts, and symposiums in her field. She has also completed several professional training courses for assessments and consultations, dermal fillers, Sculptra®, and PDO thread lifts. In addition, she is a national trainer for the Galderma Aesthetic Injector Network (GAIN). Some know Kim as “The Chicago Lip Boss,” and she has appeared on the podcast “For the Record: An Unfiltered View on Surviving in Aesthetics” to discuss how she balances her life with her success.
Kim is the director of two Kiss Aesthetics locations in the Chicagoland area. She has been married since 2003 and has two kids and two (extremely) spoiled dogs.
Ashley Salerno
Certified MINT Thread Trainer
Salerno is a compassionate, dedicated registered nurse who is focused on providing customized care to deliver stunning results for her patients. Ashley received her Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree from Saint Xavier University in Chicago, IL in 2018. She is currently attending Chamberlain University to pursue her Master of Nursing Degree.
Ashley started working as a nurse in the trauma and surgery departments at Advocate Christ Medical Center in Chicago in 2019 and brought her passion for caregiving to Kiss Aesthetics in June 2020. As a valued practitioner on our team, Ashley is skilled at collaborating with patients, assessing their needs, and delivering quality results. Ashley continues her aesthetic education by attending conferences regularly such as The American Med Spa’s annual meeting in Las Vegas, NV, Aesthetic Next in Dallas, TX, and The Academy for Injection Anatomy’s cadaver lab. She has also attended several PDO thread trainings in California, Connecticut, and locally.
Aesthetic nursing has always been Ashley’s goal, and she is adept at providing injections and thread lifts for Kiss Aesthetics customers.
Diane Denson
FNP
Diane is a member of the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners and the American Med Spa Association.
She is a board-certified family nurse practitioner who has a passion for facial aesthetics and empowering others through her safe, artistic approach to enhancing beauty.
Diane loves making people feel more confident in their own skin.
Lisa Peña
FNP
Lisa Peña is a board-certified family nurse practitioner who practices both family and aesthetic medicine. She began her nursing career as a pediatric nurse, working at Loyola University Medical Center for five years while attending graduate school there.
She loves aesthetics because one of her greatest passions is helping people feel more confident about themselves, and enjoys performing injections on the lips because of their uniqueness.
Lisa is fluent in Spanish and enjoys ballroom dancing in her spare time.
Kylie Buckendahl
Licensed Medical Esthetician
Kiss Aesthetics’ newest Licensed Medical Aesthetician, Kylie Buckendahl, graduated from Universal Spa Training Academy in 2021. She is certified as a Laser Technician and Acne Specialist. Additionally, Kylie has received certification in Face Reality and Sylfirm microneedling. For the past few years she has expanded her knowledge & experience by providing excellent service in a downtown Chicago Med Spa before joining the Kiss Aesthetics team. She is passionate about educating & building relationships with her clients, creating at home skin regimens, & performing treatment-based services such as Moxi & Microneedling. Kylie has a passion for helping her clients feel confident in their own skin, believing that consistency is the most important part of their skin care journey! In her free time, she loves traveling with her boyfriend and friends, baking, and binge watching her favorite tv shows.
Bekah Witz
RN, BSN
Bekah graduated with her RN degree from Chamberlain University in 2016. She has a background in dermatology, orthopedics, triage, and working with stroke patients Bekah has been obsessed with injectables since 2018 when her injectable training began. Prior to nursing, Bekah worked as a licensed esthetician. She is passionate about skincare and injectables and constantly working on perfecting her skills through continuing education. Helping clients build their confidence completely fills Bekah’s heart. Bekah enjoys spending time with her husband and 2 dogs, and being active especially in the summer months.
Kayla Tucker
RN, BSN
Kayla earned her BSN from the University of Iowa in 2017. She began her nursing career in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at Christ Hospital her first few years, which taught her how to think critically & pay close attention to detail. Kayla has adapted to her more recent career move into the aesthetic industry by encompassing these skills whole-heartedly. Her precise technique & ability to consult her clients with a caring, conscientious perspective allows her to provide her clients with the highest quality and most natural desired results. Additionally, Kayla is a Certified Acne Specialist, certified in Face Reality and Sylfirm microneedling. Kayla has been married to her amazing husband and best friend for almost two years. Together they share their adorable French bulldog, Wilson. We are thrilled that Kayla has joined our Kiss Aesthetics Team as she combines her critical care experience with her artistic style of injecting.