MEET THE TEAM
VALERIE MONISMITH, RN
Registered Nurse, Founder & Owner
Valerie Monismith is a skilled and dedicated Registered Nurse with over 15 years of experience in the medical aesthetics field. Valerie has built her career around providing unique solutions to clients for a range of issues.
Before founding Ashtoria Aesthetics & Wellness in 2015, Valerie excelled as a dedicated Labor & Delivery and NICU nurse for many years. Valerie made the transition into medical aesthetics after being presented with an opportunity to work as a plastic surgeon’s lead nurse. This new challenge opened her eyes to the vast spectrum of aesthetic procedures, especially those that improve a patient’s quality of life.
Over the years Valerie continued to work with doctors and other aesthetic professionals across the country and abroad, constantly building her expertise in both laser and injectable therapies.
Valerie is skilled in safe skin/tissue rejuvenation treatments using the highly acclaimed Fotona Laser systems, and has additional expertise in advanced methods for injecting neuromodulators, temporary and bio-stimulating fillers as well as PRP. She is only nurse in the Memphis area with 15+ years of injecting Bellafill. Valerie uses and trains with comfortable micro-cannulas for superior results with minimal bruising, and has served as a National Injection Trainer for Suneva Medical (the makers of Bellafill) and is currently a trainer for Revanesse.
Motivated to expand her knowledge in healthy living, Valerie became a Certified Food For Life Instructor through the award-winning Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM). The Food for Life program was designed by physicians, nurses, and registered dietitians to train and certify health advocates in promoting healthy eating and disease management.
Valerie is excited to add Functional Medicine Memberships in 2024 to help her clients on a deeper level on their journey towards good health.
Ashley Peel, RN, BSN
Ashley received her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of Mississippi Medical Center in Jackson, Mississippi. She went on to complete her Nursing Residency in Critical Care at Methodist University Hospital in Memphis, TN. She has been actively working as a Registered Nurse in the Surgical Intensive Care Unit for several years, all while fine-tuning her skills in the medical aesthetics industry. She has expanded her practice in aesthetics to so she can help others feel and look their best.
Ashley loves being able to meet people where they are, talk through concerns, and develop a plan to help them feel more confident in their own skin. Ashley continues to expand her practice in aesthetics to help her clients look and feel their best.
ALLISON, LME
Licensed Medical Esthetician
Allison is an experienced esthetician with a passion for helping others attain their skincare goals. As a teenager, Allison battled acne which led to scarring. This inspired her to become an esthetician and help others like herself. After 7 years of helping her clients using treatments, facials, and medical-grade skincare, Allison began training on the Fotona laser systems at Ashtoria. She is passionate about helping clients achieve their goas via multiple modalities and custom treatment plans.
Lea Brainard, PA
Lea Brainerd is a dedicated healthcare provider with a profound passion for psychiatry and mental health. With 13 years of experience as a medical assistant in diverse healthcare settings, Lea embarked on the path to becoming a healthcare provider. Lea received a bachelor's degree in pre-PA and psychology from UT Chattanooga, achieving her PA degree in July 2021.
As a PA, Lea has gained experience in various healthcare settings, including substance use and co-occurring disorder treatment, psychiatric medication management, ketamine integration therapy, and life/health coaching. She is a certified professional life coach, Human Design Coach, and holds a certificate of added qualifications in psychiatry. Currently enrolled in the Institute for Functional Medicine (IFM) certification training course, Lea's practice is centered on Functional Medicine and Brain Health, offering a range of services such as holistic wellness, lifestyle optimization, hormone replacement therapy, healthy weight management, nutraceutical supplementation, brain health promotion, and more.
Lea’s belief in a holistic approach to health and wellness focuses on addressing mind, body, and spiritual healing simultaneously and is rooted in the quantum physics neurobiological view of health. Committed to providing whole-person care that delves into root causes, Lea stresses the importance of social connection and support in the healing process.
Outside of her professional endeavors, Lea finds solace and inspiration in dance, integrating it with therapeutic practices to support healing and well-being. Her holistic approach combines western, eastern, and energy medicine to craft personalized healing plans for her clients.
Jeremy Draper, MD
Medical Director
Dr. Draper is the owner of Wellfit Medicine & Nutrition in Arlington ,TN. As a board-certified family physician, Dr, Draper quickly became disheartened with the traditional primary care model and assembly line medicine. Dr. Draper has pursued extensive additional knowledge and training in business administration, bioidentical hormone replacement, and functional medicine. Ashtoria is thankful to have Dr. Draper on our team as someone who aligns with our passion for integrative functional medicine and high level of client care and compassion.