Meet The Team

Medical Aesthetician

Heike Connors

Heike has been in the Esthetic field for 15 years. She is a graduate of Ensynergy Southeastern School of Esthetics, and also has 38 years of customer service experience as a flight attendant with Delta Airlines. Heike believes in medical-grade products to enhance and maintain a youthful look. She is also laser certified and would like to ensure that her clients have an outstanding experience each and every visit. -You don’t work a day in your life if you love your job! Heike was born in Munich, Germany, and enjoys skiing, traveling with her family, and staying fit.

Lead Medical Aesthetician

Cari Pothier

Cari has 17 years of aesthetic experience with a specialty in lasers. She has always had a passion for helping people feel good about themselves age gracefully. When she was in her teens, she developed cystic acne which put her on a journey to overcome it, which she has. This has helped her identify with people who may not be very confident because of the way their skin looks. She understands the importance of taking care of your of our skin from the inside out. She believes that everyone’s skin is different so not everything works for everybody which allows her to create a specific plan for each unique person. Cari relocated to Georgia right after college, where she obtained a BS degree with a Concentration in Marketing. What brings her great joy is spending time with the Lord, her husband and 3 children.

Practice Manager/Marketing Director

Brandi Leslie

Brandi joined the SK5 team in September 2020, after working in the healthcare industry for many years as an oncology project manager. Originally from Macon, Ga, Brandi has been in the area for 9 years. She has two adult children that are both currently in grad school in Georgia and Texas, and her little doxie sidekick of 12 years, Maddie. Prior to joining the team, Brandi was a client of Dr. Galitzin’s and the estheticians for 4 years. Working here has been a life-changing experience and has given her skin the revitalization it needed.

Nurse injector

Brittany Polk

Brittany graduated from Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College with her Bachelors of Science in Nursing. She began her nursing career at an outpatient GI clinic where she learned to perfect her IV skills. Brittany later transitioned to the Emergency Department where she sharpened her ability to care for and assess patients with critical and complex conditions; this knowledge brought her to the Cardiac Cath Lab where she currently works full time.

While Brittany enjoys the challenges that critical care patients bring, her passion for skin care and aesthetic nursing grew while she was attending nursing school. This made the decision to pursue a deeper understanding of skin health easy. In 2022 Brittany began working to expand her aesthetic knowledge base while shadowing alongside the incredible aestheticians and injectors. She has since obtained her Senior Laser Practitioner License and Certification of training in Botox and filler.

Brittany currently maintains BLS, ACLS, and TNCC certifications.

Medical Aesthetician

Mariela

Mariela has 5 years of aesthetic experience with a specialty in monthly Hydrafacials, chemical peels, and tattoo removals. She has always had a love for helping clients maintain exceptional skin and looking their best. Originally from Mexico, Mariela and her husband relocated from North Carolina to the Atlanta area 4 years ago with their three children. When she is not helping clients to feel and look their best, she enjoys traveling and home décor. Mariela is fluent in both Spanish and French.

Client Coordinator

Laura Hoefakker

Laura has been part of the SK5 family since January 2023. She is delighted to serve everyone who comes into the office. Originally from Wisconsin, Laura moved to Georgia ten years ago and has been in the service industry for over twenty years, ranging from food service to office coordinating and customer service. Whenever you call the office, you will most likely hear her friendly voice on the phone ready and able to help you with whatever you need, in English or in Spanish. When she is not at work, she is studying skin care, editing (books), singing to Jesus or spending time with her friends and family.

MEDICAL AESTHETICIAN

Cynthia Winston

Cynthia began her career in the world of skin by working in plastics but wanted to dive deeper in all areas of the skin which led her to working in dermatology. From there her desire to continue to learn led her to Elaine Sterling Institute, where she graduated. Cynthia has been an aesthetician for 9 years but in the aesthetic world for almost 13 years.

As a licensed laser practitioner and aesthetician, Cynthia is able to offer clients services including laser hair removal with IPL, fractional with Palomar, as well as BBL/Halo with the Sciton. In addition to laser treatments, Cynthia is also experienced in Hydrafacials, VI chemical peels, Skinpen microneedling and now Sylfirm RF microneedling. She has also had the privilege to work with along side top providers in Atlanta affording her extensive hands on experience with Coolscultping and Ultherapy.

Skin health is Cynthia’s passion and she values educating her clients on how each procedures and products can work together in repairing their skin and getting it to its full potential.

When she is not working she enjoys spending time with her two daughters and husband.

Adult-Gerontology Nurse Practitioner

Rebecca Paffenroth

Rebecca Paffenroth is a board-certified Adult-Gerontology Nurse Practitioner who obtained her degree from the University of South Florida in 2018. Formally, an oncology-certified nurse, Rebecca has spent the past 5 years specializing in medical dermatology with a mission to educate on prevention and early detection of skin cancers, with a passion for melanoma. 

Rebecca has spent over 15 years working in Healthcare and she has a natural ability to make all feel comfortable when in her presence. She loves to connect with each person she meets and will make you feel like more than a patient when in her presence. She takes pride in giving treatment plans individualized to each patient and their goals, especially sensitive to those with chronic skin conditions. In addition to treating many medical dermatology skin conditions, Rebecca is also a trained Botox and Filler injector.