Spring is just around the corner, and The Aesthetic Society is already experiencing renewed energy and new growth. I wanted to answer some questions about what’s next.
Hello members and readers! When I joined The Society over two years ago, we began a journey to fortify the organization—to ensure that we remained vital to our members and the industry and had a trajectory that would guarantee our future success. We used a three-legged stool as our model—the three critical areas that support our organization are Corporate Support, Membership and Education & Meetings.
Here are some questions and answers about what we have done and what’s ahead as we continue to expand and strengthen our support and leadership in the industry.
Question
Using the three-legged stool as your model, how have we strengthened these pillars of support?
Answer
The idea was to establish a vision grounded in growth and future relevancy and one that ensures financial stability down the road. We’ve already made great strides in all these areas.
Question
I’m sure many readers are aware of the new AlliedPro membership category for non-surgical professionals. What else are we doing to grow membership?
Answer
We are now welcoming new non-voting categories of members—affiliated specialties for facial plastics and oculoplastics, who uphold high moral, professional, and ethical standing, and who have demonstrated achievement in the field of aesthetic surgery. But beyond including more members in all facets of the aesthetic industry, we are making membership much for valuable for everyone.
Question
How so?
Answer
A great example is The Aesthetic Academy, our online learning resource. In addition to providing educational resources for surgeons, we are now offering guidance for all aspects of running a practice—establishing and growing your business, providing resources for front and back-office staff, and curating a learning journey specific to each surgical and non-surgical member’s career. Already, AlliedPro members are able to access a specialized learning path and receive “badges” to recognize their progress and achievements, something they can also show off to patients. We want to provide an experience that is relevant to fellows and residents, PA’s, nurse coordinators, injectors, office managers, and surgeons alike.
Question
Have there been changes to other educational offerings?
Answer
In order to keep our offerings relevant and easily accessible to members, we have reinvented our online webinars. Offerings now include Saturday Master Classes, AlliedPro Forums, and ASJ Journal Club and GEMS webinars. We aim to be the north star of aesthetic education—maintaining our leadership in providing the best resources to drive optimal beauty outcomes and patient safety.
Question
You also rebranded your annual meeting—now known as The Aesthetic MEET.
Answer
We started reimagining our meeting in Vancouver, BC in 2024. The goal was to ensure that the content was state-of-the-industry current, and relevant to our members. We also wanted to present the information in ways that are visceral and immersive.
Question
What changes are in store for this year’s meeting in Boston in May?
Answer
We are excited to be hosting our opening party in the Marketplace this year. It’s just one of the ways we are adding energy to the exhibit floor. We are also going to host “Meet the Experts” after-sessions in our booth to provide an interactive experience with our speakers. The topics our speakers and experts will cover will be much more inclusive this year: how to run a successful practice, insights into hiring, marketing, patient loyalty, office systems, and some other standouts. Clinical highlights include:
- 5 cadaver labs covering Anatomy for the Injectors, Comprehensive Deep Plane Facelift and Deep Necklift, Endoscopic and Minimally Invasive Techniques and NEW this year, Ponytail Facelift and Rib Contouring
- New “Marking” Courses covering Body and Breast
- 12 New Courses “For AlliedPro, By AlliedPro” covering neurotoxins, fillers, lasers, skincare, ultrasounds and more.
- Video Spotlight presentations covering Comprehensive Upper & Lower Body-lifting and How to do Your First Preservation Rhinoplasty.
- Experiential learning on why and how your business can offer “Unreasonable Hospitality.”
Also, we will be celebrating a major mile-stone—ASJ’s 30th anniversary. It is especially timely, as the Journal has now achieved its highest impact rating ever—establishing ASJ as the number one journal in aesthetics.
Question
Corporate support is also evolving—can you let us know about your efforts in that area?
Answer
In 2025 we welcomed our first Signature partner, Allergan Aesthetics. We created this new level to allow our corporate partners to customize a package of opportunities and benefits that are tailored to their specific needs. Our corporate partners have traditionally been companies directly involved in the aesthetic industry. We realized that there is also a large number of companies that are not in the aesthetic industry, but valuable and relevant to our membership and the patients they serve—luxury, lifestyle and wellness brands like Rolex, Peloton and Lululemon.
We recently added Lisa Lopez as our Managing Director of Business Development, and she will lead our drive to identify and bring more of these brands into the fold. We are already conducting focus groups to determine which non-endemic companies to pursue.
Question
There are also a lot of things going on behind the scenes at The Society, right?
Answer
Yes! The one I am most excited about is implementing a new CRM (Customer Relationship Management) system. It will allow us to better drive personal engagement and loyalty across each of our member categories, based on the individual needs of members. We can curate our relationship with each member and incorporate their personal preferences in the content we provide and the way we communicate with them. It provides a convenient way for all our systems to talk to each other and ultimately make the member user experience more friendly and seamless. We have also implemented many initiatives and processes to improve operational efficiencies.
Question
Did I hear a mobile member app is on the way?
Answer
Correct. Later this year we will be rolling out a mobile app for members, using the brand recognition of Aesthetic One. While we know Aesthetic One serves as the application for our breast registry, ARISE (presently under review for FDA recognition), the release of a new, comprehensive member app will further enable us to offer a centralized, all-in-one channel for our members. It will be like checking the news or the weather on your phone when you wake up—a way to conveniently connect directly with our members, provide notifications, and other turnkey abilities. It will evolve into our meeting app, a CME tracker, and a convenient way to update member profiles and pay member dues.
Question
There is also a noticeable new look to many of your educational offerings and events…
Answer
I’m glad our new “look” is getting attention! We elevated our branding with new marketing assets over the past year, in particular with the F&R Symposium and the Aesthetic Cruise, and also with The Aesthetic MEET. You’ll notice our new look when you visit our events online.
Question
What is your proudest achievement here at The Society?
Answer
Shifting our perspective to the bigger picture and recognizing the importance of maintaining our edge in the industry and laying the groundwork for future financial stability. Beyond our day-to-day operations, we want to focus on growth and building a brand that drives affinity and engagement.
Question
I know you come from a hospitality and corporate background—how did you weave your experience into the strategies you’ve championed here at The Society?
Answer
Like the best hospitality brands, I believe in focusing on POD’s (points of differentiation) that set us apart, telling a compelling story, and creating a sense of community and loyalty where members feel they really belong. People remember an experience based on how they felt, not just the experience itself.
Additionally, we are focused on data-driven initiatives, and as an example, have recently engaged an outside research company to develop a new organizational tagline. They surveyed our members to analyze their perceptions and emotional connections with our organization in order to craft the best slogan possible. That process led to our new tagline, The Gold Standard of Aesthetics, which is now being rolled out across the organization and through our communication channels.
Question
Any other developments we should be aware of?
Answer
Our governance structure has been modernized and streamlined. We shifted to a competency-based model with a vetting matrix, where the nominating committee scrubs candidates to ensure we identify the best individuals to fill openings on our Board of Directors. We have already implemented this new nomination process for the 2026/27 slate.
And I don’t want to forget to mention The Aesthetic Foundation! Not only are we excited about submitting ARISE for FDA consideration, but also the ongoing focus on developing new donor tiers and developing a fundraising strategy that will allow more funds, including grants, to be directed to vital research.
Question
Does “thinking big and looking forward” accurately describe The Society’s current trajectory?
Answer
Definitely. And because of the tremendous knowledge and terrific teamwork of our staff, and the active collaboration by our Boards of both The Society and The Foundation, our efforts are already bearing fruit.
Question
You clearly seem to be someone that thinks 3 steps ahead—what are the concerns or challenges that still keep you up at night?
Answer
I’m constantly considering how to scale our brand and value proposition across our growing, more expansive community—while preserving and enhancing the personal, high-touch experience that truly sets us apart.
I hope the information above helps illuminate our successes and strategies as we continue to lead the industry by providing members with the information and educational resources they need. Our future is bright, and I am extremely optimistic about our path going forward.
Sincerely,
Mark Theis
CEO, The Aesthetic Society & The Aesthetic Foundation
