Margaret Mitchell

For nearly three decades, Margaret Mitchell has helped shape what the modern MedSpa industry has become. As CEO and Co-Founder of Epi Center MedSpa, Margaret took a pioneering medical concept and built something much larger: an enduring brand, an exceptional team of providers, a community of more than 48,000 patients, and a culture centered on innovation, education, philanthropy and genuine care.

Margaret’s journey in aesthetics began in 1996 when she partnered with renowned dermatologist Patrick H. Bitter, Sr., M.D. As Dr. Bitter developed groundbreaking cosmetic treatments, including the PhotoFacial protocol, Margaret saw an opportunity to completely rethink how those treatments could be delivered. She brought nurses and aestheticians into the medical environment, introduced the comfort and personal attention of a luxury spa, and developed innovative marketing strategies to bring these emerging treatments to a broader audience.

In 1998, that vision became Epi Center MedSpa. Margaret and Dr. Bitter called their new concept a “MedSpa,” combining medicine, aesthetics and the spa experience in a way that would ultimately help create an entirely new industry.

Building More Than a MedSpa

While technologies and treatments have changed dramatically over the years, Margaret believes Epi Center’s greatest achievement is the organization and community built around them.

She has assembled and developed a team of highly experienced aesthetic professionals, many of whom have remained with Epi Center for well over a decade—and one for more than two decades. Together, they have cared for more than 48,000 patients, creating generations of loyal relationships and a culture where education, teamwork and personal connection matter as much as the treatments themselves.

Margaret’s leadership has also been tested through extraordinary periods of change. Epi Center persevered through the aftermath of 9/11, multiple economic downturns, the COVID-19 pandemic and San Francisco’s challenging post-pandemic recovery. Rather than simply surviving these chapters, Margaret continually adapted the business, protected the team and culture she had built, and positioned Epi Center to emerge stronger.

That resilience and consistency have been recognized repeatedly. San Francisco Magazine’s Best of the Bay has named Epi Center MedSpa Best MedSpa eight times: 2012, 2016, 2017, 2019, 2021, 2022, 2023 and again in 2026. In 2026, Epi Center was also honored with a Best Team award—a recognition Margaret considers particularly meaningful because the team has always been at the heart of Epi Center.

Innovation With Purpose

Margaret has always believed that a successful business has a responsibility to the community that supports it. Under her leadership, Epi Center has supported more than 250 San Francisco charitable and nonprofit organizations, creating a legacy of philanthropy that extends well beyond the treatment room.

Her commitment to responsible innovation also led her to transform Epi Center into the nation’s first LEED-certified MedSpa in 2008, demonstrating that luxury, medical aesthetics and environmental responsibility could coexist.

Reinventing the MedSpa—Again

Today, Margaret is guiding Epi Center through its next evolution.

Just as she recognized the opportunity to bring medicine and the spa experience together nearly three decades ago, she now sees aesthetics, regenerative medicine and longevity coming together to reshape how we think about aging.

Her philosophy is simple: aging well isn’t only about looking good. It’s about looking good, feeling good and living well for as long as possible.

That philosophy is reflected in Epi Center’s Centered On You Program, where listening comes first. Patients are then guided through customized treatment plans that combine technologies, treatments and regenerative approaches based on their individual goals, lifestyle, schedule and budget.

For Margaret, this represents a natural evolution of the MedSpa concept she helped create: moving beyond treating how we look to considering how we look, how we feel and how well we live as we age.

An Entrepreneur at Heart

Margaret’s influence on the aesthetic industry extends far beyond Epi Center MedSpa.

In 1995, she founded Aesthetic Marketing Concepts, LLC, providing marketing, business development and practice-building expertise to the emerging aesthetic medical industry. Working alongside the laser industry, Margaret helped physicians recognize the potential of aesthetic medicine and helped launch or integrate aesthetic services into 58 medical practices nationwide.

That experience gave Margaret a rare perspective on both sides of the aesthetic business: helping physicians build successful aesthetic practices while simultaneously building and operating one herself.

She has shared that experience with professionals entering the field and industry veterans navigating an ever-changing aesthetic marketplace. Margaret has also continued her own leadership education through the Stanford Graduate School of Business and participated in Vistage International’s CEO peer advisory community. Her involvement in San Francisco has included the San Francisco Ballet Auxiliary.

Practicing What She Preaches

Margaret’s belief in living well extends beyond her professional life.

A competitive ballroom dancer for 16 years, she competed in International Latin and American Smooth and achieved a national ranking as high as fifth. The discipline, resilience and pursuit of excellence required in competitive dance have followed her throughout her life and career.

And she hasn’t stopped moving.

In 2026, Margaret completed her Yoga Teacher Training certification, furthering her personal commitment to movement, strength, wellness and longevity. For Margaret, Epi Center’s evolution toward longevity isn’t simply a business strategy—it’s a philosophy she embraces in her own life.

Music and cultural connection are another important part of that life. Margaret also works alongside her husband with Wobbly World, a multicultural world-music ensemble bringing together musicians from around the globe. She helps manage the group, curates performances and serves as MC for its live stage shows—continuing her passion for bringing people, cultures and communities together.

Nearly three decades after opening Epi Center MedSpa, Margaret remains focused on what comes next: developing people, embracing innovation, building community and continuing to redefine what it means to age well.

Dr. Bitter pioneered treatments. Margaret built the team, the experience and the community that helped turn a pioneering idea into an industry.