Penny J. Smalley, RN, CMLSO, MACORN, is an independent nurse consultant and certified medical laser safety officer, with a focus on perioperative safety when working with energy based surgical technologies. Her work includes legislative and regulatory advocacy and consultation on the management of surgical plume, hazard identification and risk assessment, education and training, legal consultation safety audits for compliance with standards, policy development and documentation in healthcare facilities, and extensive participation on national and international consensus standards bodies. 

She served as the Director of Regulatory Affairs and Education, for the International Council on Surgical Plume (ICSP) 2015-2024, and was a founding member of the executive committee of the Surgical Plume Alliance in collaboration with the Association for Perioperative Practice in the United Kingdom.
Current appointments include:  
                Vice Chair - ANSI Z136.3 (American National Standard - Laser Safety in Healthcare)
                Representative for ACORN to AS/NZ 4173 (Healthcare Laser safety in Australia)
                      (task force for Surgical Plume Evacuation guidelines, Ministry of Health and
                       WorkSafe Australia)
                Member of IEC (TC76) Laser Standards (project lead on revision of 60825-TR8)
                Canadian delegate to: ISO (TC121-SC6 Surgical Plume, SC8, SC2 Anaesthesia) 
                Chair, Canadian Standards Association (CSA) – Safe Use of Energy Based Medical
                       and Surgical Devices CSAZ70001:2024

Ms. Smalley has been a contributing  member of international laser and nursing organizations since the 1980s, including ISLSM (first medical/surgical laser society), APALMS, IALMS, AfPP, ACORN, ORNAC, EORNA, IFPN, and AORN.  She is listed in Who’s Who in American Nursing, has published numerous articles and text book chapters, and has taught concepts in laser technology, managing exposure to surgical plume, and development of standards for safety in healthcare, throughout the world.

With over three decades of experience in the medical and aesthetic industry, Patti Owens, MHA, BSN, RN, CMLSO, CNOR, is the business owner of AsetheticMed Consulting International LLC. She offers consultation services and laser education, specializing in medical and aesthetic safety programs. Patti's expertise in the theory and clinical aspects of laser safety, coupled with her proficiency in a variety of laser and light-based treatments, provides clients with a comprehensive understanding of the current standards of practice in the medical field.

Patti has been an active member of AORN for 29 years and in 2015, became recertified as CNOR. Presently, Patti is serving as the Past-President of the eChapter for the 2024 – 2025 term. She has served as the Education Committee's chairman, Secretary and President for the eChapter.  In addition, Patti is the AORN representative on the ANSI SSC-3 “Safe Use of Lasers in Health Care”.  She was also selected as a Subject Matter Expert for the 2021 new AORN “Guideline for Laser Safety”.  In addition, Patti is the recipient of the 2020 AORN Outstanding Achievement in Perioperative Clinical Nursing Practice award. She has co-lectured the in 2018, 2019, and 2021 at AORN Expo on laser safety and compliance.

Patti has been a repeated guest lecturer and the Nursing/Allied Health Chairperson of ASLMS for multiple terms.   In 1999 and 2014 received the Nurse Excellence Award from ASLMS.  She served multiple three-year positions as the ASLMS Nursing-Allied Health Representative to the board and Laser Safety Director for 2019-2022.  She is presently a national consultant for various laser companies and organizations, including Rockwell Laser Industries, for medical and aesthetic applications. She has been active in the past with a variety of professional organizations and societies, including Dermatology Nurses Association (DNA), American Spa Association (AMSPA), Society of Plastic Surgical Skin Care Specialists (SPSSCS) and the International Society of Plastic and Aesthetic Nurses (ISPAN). 

Patti is a national consultant for various laser companies and professional organizations, including appointments as the principal medical and aesthetic instructor for Rockwell Laser Industries. She is an active member of the ANSI Z136.3 committee, where she has been appointed acting secretary since 2009. She also serves as a member of the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) TC 76 WG4 and ISO/WG12 committees. In 2019, she received the distinguished IEC 1906 Award for her work in international laser safety standards.

Patti Owens presently works with a Board-Certified Plastic Surgeon as the Administrative Advisor.  She has been employed in clinical, aesthetic, and compliance and has been an administrative assistant at Rancho Mirage, CA. Patti’s previous employment for 11 years was in a Dermatology practice in Olympia, WA. Patti’s experience also includes 13 years’ of experience as a Laser Manager at Providence St. Peter Hospital.   Her responsibilities included program development, education and supervision of 13 laser systems, implementation of the laser perioperative role, development of a multi-system laser in-house and mobile program, and enforcement of safety policies as the facility’s acting Laser Safety Officer.  

Patti received her BSN from the University of Colorado in 1976 and graduated with her master’s degree in health administration from Chapman University in 1996.  Patti Owens is well-published in numerous clinical journals.  Her co-authored book with Pamela Hill, Milady’s Aesthetician Series, Laser and Light Therapy, was published in 2009 by Cengage Learning.

Vangie Dennis is an independent consultant on perioperative services. Professional organizations include the Association of Operating Room Nurses (AORN), American Association for Nursing Leadership (AONL) Laser Institute of America, AORN Specialty Assemblies, and the American Society for Lasers in Medicine and Surgery.  

She is on the editorial board for the Journal for Clinical Laser Medicine and Surgery, OR Today and Outpatient Surgery. Vangie has been published and cited in publications such as “OR Nurse, American Health, Laparoscopic Update, Surgical Services Management, Infection Control Today, OR Manager, Today’s OR, Outpatient Surgery, and Same Day Surgery.  She is also the author for the “Medcom Module:  Laparoscopic Approach for Treatment of Urinary Stress Incontinence", referenced in “The Joint Commission's National Patient Safety Goals”, co-published the nursing Chapter 9, “The Team-Nursing’s Perspective” in the book Principles of Laparoscopic Surgery, Chapter 20 Laser Risks and Perioperative Safety:  Donna Watson's Perioperative Safety, expert reviewer of the 2011 & 2018 AORN Recommended Practices for Lasers, author for the AORN Laser Study Guide, Module, and video.  Published Chapter 14 Lasers in Radiology Nursing:  Advanced Practice and Leadership in Radiology Nursing and Chapter 14, Understanding Laser Safety in Dentistry. 

Ms. Dennis has given lectures on lasers and nursing practice. Vangie has lectured nationally and internationally for AORN, AORN Chapters, Advanced Technology Specialty Assembly, American Society for Lasers in Medicine and Surgery, The International Laser Safety Conference, Canadian Nurses Association, American Trial Lawyers Association, American Association Gynecological Laparoscopists, MedSun CODA Conference, and Medical Societies and facilities.  

Vangie is on the Board of Commission for the Board of Laser Safety, the chair for the National Certification on Lasers, Nominating Committee Advisor for AORN National, Past President of the NW AORN Chapter, Past Treasurer for the Georgia Council of Nurses, Board of Directors for Gwinnett Technical School, and committee representative for the American National Standards Institute. She is the Past President for AORN National 2022-2023 and served multiple terms on the National AORN Board of Directors.  

She is a recipient named in Strathmore’s WHO’s WHO, the recipient of the 1996 Nursing Excellence Award from the American Society for Lasers in Medicine and Surgery, awarded the 2011 R. James Rockwell Jr. Educational Achievement Award, and the 2011 AORN Award for Outstanding Achievement in Perioperative Clinical Nursing Education.  She is the recipient of the 2018 Distinguished Nurse of the Year for the Georgia March of Dimes and 2019 Manager of the year for OR Manager. Vangie was also awarded Perioperative nurse of the year for the Georgia Council of Perioperative Nurses and for the AORN Northwest Chapter. She is the Past President for National AORN 2022-2023 and is a member of Emory Alpha Epsilon Chapter of the Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing.