About Us

Sharing the philosophy of helping people feel great about themselves

The three sisters that give the Sylvana Institute its unique philosophy: Left to right are Meg Comer, Practice Administrator; Jeanne O'Connell, M.D., Medical Director (seated); and Kateri DeLaney, R.N., Clinical Director.

Jeanne O’Connell, M.D. Medical Director

“Sylvana’s philosophy is to create a partnership with our patients. One of the most important aspects of our practice is that we work WITH our patients, not ON patients.

"Your face is the first thing everyone sees every day. If there are issues with your appearance that prevent you from putting your best foot forward, then it’s wonderful that there are options to do something about it. If you look at addressing your appearance as maintenance, not selfishness, then you have an appropriate perspective, because how you feel about yourself, and how you look, certainly has a profound impact on your life.

“When you face the world with confidence, you are going to live a fuller and richer life!

“In recent months, the results we’ve seen with the Bio-identical Hormone Replacement Therapy are amazing. Patients tell us that this has changed their lives. It has improved their memories, restored their vitality and zest for life, and renewed their sex lives! If people can maintain their function for longer periods of time – they are happy to be able to do so.”

Kateri DeLaney, R.N., B.S.N., Clinical Director

"There are so many options available today for improving the appearance and health of your skin and body that our patients tend to feel overwhelmed. They don’t know which procedures – or which combination of procedures – are right for them.

“We take the time to thoroughly educate our patients about what is available, and help them select the services or procedures that will give them the results they’re seeking. Our experience has shown that layering several different procedures frequently yields far better results than selecting a single treatment.

“We’ve also found that using high-end, medical grade skin care products can make a tremendous difference in the skin’s appearance and health. We first analyze a patient’s skin, and then recommend the products that will work best. No one manufacturer makes a full line of great topical products, so we cherry pick from among the top proven products to tailor a skin care regimen to the specific needs of each patient.”

Meg Comer, Practice Administrator

"The interests of our patients come first, and every decision regarding the treatments or products we recommend is guided by the patient’s goals and well-being. We are careful about recommending procedures and products; our goal is to maximize the benefits to our patients, and produce the most natural look. We approach every treatment from the patient’s point of view, rather than attempting to put our own knowledge and experience on display.”

Bios

Jeanne O’Connell, M.D. Medical Director

Jeanne O’Connell, M.D. has been a resident of Frederick since early childhood, and continues to live in Frederick with her family. After practicing medicine for many years in Baltimore, she elected to provide aesthetic services to the greater Frederick-Baltimore-D.C. area.

Dr. O’Connell received her undergraduate degree from Towson State University, where she majored in Philosophy and Chemistry. Working with the Frederick Cancer Research Facility, she attended the Masters Program in Medical Virology. She received her Medical Doctorate from Jefferson Medical College in Philadelphia. Dr. O’Connell completed her residency at The University of Maryland School of Medicine, where she continues to serve as Assistant Clinical Professor of Emergency Medicine.

After broadening her interests and training extensively to practice aesthetic medicine, Dr. O’Connell founded the Sylvana Institute For Medical Aesthetics. Through on-going research, she continues to stay one step ahead of the latest breakthroughs in this rapidly progressing field.

Dr. O’Connell is also an advocate of Age Management Medicine, and is building a reputation as a leader in that field. In the fall of 2008, Sylvana introduced Bio-HRT, and was again one of the first medical practices in the area to offer this service.

With her experience and advanced training in medical aesthetics, Dr. O’Connell is a national physician trainer for Vaser LipoSelection®, BOTOX® Cosmetic and JuvedermTM. Because of her considerable experience and expertise, Dr. O’Connell has also become a resource for other practices, and she offers training sessions to other physicians.

Kateri DeLaney, R.N., B.S.N., Clinical Director

Kateri DeLaney, Clinical Director, has also been a nearly life-long resident of Frederick. She earned her B.S. degree in Nursing from the University of Maryland. Her nursing experience includes critical care and trauma nursing.

With her intense interest in medical aesthetics, Kateri has studied advanced procedures and received certificates for Advanced PhotoDynamic Therapy with Levulan^®; Clinical Peel Training with Advanced Skin Care Systems and Advanced Aesthetics Training certificates from SkinCeuticals^® and Obaji^®.

Kateri has also been certified by the Laser Institute of America on Medical Laser Safety.

Meg Comer, Practice Administrator

Also a Frederick native and long-time resident, Meg attended Frederick Community College and Mount St. Mary’s University.  She has more than 20 years of experience in small business start-ups, including new business development, organizational development, operations, staffing and training.

As Practice Administrator, Meg manages all of the operations and marketing for Sylvana.