Anastasia L. Peterson, PA-C, has thrived throughout an exceptional career in medical aesthetics and patient-centered care marked by a series of significant milestones reflecting her expertise and dedication. Since 2024, she has excelled as owner and master injector at Benway Beauty, LLC in Ankeny, Iowa. In these positions, she oversees daily operations, leads weekly team huddles, manages staff, and ensures the smooth functioning of the aforementioned practice. Additionally, Mrs. Peterson is actively involved in training and mentoring injectors, furthering her commitment to excellence in aesthetic medicine.
Mrs. Peterson’s clinical responsibilities include performing neuromodulator injections, dermal filler treatments, laser procedures and microneedling, as well as conducting comprehensive skin consultations. She prescribes medications such as hormone replacement therapy, orders and reviews laboratory draws, and maintains meticulous patient records. Mrs. Peterson distinguishes herself through her deep anatomical knowledge and commitment to natural-looking outcomes, prioritzing patient well-being over profit, turning away requests for overdone procedures and ensuring that every provider at Benway Beauty adheres to her philosophy of subtle enhancement.
Launching Benway Beauty stands as Mrs. Peterson’s most notable professional achievement. Starting with a single one-room suite and approximately 250 patients, she quickly expanded the practice within six months due to rapid growth and patient loyalty. The move to a premier new location was facilitated by an innovative space-sharing partnership with the company that originally trained her, allowing for the integration of an aesthetic training center while retaining full ownership of Benway Beauty. This collaborative model has enabled Mrs. Peterson to conduct clinical training on-site and has driven the practice’s growth to nearly 1,000 patients by its two-year anniversary.
The name Benway Beauty holds personal significance to Mrs. Peterson, as it is inspired by her son Bennett and chosen for its distinctiveness in a crowded market. Her approach is rooted in a scientific understanding of facial anatomy, which allows her to deliver predictable results while fostering patient confidence and satisfaction.
Since 2022, Mrs. Peterson has also found success as a course instructor with Aesthetic Medical Educators Training (AIMA), where she trains nurses, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, doctors and dentists in advanced injectable techniques. Her teaching includes hands-on courses such as microneedling and master classes with Allergan, reflecting her passion for education and mentorship within the industry.
Mrs. Peterson has also been active as a physician assistant at UnityPoint Health since 2017. During this tenure, she was recognized as Provider Champion for outstanding performance in patient experience surveys from 2019 to 2023, a distinction she fondly cherishes. Her professional experience also includes serving as a physician assistant at Des Moines Plastic Surgery from 2021 to 2023 and certified physician assistant at Ducharme Dermatology in Clive from 2023 to 2024. In these roles, Mrs. Peterson gained valuable experience in dermatology and plastic surgery settings while balancing shifts in urgent care prior to focusing exclusively on aesthetics.
Throughout her career, Mrs. Peterson has become renowned as an expert in medical aesthetics, anatomy-based injection techniques and entrepreneurship within the field. She is recognized for supporting local and women-owned businesses and is involved in professional advocacy as a board member of the Iowa Physician Assistant Board since 2026. Mrs. Peterson’s engagement with the American Academy of Physician Associates and legislative advocacy through the Iowa Physician Associate Society has contributed to advancing autonomy for physician assistants in Iowa.
Mrs. Peterson credits her leadership development to both formal education and practical experience during medical emergencies or when guiding clinics through protocol changes. She continues to pursue business acumen through enrollment in the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses Program. Mrs. Peterson attributes her success to an intense personal drive shaped by early hardships, an enduring love of learning and continuous feedback from patients who value her up-to-date knowledge on new techniques and safety standards.
Mrs. Peterson’s journey into medicine began with nearly ten years spent across emergency care settings before transitioning into aesthetics—a shift inspired by burnout during the COVID-19 pandemic but rooted in lifelong exposure to beauty culture through her mother’s salon business. In the years prior, she earned a Bachelor of Science in biology with a minor in psychology at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point in 2013 and a Master of Science in physician assistant studies from Des Moines University Medicine and Health Sciences in 2017. Furthermore, Mrs. Peterson obtained her certifications as an EMT paramedic with basic certification in CPR and BLS from Vista Healthcare in 2011, an emergency medical technician-paramedic from Advocate Health Care in 2014, a healthcare innovator from Harvard-MIT Health Sciences and Technology in 2021, an aesthetician in 2021, and a master injector in 2023.
Civic involvement is integral to Mrs. Peterson’s professional identity. She has volunteered at adult day centers developing crafts for elderly patients, supported homeless shelters and participated regularly in American Cancer Society walks following her personal family experiences with cancer. Through Benway Beauty, she donates proceeds annually each October to the American Cancer Society. Mrs. Peterson is also affiliated with Wed Society Iowa, holds an appointment on UnityPoint Health’s quality committee, and contributes as a board member of the Iowa Physician Assistant Board.
Mrs. Peterson fondly recalls a particularly meaningful moment when she guided a patient through significant weight loss alongside aesthetic treatments that restored confidence after many years, an outcome that deeply moved both practitioner and patient alike. Completing the physician assistant program remains one of her proudest accomplishments given its competitive nature, which is marked by a five percent acceptance rate and its demanding curriculum paralleling much of medical school coursework. Among her numerous professional recognitions, being celebrated as a Provider Champion at UnityPoint Health stands out for Mrs. Peterson due to its basis in patient feedback, a testament to her commitment to exceptional care standards.
Looking toward the future, Mrs. Peterson aims to expand access to women’s health services by developing functional medicine models that remove insurance barriers from clinical decision-making. She is collaborating with another physician assistant on expanding offerings related to medical weight loss, hormone management and longevity-focused therapies such as peptide treatments. Mrs. Peterson remains committed to evaluating advances critically before integrating them into practice, ensuring every addition aligns with clinically validated standards that benefit patient care while maintaining Benway Beauty’s foundational values of community focus and personalized attention.