Mary Ann Urban is one of the founders and owners of Avante Laser & MediSpa (Avante). A native of Alabama, Mary Ann began her hair removal career in Mobile, Alabama, in 1985, working as an Electrologist. In 1986, she moved to Texas and resumed her profession in the electrolysis industry.

Looking to expand her knowledge in the aesthetic industry, she received her aesthetics license in 1990, which enabled her to perform a variety of skin treatments on all skin types. Mary Ann was at the forefront of the laser hair removal movement and became a Certified Laser Technician (CLT), receiving her certification from the Rocky Mountain Laser College in Denver, CO, as well as completing additional training at the Light Speed Laser Training Center in Naples, FL. She has performed over 30,000 laser hair removal procedures.

Mary Ann, along with her business partner, Stacey Upchurch, opened the original Avante Laser & MediSpa location in The Woodlands, TX, in August 2000, and as their client base grew, they expanded the practice, opening a River Oaks-area location in October 2001. She maintains the highest level of service and quality for her clients, insisting that only certified laser technicians/specialists perform laser hair removal treatments at Avante. Mary Ann, who has more than twenty-five years of experience in the field, continues to educate herself and her staff on technological advances in the field. She is an advocate for state-level reform of the industry, requiring all laser hair removal technicians/specialists to be certified to secure a high level of service and protect clients.

She and Stacey opened the Avante Laser Training Institute in September 2011 for laser hair removal training. Mary Ann holds memberships in the following Professional Organizations: Texas Association of Hair Removal Specialists (TAHRS), The Society of Dermatology Skincare Specialists (SDSS), The Society for Clinical and Medical Hair Removal (SCMHR), Texas Association for Laser Education and Regulation (TACLER).