The Greater Mystic Chamber of Commerce is pleased to shine a spotlight on Kate-Lyn Birchell, APRN, in our Community Proud series, sponsored by Charter Oak Credit Union. Kate-Lyn is the owner and medical director of Salt H2O MedSpa & Hydration, LLC, which has locations in Westerly, Rhode Island, and Gales Ferry, Connecticut. With more than 14 years of healthcare experience, she has built a career centered on caring for others, educating future healthcare professionals, and helping people feel confident.

Kate-Lyn grew up in Norwich and has lived in Preston with her husband, Kyle, for the past 13 years. As a lifelong resident of southeastern Connecticut, she has a deep appreciation for the people and families who make the region feel like home. Her personal and professional roots have allowed her to build lasting relationships and develop a strong understanding of the community she serves.

Kate-Lyn began her healthcare career as a Patient Care Technician at Lawrence + Memorial Hospital. She later worked as a Registered Nurse at Backus Hospital before becoming an Advanced Practice Registered Nurse with Hartford HealthCare-GoHealth Urgent Care and Backus Hospital. Her experience has primarily focused on emergency and urgent care, where she has supported patients and families during moments when they needed compassion, clarity, and dependable medical care.

Starting at the entry level and working her way through several healthcare roles has been a humbling experience for Kate-Lyn. Each position taught her valuable lessons, expanded her perspective, and helped her grow personally and professionally. Her path also gave her firsthand knowledge of the dedication required at every level of patient care.

Kate-Lyn continues to practice part-time as an APRN in urgent care while operating Salt H2O. She also serves as a Clinical Adjunct Instructor for nursing students at Three Rivers Community College and teaches clinical rotations at Backus Hospital. Supporting future nurses has become one of the most rewarding parts of her career. Through teaching and mentorship, she can share the experience she has gained while encouraging students as they begin their own healthcare journeys.

The idea of opening a medical spa was not initially part of Kate-Lyn’s career plan. The possibility first emerged when her former nursing school classmate, Jeannine Lovering, RN, approached her about entering the field. As Kate-Lyn learned more, she became interested in the opportunity to combine her clinical knowledge with aesthetic medicine, preventive care, and wellness.

Her vision continued to develop through conversations with Carlos Diaz, NRP, who became her business partner. Carlos has a master’s degree in marketing and works as a paramedic, giving him a valuable combination of business knowledge and healthcare experience. Together, Kate-Lyn and Carlos recognized an opportunity to create a practice that paired professional medical care with a more personal approach to wellness.

Throughout her healthcare career, Kate-Lyn has seen patients pursue many different paths to feeling their best. Some prefer traditional medicine, while others are interested in holistic approaches. She has also witnessed the value of preventive care and understands how confidence and overall well-being can affect a person’s quality of life.

Opening Salt H2O allowed Kate-Lyn to support people in ways that extend beyond hospital and urgent care settings. The practice was created to provide individualized services in a setting where clients feel heard, respected, and empowered. Its approach is based on the understanding that every person has different goals, concerns, health histories, and experiences.

At Salt H2O, each client receives an evaluation and consultation from a licensed healthcare provider before treatment. The team takes time to understand each person’s medical history and wellness goals before recommending a plan tailored to their needs. Safety remains the practice’s highest priority, and clients can communicate directly with a provider by phone or text if questions or concerns arise after an appointment.

Kate-Lyn believes this personalized access helps establish trust and provides reassurance throughout the client’s experience. She does not believe in a one-size-fits-all approach to care. If something affects a person’s health, confidence, or quality of life, she wants clients to feel comfortable discussing it and asking for guidance.

Building the business from the ground up presented Kate-Lyn with an entirely new set of challenges. She entered business ownership without a formal background in entrepreneurship and faced a learning curve as she taught herself about operations, marketing, management, and the many responsibilities that come with running a growing company.

At the same time, Kate-Lyn continued working in urgent care and teaching nursing students. Balancing these roles required perseverance, careful time management, and a willingness to learn and adapt. While there were moments of uncertainty, she remained committed to the vision and used the people and resources around her to continue moving forward.

Kate-Lyn is proud of how much the business has grown in two years. Creating the practice from scratch and expanding it to two locations has been challenging, but seeing the team serve clients and build relationships within the community has made the work worthwhile.

Carlos has been an important part of the journey from the beginning. Kate-Lyn is grateful to have a business partner who is also one of her closest friends. He has supported her through challenges, setbacks, milestones, and moments of growth. His friendship and partnership have made the demands of business ownership more manageable and the accomplishments more meaningful.

Community involvement is also an important part of Salt H2O’s mission.  Kate-Lyn and her team are proud to participate in charitable events, sponsor community initiatives, and support local causes. For her, giving back is an extension of the work she has done throughout her healthcare career. She believes in investing in the people and organizations that strengthen the region. 

Outside of work, Kate-Lyn enjoys traveling, reading, exploring new restaurants, and supporting local businesses. She also values spending time with Kyle, their cat, Zoey, and the family and friends who make each experience memorable. One of her favorite sayings is, “Home isn’t a location. It’s who you are with.” 

Kate-Lyn’s story reflects hard work, perseverance, compassion, and the courage to pursue a new path. From beginning her career as a Patient Care Technician to becoming an APRN, educator, and business owner, she has remained committed to caring for others and continuing to grow.

The Greater Mystic Chamber of Commerce is proud to recognize Kate-Lyn Birchell and thank her for her dedication to healthcare, education, wellness, and the southeastern Connecticut community.