Some say high school romances never last, but Blake and Kristin Raggio would just smile at that. Four children and a shared business later, they’re still writing the story they started as teenagers.
“She invited me to her sweet sixteen, and the rest is history,” Blake says.
They were both raised in New Orleans, shaped by Catholic schools, Southern hospitality, and families who taught them to hold doors, say “yes, ma’am” and “no, sir,” and put other people first. “The culture we grew up around was really about family and just enjoying each other’s company,” Blake says. “I wasn’t brought up having fancy things, but that didn’t matter. Our lives were centered around people and family.”
After high school, both attended LSU, then returned to New Orleans for advanced training — Blake to medical school and surgical residency, Kristin to nursing school. They married during those demanding years. By the end of residency, they already had two children and a growing belief that their future would be something they built together.
Blake’s path became clear early on. “I feel like facial plastic surgery kind of chose me,” he says. “I’ve always loved medicine — the fact that it’s ever-changing and very dynamic, but also very rewarding. I love interacting with people and helping them. My personality is detail-oriented and meticulous — facial plastic surgery is a perfect fit. It’s a great outlet for creativity and artistry as well, and again, it’s just extremely rewarding.”
A fellowship year in Toronto broadened their perspective and made one thing obvious. “We realized that we wouldn’t be as happy living without family close by,” Kristin says. They knew then they would return to the South and build a life rooted in family, faith, and community — the same kind of life they had always loved.
Initially, Alabama wasn’t even on the list. Plans had been pointing toward Dallas, but when COVID disrupted elective surgeries, an opportunity opened in Montgomery. They took the leap sight unseen, as they often do — together. “We did everything virtually,” Kristin says. “Found a house online and signed everything without even visiting the city.”
The risk paid off. Their time in Montgomery was brief, but they think about it fondly. Blake gained invaluable surgical experience as the only facial plastic surgeon in the region, but, more importantly, their vision for the future became crystal clear: if they wanted to create the elite facial plastic surgery practice they envisioned, they would have to build it themselves.
The question became where. Dallas? Atlanta? Charleston? Or Birmingham?
When they first drove through Mountain Brook, Kristin knew immediately. “This is where we’re going to live,” she told Blake in the car. He laughs, remembering it now, because her instincts, as they often are, were spot on. They studied the schools, the community, and the city’s growth — and didn’t look back. About three years ago, they planted roots here, building Raggio MD Facial Plastic Surgery from the ground up and connecting with the community they now call home.
Today, their life runs on precision and positivity. They are raising four vivacious children: Mary Kate (9), Leighton (7), Grant (3), and Margot (1) — along with a golden retriever named Summer, while also running a rapidly growing practice they built together. Their partnership thrives because they view everything in life, from running the practice to cooking dinner, as a team effort. “We both pick up the slack for each other,” Kristin says. “There’s no outline for what I have to do at home or what he has to do. We just do what needs to be done.”
Blake agrees. “We believe in trying to see the best of every situation, constantly bringing each other up and supporting each other,” he says. “For us, there’s no other option than to succeed.”
Kristin, a registered nurse by training, is the steady hand behind the scenes, overseeing everything from the details of their on-site surgical suite to the daily work of growing a team. Blake jokes that the real question is not what she does, but what she doesn’t. “She literally does everything,” he says. “And she’s the one who will tell me what I need to hear — even if it’s just that my tie clashes with my suit.”
Their practice feels nothing like a typical medical office. The team of 12 who work alongside them sees it daily. “Because they built this practice together, it just feels different,” says Natalie, who joined the team last year as marketing director. “You’re not just seeing a surgeon and a practice manager. You’re seeing a husband and wife who are growing this as a team, and patients feel that warmth the second they walk in the door.”
From the beginning, they committed to offering the safest and most sophisticated techniques in all aspects of facial plastic surgery. “We aim to be the premier destination for rhinoplasty and facial rejuvenation in the Southeast,” Kristin says. “Our approach is grounded in trust and patient advocacy. We only bring services into our practice that carry the highest level of evidence. We will never chase hype or trend.” Even their earliest investments reflected that philosophy. “The first piece of equipment we purchased wasn’t to generate profit,” she explains. “But rather, we invested in a hyperbaric oxygen chamber to help our facelift patients recover more quickly and reduce risk. Patient outcomes and safety will always come first.”
Blake approaches every procedure with the same discipline and creativity that drew him to the specialty in the first place. “It really is a combination of art and science,” he says. “And the best part is getting to know each patient and seeing that improved confidence in them.”
These days, free time looks different from how it once did for the Raggios. Blake says that he used to love golf but doesn’t miss it. Most afternoons and weekends are spent at dance, tennis lessons, and T-ball games. “It’s just fun,” he says. “Watching the kids grow, whether it’s through successes or struggles. We just enjoy being involved in every part of their lives.”
A family-centered life is at the heart of why they chose to invest themselves in Birmingham. For the Raggios, investment has always meant people first — their patients, their children, and the community they’ve chosen to grow alongside.
And while the Raggios’ Birmingham chapter began only a few years ago, it’s quickly becoming the best one yet. “We have so many big plans,” Kristin says. “And they all revolve around us staying here.” Blake nods. “This is just the beginning.”