Born and raised in Salt Lake City, Dr. Carter Bruett (he/him/they/them) received his B.S., M.Ed. and D.D.S. degrees from the University of Utah. He then set off to New York City where he was trained in oral and maxillofacial pathology at New York Presbyterian/Queens. Returning to the University of Utah, he now is an assistant professor at the School of Dentistry where he teaches predoctoral students, directs several pre-dental pathway programs, and sees patients with clinical oral pathology needs through the University faculty practice. Dr. Bruett is an active participant in several academic associations, including ADEA, where they currently serve as the secretary for the PRIDE section. 

Dr. Nathalia Garcia is a Periodontist, Professor, Assistant Dean for Career Development, Chair of the Applied Dental Medicine Department, and Section Head of Periodontics at Southern Illinois University School of Dental Medicine. Dr. Garcia is also an Adjunct Faculty member at Saint Louis University.

With a deep commitment to dental education, Dr. Garcia is actively involved in both pre-doctoral and postdoctoral teaching. Her academic pursuits include a diploma in University Teaching and Education, reflecting her dedication to advancing innovative teaching methodologies and curriculum initiatives in the field of periodontics.

As the department chair, Dr. Garcia plays a pivotal role in faculty professional development, mentorship, and fostering external collaborations for research endeavors. She has contributed significantly to clinical and educational research, participating in various projects funded by private industry and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) including the Human Microbiome Project, and was the SIU PI of the multi-center study supported by the NIH-NIDCR entitled Biomarkers of periodontal disease progression. These research efforts have culminated in numerous publications.

Dr. Garcia's contributions to the dental community have earned her prestigious accolades, including membership in the OKU Dental Honor Society, fellowship in the International College of Dentists, and recognition as a fellow of the American Dental Association-ADEA Leadership Institute. In 2017, she was honored as the ADEA Enid Neidle Scholar. Acknowledged for her outstanding contributions to inclusion, equity, and diversity, Dr. Garcia was named a SIUE Phenomenal Woman in 2020. Subsequently, in 2022, she received the American Academy of Periodontology Award for Excellence in Teaching and Mentoring in Periodontics at Saint Louis University. Notably, Dr. Garcia was a runner-up for the one-time piece ADEA President Centennial Award for Oral Health Education.

Beyond her academic and research roles, Dr. Garcia actively serves the dental community. She is a test constructor for the Integrated National Board Dental Examination for the American Dental Association and contributes to the American Academy of Periodontology's Educational Committee. Dr. Garcia holds leadership roles as the chair-elect of the ADEA Women in Leadership Section, the SIU-ADEA Woman Liaison Officer, and a representative to the ADEA Council of Faculties. She also co-chairs the American Dental Education Association - ADEA Diversity and Inclusion Advisory Committee and is a member of the ADEA Collaborative on Dental Education Climate Assessment group. She was recently invited to be part of the ADEA Task Force on Envisioning and Transforming the Future of Oral Health and Education. Dr. Garcia's commitment to diversity is further evidenced by her certification as a Diversity Facilitrainer (CDFT) by NCCJ Saint Louis.

Dr. López-Fuentes, D.M.D., M.P.H., FACD, FICD; is a tenured Professor, at the Community Dentistry Section of the University of Puerto Rico School of Dental Medicine (UPRSDM). She is currently the 2024-2025 Immediate Past-Chair of the ADEA Board of Directors, 2023-2024 Chair of the ADEA Board of Directors.Dr. López-Fuentes served as Dean of the UPRSDM from 2014-2018. At the UPRSDM, she serves as President of the Infection Control and Quality Assurance Standing Committees. She earned a certificate in dental infection prevention and control fromOSAP and the DALE Foundation. She is a member of the ADEA Collaborative on Dental Education Climate Assessment (CDECA), and UPRSDM’s ADEA Women Liaison Officer since 2006. She is Site Visitor for the ADA Commission on DentalAccreditation (CODA), and Ex-officio member/Consultant to the Board of Trustees of the Hispanic Dental Association (HDA). Dr. López serves as faculty advisor to the HDA and the American Association of Women Dentists Student Chapters.

Dr. López-Fuentes served as Co-Chair of ADEA’s Diversity and Inclusion Advisory Committee from 2014-2021, ADEA’s Annual Session Program Committee (2018-2021),Immediate Past Chair of ADEA’s Women in Leadership Section, and Councilor to the Council of Sections representing the Women in Leadership Section. From 2018 to 2019,represented the HDA in the American Dental Association Presidents’ Summit for Diversity and Inclusion. She served as faculty advisor to the Hedwig van Ameringen Executive Leadership in Academic Medicine (ELAM), fellowship from 2018-2022.

Dr. López-Fuentes has served as faculty representative to the Academic Senate at the UPR Medical Sciences Campus, to ADEA’s Council of Faculties, UPRSDM Curriculum
Director, Community Dentistry Section Chief and UPRSDM Associate Dean. At the university level, she represented the Medical Sciences Campus (MSC), Academic Senate at the President’s Board and was appointed Executive Secretary to the UPR President’s Board. She directed the first dental assistant program at the University of Granada, Spain; resulting from a collaboration between the University of Puerto Rico and the University of Granada, Spain. Dr. López-Fuentes is an alumnus of several leadership programs: ADEA’s Summer Program for Emerging Academic Leaders, ELAM and the Bell Leadership Institute.

As Dean of the UPRSDM, she was instrumental in amending the local dental law, implementing the electronic health record, the approval of the Periodontics Graduate
program and the first Dean of the UPRSDM to be elected to ADEA’s Council of Deans Administrative Board. She is the Recipient of the 2018 Chair of the ADEA Board of
Directors Citation for significant contributions to dental education.

Dr. Carlos Smith is the inaugural Associate Dean of Inclusive Excellence, Ethics, and Community Engagement and an Associate Professor in the Department of Dental Public Health and Policy at Virginia Commonwealth University School of Dentistry. A national voice in dentaland health professions education, he is a member of the board of directors of the Academy for Professionalism in Health Care and currently serves as President-Elect of the American Society for Dental Ethics. An active ADEA member, he has served on the Collaborative on Dental Education Climate Assessment, which led the first ever dental education-wide climate stud. He has served as previous chair of the section on Professional, Ethical, and Legal Issues, and was recently elected secretary of the section on Minority Affairs, Diversity and Inclusion. Also an ordained clergy, Smith completed Clinical Pastoral Education at Duke Medical Center, with emphasis on providing care and crisis management to families of cardiac pediatric patients. A sought after speaker, he has provided keynote and seminar presentations for the National Dental Association, ADA, American College of Dentists, ADEA, Virginia Health Catalyst, Virginia Dental Association, dental schools, hospital systems, and oral health advocacy groups. He has a certificate in Diversity and Inclusion Leadership from Virginia Commonwealth University and a certificate in Diversity and Inclusion from Cornell University. He graduated from Hampton University, the University of Michigan School of Dentistry, and Duke Divinity School. His scholarly activity currently focuses on conceptualizing a reimagined professionalism inclusive of critical consciousness and identity, the history of racism in healthcare, inclusive excellence in dental education, and provider wellbeing and burnout. Dr. Smith continues as a general dentist within the VCU Dental Faculty Practice, is co-advisor to the VCU chapter of SNDA and supports the Aligned and Allied student group.

Dr. Katherine Velasco, a Colombian national, graduated in dentistry in 1998, spent 10 years in private practice and served the community for three years in Colombia. Later, she became part of the educational force of the Dental Academy where she instructed more than 900 students at Roseman University, during which time she received recognition as outstanding faculty and faculty of the year.

Dr Velasco has been included in the bibliographical compendium of who's who in America as a person of interest who has dedicated part of her life to the improvement of the profession and dental education.

Currently Dr. Velasco is an assistant professor and clinical team leader in the International Graduate Dental - IDG -program at NOVA Southeastern University and serves on the student progress committee, and practice dentistry one day a week.

Dr. Velasco, having only been at NSU for a short time, she already obtained the dean's award for diversity, integrity, leadership, and excellence.

In addition to her academic career, Dr. Katherine Velasco is an active member of ADEA where she has been Chair of Interprofessional Education and Collaborative Care IPECC and currently the Chair-Elect of Minorities Affairs Diversity and Inclusion Section.

Dr. Velasco is an active member of the Hispanic Dental Association where she fulfills different leadership roles at the national, state, and institutional levels.

Her greatest satisfaction is seeing others progress and succeed in something she was able to contribute to.

Dr. Velasco knows how to balance work and family life, she enjoys the beach, hiking, painting, doing projects, and exploring new places.

Dr. Tanya Wright is a board-certified oral and maxillofacial pathologist who graduated from Meharry Medical College School of Dentistry in Nashville, TN.  She completed her oral pathology residency training at The New York Hospital Medical Center of Queens in Flushing, NY. Dr. Wright has shared her expertise in oral and maxillofacial pathology with numerous students and residents. Currently, she is an associate professor in the Department of Diagnostic Sciences and Surgical Dentistry at the University of Colorado School of Dental Medicine. 

Dr. Kimberly Ruona serves as the dental director for Harris Health System’s Community Dental Services. Since 2020, she has led the partnership and clinical practice team that provides general dentistry in six community health centers across the Houston metropolitan area. Dr. Ruona is an assistant professor in the Department of General Practice and Dental Public Health at UTHealth Houston School of Dentistry where she was the Associate Dean for Patient Care from 2015-2020. Prior to relocating to Houston in 2010, she practiced in northern Michigan and Washington state. She is a proud 1992 graduate of University of Michigan School of Dentistry.

Speaker agrees that neither I nor any member of my family have a financial arrangement or affiliation with any corporate organization offering financial support or grant monies for this continuing education program, nor do I have a financial interest in any commercial products(s) or service(s) I will discuss in the presentation.

Dr. Thomas A. Servos, Professor in the Department of General Practice and Dental Public Health was appointed Chief Clinical Officer of UT Dentists, the clinical practice enterprise, in July 2021. 

In this role, Dr. Servos oversees the UT Dentists’ clinical operations which consists of the clinical practice plan located at UTHealth Houston, School of Dentistry, and a dental service line consisting of multiple community dental clinics through a UT Dentists collaboration. He supports ongoing initiatives and progress as UT Dentists continue with expansion efforts into the Houston and surrounding area.

UT Dentists was established in 2006, and Dr. Servos served as their first Clinic Director and he also served as Director of Patient Assessment, Vice-Chair of the former Department of Diagnostic Sciences and Interim Head of Radiology.

Dr. Servos was raised in Houston and graduated from The University of Texas at San Antonio Dental School in 1983.  Upon graduation Dr. Servos practiced in the Houston Medical Center until he joined the UT Health Houston School of Dentistry in 1995.

Dr. John A. Valenza is dean and professor of the University of Texas School of Dentistry at Houston (UTSD) where he has been a member of the full-time faculty since 1987. He has served in numerous administrative roles, including GPR director, clinical dean, department chair, executive associate dean and, since 2009, dean. He is a fellow of the Academy of General Dentistry, the American College of Dentists and the International College of Dentists, and a member of the American Dental Association, Texas Dental Association, Greater Houston Dental Society, American Dental Education Association and the American Association of Hospital Dentists.

Associate Dean for Patient Services, Clinical Professor

Associate Editor, Journal of Dental Education, American Dental Education Association

Director for Curriculum Evaluation and Promotion for Teaching and Learning

Dean

Associate Professor, Department of Community Dentistry andPopulation Health

Associate Director, Center for OralDisease Prevention and Population Health Research 

Program Director, DDS/MPH program

Tiyana Davis, a native from Richmond, Virginia, is a senior at the Old Dominion University School of Dental Hygiene and a member of the Perry Honors College. She is currently in her last semester of dental hygiene school. She hopes to inspire the next generation of dental professionals and students.

Chance Johnson is a current second-year dental student at Columbia University College of Dental Medicine! She grew up in Teaneck, NJ and attended William and Mary in Williamsburg, VA, where she graduated with a BS in Psychology. Following her undergraduate degree, she moved to Boston, MA, where she received her Master’s in Oral Health Sciences at Boston University. Chance hopes to be a role model for underrepresented dental students across the nation and her goal is to help eliminate health disparities. 

Ashton Poole is a first-generation doctor/dentist from Boiling Springs, South Carolina. Ashton received his Bachelor of Science Degree from Queens University of Charlotte where he also competed in collegiate track and field. Ashton is currently in his third year of dental school at the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) James B. Edwards College of Dental Medicine. Ashton currently serves as the MUSC Student National Dental Association (SNDA) chapter president. His future plans are to practice general dentistry in an underserved community. 

Edika Quevedo Dejesus is a current D2 student at Rutgers School of Dental Medicine (Class of 2026). She is a first-generation doctor/dentist from Elizabeth New Jersey and of Hispanic ethnicity. She attended Rutgers University for graduate studies with a major in Biological Sciences and a minor in Religion. Currently she serves as a National Health Service Corps (NHSC) scholar and advocate for service to those in underserved areas.

Vicky Tran graduated from Virginia Commonwealth University in 2022 before entering the University of California, San Francisco School of Dentistry (UCSF SOD). Currently, she is a D2 student at UCSF SOD and also a NHSC scholar. Some of her hobbies include going to the gym, cooking and fiber arts.

Rebekah Webster is a 3rd year dental student at Rutgers School of Dental Medicine (RSDM). After graduating from Columbia University with her BS in Chemical Engineering, she moved back home to Nashville, TN to focus on her research with Vanderbilt University and to pursue a singing career in the gospel music industry. She published two manuscripts regarding biometric analysis for early disease detection, was signed to Integrity Music with her band Nashville Life Music and reached #3 on Billboard’s gospel music charts. After five years, she decided to pivot her career to something that would allow her to express her creativity while satisfying her love of hands-on patient care. Currently, she serves as the president of the RSDM chapter of Student National Dental Association (SNDA) and will be graduating in 2025. 

Curtis Burrill II joined ADEA in 2022 and serves as Senior Director, Recruitment and Outreach for Dental Education, in the Office of Educational Services ( Pathways, Policy, and Research). In this role, Curtis leads the development, implementation, and achievement of ADEA’s Centralized Application Services strategic recruitment plan. Curtis has a M.Ed. in Student Personnel Administration from Springfield College and a B.S. in Landscape Horticulture from the University of Maine.

Michelle Lee took on the role of Executive Director at the Organization of Safety, Asepsis and Prevention (OSAP) in 2018. Her dedication to OSAP’s mission of offering comprehensive infection prevention and control education, training and credentialing for ensuring safe dental visits has been instrumental in fostering robust partnerships within the dental and health care sectors. With over three decades of experience in the dental and health care industries, Ms. Lee has held prominent positions, including leading the largest dental and medical staffing firm in the Southeast. Additionally, she has consulted within health care organizations, providing both leadership and team development training. Her goal is to continue to support OSAP’s efforts to shape a safe and secure future for dental professionals and the patients they serve.

Karen Raposa is currently Regional Manager at HuFriedyGroup, a division of STERIS Corporation. Ms. Raposa is a registered dental hygienist with a Master of Business Administration and over 40 years of experience in the dental profession. She earned the title of Certified Central Service Vendor Partner with the Healthcare Sterile Processing Association and has spent the last 22 years consulting with faculty, residents and students in dental and dental hygiene programs in both the United States and Canada to help implement their clinical programs. Ms. Raposa was an adjunct faculty member at Bristol Community College and held a full-time faculty position in the Department of General Dentistry at Boston University Henry M. Goldman School of Dental Medicine.

Mr. Donato serves as Vice-Chair on the ADEA Council of Students, Residents, and Fellows for the 2023-24 academic year. He is a first-generation Filipino American and a community college transfer student. After completing his prerequisites, he transferred to the University of California, Berkeley where he obtained a bachelor’s degree in Molecular & Cellular Biology. Through his predental journey, he became involved in ADEA through his Educational Student Pathways Internship. ADEA has helped to foster his interest in academic dentistry and to meet like-minded colleagues who aim to prepare future generations of health care professionals.

Ms. Ha is a recipient of the NHSC scholarship and deeply passionate about expanding oral health services for underserved populations. Before entering dental school, she earned a master’s degree in biotechnology from Johns Hopkins University and completed her bachelor’s degree at Portland State University. Beyond her academic pursuits, she enjoys creating content for social media and founded an international charity group called “Remembering My Roots.” She’s excited to serve on the ADEA Council of Students, Residents and Fellows administrative board, to advocate for dental students and contribute to the innovative aspects of dentistry and dental education.

Mr. Halverson is Chair of the ADEA Council of Students, Residents and Fellows. During downtime, he likes to run and read. 

Yolanda Lee is the Senior Vice President, Corporate Relations at the American Dental Education Association (ADEA), in the office of the President and CEO. In her role at ADEA, Yolanda develops and executes ADEA’s corporate relations strategy and is the lead point of contact representing ADEA externally to its corporate members, who are our key dental industry partners. 
 
In this role, Yolanda works with corporate foundations and other philanthropic groups to grow engagement and secure commitment and support for ADEA strategic initiatives.

Dr. López-Fuentes is a tenured Professor, at the Community Dentistry Section of the University of Puerto Rico School of Dental Medicine (UPRSDM). She is currently the 2023-2024 Chair of the ADEA Board of Directors. Dr. López-Fuentes served as Dean of the UPRSDM from 2014-2018. At the UPRSDM, she serves as President of the Infection Control and Quality Assurance Standing Committees. She has a certificate in dental infection prevention and control from the OSAP and the DALE foundation. She is a member of the ADEA Collaborative on Dental Education Climate Assessment (CDECA), and UPRSDM’s ADEA Women Liaison Officer since 2006. She is Site Visitor for the ADA Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA), and Ex-officio member/Consultant to the Board of Trustees of the Hispanic Dental Association (HDA). Dr. López serves as faculty advisor to the HDA and the American Association of Women Dentists Student Chapters. Dr. López-Fuentes served as Co-Chair of ADEA’s Diversity and Inclusion Advisory Committee from 2014-2021, ADEA’s Annual Session Program Committee (2018-2021), Immediate Past Chair of ADEA’s Women in Leadership Section, and Councilor to the Council of Sections representing the Women in Leadership Section. From 2018 to 2019, represented the HDA in the American Dental Association Presidents’ Summit for Diversity and Inclusion. She served as faculty advisor to the Hedwig van Ameringen Executive Leadership in Academic Medicine (ELAM), fellowship from 2018-2022. 

Dr. Nader A. Nadershahi serves as the ninth Dean of University of the Pacific’s Arthur A. Dugoni School of Dentistry and Vice Provost of the San Francisco campus, bringing to the role nearly 30 years of leadership experience in dental education, organized dentistry, and clinical practice. He earned his DDS, completed GPR training, and has also earned MBA and EdD degrees. He is a fellow of the American College of Dentists, Academy of Dentistry International, International College of Dentists, and Pierre Fauchard Academy. He also completed fellowship in the ADEA Leadership Institute. Dr. Nadershahi serves on the boards of the Bay Area Council, the San Francisco Chamber of Commerce, and was appointed by the Governor to the California Health Workforce Education and Training Council.  He practiced in Marin County, California, and during his academic career, has more than 140 presentations, 30 publications, five book chapters, and numerous abstracts and other publications. Dr. Nadershahi served as chair of the American Dental Education Association Board of Directors and has been a leader at the California Dental Association, American Dental Association, and is also a member of the Santa Fe Group, a national organization focused on catalyzing improvement of oral health and health care in the United States and beyond.

Lisa J. Heaton is a Science Writer with the Analytics and Data Insights team at CareQuest Institute for Oral Health, where she collaborates with internal and external partners to produce peer-reviewed publications and self-published materials for CareQuest Institute. These materials focus on issues related to the expansion of access to oral health care for historically underserved populations, the intersections of oral and overall health, and integration of dental and medical health care. A clinical psychologist by training, Lisa was a post-doctoral fellow and faculty member at the University of Washington School of Dentistry for 16 years before her time at CareQuest Institute, where she provided clinical behavioral health care to patients with dental care-related fear and anxiety and chronic orofacial pain, taught several courses involving the intersection of behavioral and oral health, and conducted research focused on oral health disparities and dental care-related fear and anxiety.

Nicole Johnson has been leading initiatives at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for 25 years, always focusing on the practical application of strategies to build lasting change. For the last nine years, she has served as the Associate Director for Policy, Partnerships, and Strategic Communication in CDC’s Division of Oral Health. In this role she promotes evidence-based interventions to prevent cavities across the nation, particularly among those at greatest risk of decay, and strategies to promote adherence to dental infection prevention and control guidelines in clinical settings. She also currently leads an agency effort to accelerate medical-dental integration to improve oral health equity and overall health outcomes. Other major areas of focus have included tobacco prevention and control, heart disease and stroke prevention and sodium reduction. She received a dual BA degree in Psychology and Spanish from Western Michigan University and her MPH in behavioral science from Emory University.

Barbara Park has over 30 years of experience in public health working in oral health and chronic disease prevention and health promotion at the local, state, and national levels.  Ms. Park is currently a consultant for the National Association of Chronic Disease Directors (NACDD) and serves as a subject matter expert on strategies for successfully integrating oral health and chronic disease programs in states and communities. 

Prior to joining NACDD, Ms. Park served in various leadership capacities at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) at the National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (NCCDPHP) for 22 years – working in oral health, tobacco prevention and control, and diabetes prevention and management. 

Before joining CDC in 1993, Ms. Park was the Manager of Fluoridation and Preventive Health Activities for the American Dental Association (ADA) from 1988 to 1993. 

Ms. Park began her career in public health in 1985 at the DuPage County Health Department in Wheaton, Illinois where she worked as a community dental hygienist. 

Ms. Park also practiced clinical dental hygiene for 10 years in a variety of practice settings and was an assistant clinical professor at Loyola University, School of Dental Hygiene from 1983 to 1985.

Associate Professor, Department of Community Dentistry andPopulation Health

Associate Director, Center for OralDisease Prevention and Population Health Research 

Program Director, DDS/MPH program

Dr. Long has worked at Geological Society of America as Associate Director for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion since early 2022, and served as an ADVANCEGeo facilitator since 2020. An ecologist by training, she is a former research center director and has served as a Board Member for the Organization of Biological Field Stations and The Lepidopterists’ Society.

Dr. Schneider is an Associate Researcher and Science Outreach Manager for the Kansas Geological Survey. She is a Past-President of the Association for Women Geoscientists and Past Co-chair of the Society of Exploration Geophysicists Women's Network Committee. She has a Ph.D. and M.S. in Geophysics from the University of Kansas and completed a postdoc in STEM Education at the University of Kansas Center for Teaching Excellence. Blair Dr. Schneider is a Co-Principal Investigator of the ADVANCEGeo Partnership.

Dr. Marin-Spiotta is Professor of Geography at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. In addition to her research in biogeochemistry and biogeography, Dr. Marin-Spiotta studies and implements strategies to engage faculty in workplace climate change through bystander intervention, research ethics, and anti-racist pedagogy. She is the Lead Principal Investigator of the ADVANCEGeo Partnership and Faculty Co-director of the Wisconsin Inclusion in Science and Engineering Leadership Institute.

Dr. Alistair Rogers is a plant physiologist at Brookhaven National Laboratory with over 25 years of field-work experience. Most recently, his research has taken him to the Arctic tundra in Alaska, and to the tropical forests of Panama and Brazil where his work aims to improve understanding and model representation of plant physiology in global climate models. After hosting an ADVANCEGeo workshop at Brookhaven in 2021, Dr. Rogers decided to join the ADVANCEGeo team.

Throughout Mr. Krzanowski's career in the higher education and nonprofit sectors, he has developed and executed diversity, equity and inclusion programs and strategies. In his current role, he works with industry leaders as a thought partner to uncover inequities in organizational systems, address gaps in knowledge and skills, and develop intentional, data-driven, actionable outcomes to advance EDIJ initiatives.

Millie Gonzalez provides subject matter expert advice, insight and strategic direction to clients. She oversees and contributes to client engagements, manages projects to completion, and designs and facilitates DEI training solutions and assessment services to stakeholders.