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.