Meet the Team

Board of Directors

Stephen E. Thorne IV

Chairman

Dr. Jack Dillenberg

Director

Dr. Carolyn Ghazal

Director

Joanna Rodgers

Vice Chairman

Advisory Board

Dr. Eric Ellis

Pacific Dental Services® - Supported Owner Dentist

Dr. Eric Ellis is a Board-Certified Pediatric Dentist and member of the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry and the ADA. He owns two practices in Arizona and has participated in multiple Mobile Dental Clinic events and has traveled to Ethiopia twice with the Pacific Dental Services® Foundation.

 

Dr. William Sands

AEGD Director of Operations

Dr. William Sands received his BS at the University of the Pacific Arthur A. Dugoni School of Dentistry. He worked in Africa for a few years and set up small clinics within different villages in Africa, helping with many humanitarian projects throughout his life.

 

Stephanie Wootan

Regional Partner, New Mexico/Southern Colorado Region

Stephanie Wootan joined Pacific Dental Services® in January 2013 and is directly responsible for the results of the New Mexico/Southern Colorado Region. She has also held leadership positions in retail and proudly served in the U.S. Army. Stephanie received her Bachelor of Science at the University of Colorado.

Dr. Richard Mungo

USC Faculty, CHOC Pediatric Doc

Dr. Richard Mungo’s philosophy of care is to strive to offer the highest quality of oral health care to children in a caring atmosphere. Dr. Mungo serves as a clinical director for the Special Smiles program of the Special Olympics.

 

Gary Pickard

Director, Government & Industry Affairs, Pacific Dental Services®

Since 2001, Gary has contributed to the growth and reputation of Pacific Dental Services®, one of the largest and most respected DSO’s in the world. From helping to develop an industry leading insurance contracts department to establishing and building strong relationships with key opinion leaders and collaborating with various entities to advance our model.

 

Rose Olague

Director, School Relations and Dental Assistant Programs, Pacific Dental Services®

Rose received her BA from La Sierra University and her MAM from the University of Redlands. As an Registered Dental Assistant, Rose has participated in numerous Mobile Dental Clinic events and has traveled to Guatemala with the Pacific Dental Services® Foundation. She also serves as a mentor to the recipients of the Pacific Dental Services® Foundation Dental Assistant Scholarship.

 

David Kochman

VP Corporate Affairs and Deputy Chief of Staff, Office of the CEO at Henry Schein 

David works for the world’s largest distributor of healthcare products and equipment and is responsible for Henry Schein’s Corporate Social Responsibility. David has volunteered with the Pacific Dental Services® Foundation on our International Service Trip to Ethiopia. David earned his BA at Emory University.

 

Gary Van Arnam

Sr. VP, Private Client Advisory, Northern Trust

Gary, as an active community member, serves as a Board Member and the Chair of the Grants Committee of the Long Beach Memorial Medical Center Foundation along with many others. He was also honored as a Visionary Leader for helping bring accessible oral health care services to underserved children in Orange County.

 

Dave Shull

Influencer Business Development Manager, P&G

As a graduate from the University of Kansas Graduate School of Business, Dave has been on the advisory board of the Pacific Dental Services® Foundation since 2016. As the Associate Director of P&G, one of our strategic partners, Dave has aided the Pacific Dental Services® Foundation by providing patient kits and financial support to our Medicare initiative.

 

Dr. Steven Perlman

Global Clinical Director and Founder, Special Olympics Special Smiles

Dr. Perlman created Special Olympics Special Smiles to provide free dental screenings for Special Olympic athletes. Dr. Perlman is the past president of the Academy of Dentistry for Persons with Disabilities, the Massachusetts Academy of Pediatric Dentistry and the American Academy of Developmental Medicine and Dentistry. Dr. Perlman is a graduate of Boston University Goldman School of Dental Medicine.

Nancy Jones

Concorde Career College- VP of Student Affairs

Nancy  Jones serves as the VP of Student Affairs for Concorde Career Colleges, Inc. She also chairs the National Employer Advisory Board and Co-Chairs the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion committee for the organization and currently sits on the Chamber of Commerce Education committee, Parkland Hospital Board,  and Campus Improvement Committee for Cardwell High School. Nancy has supported the growth of dental assistants through the Pacific Dental Services® Foundation Scholarship program for many years. Nancy holds a Master’s Degree of Arts- Professional Development from Amberton University and a BS in Business Administration from California State University- Long Beach

 

 

Paddi Sharifian

Real Estate Attorney and Founder of "Project Love"

As a JD/MBA graduate from Loyola Marymount University, Paddi Sharifian is a real estate attorney and an active member of the community. She currently serves as a board member for International Society for Children with Cancer and as a volunteer for Olive Crest, Human Options and Minority Humanitarian Foundation. She is also the founder of a non-profit community, “Project Love,” which has contributed to economically disadvantaged families & displaced children for over twenty one years.

Pacific Dental Services® Foundation Team

Carli Kingsley

Program of Focus: International Service

Carli has been supporting the Pacific Dental Services® Foundation since 2016. She has worked with the Mobile Dental Clinic and leads international service trips to Guatemala and Fiji. She also supports the Pacific Dental Services® Foundation Dental Clinic in Xenacoj, Guatemala and its partnerships with Mission Impact, the University of San Carlos Dental School, and those who visit. Carli received her BA in Integrated Marketing Communications from Wichita State University.  

 

Dentists for Special Needs Team

Dr. Kayla Erps

Dentist

Dr. Kayla Erps has been working with the Pacific Dental Services® Foundation since 2022. She graduated from the University of Iowa College of Dentistry in Iowa City, IA.  Dr. Erps serves as a practicing clinician at Pacific Dental Services® Foundation Dentists for Special Needs in Phoenix, Arizona.