August 2026

Joining the team at PACHC and learning about the amazing work community health centers are doing in integrated health care highlighted how oral health, physical health, and behavioral health all impact one another. I am so happy to be part of a movement, along with other like-minded organizations, that is helping to increase access to oral health care in Pennsylvania, which in turn makes an overall healthier community.

PCOH has been an incredible partner with PACHC for a long time. When I took over the Career Center at PACHC, we already had an established relationship with PCOH to collaborate on strengthening the oral health workforce and continue increasing access to care. It has been a joy to get to know the staff at PCOH through these initiatives!

Building the workforce pipeline and recruiting oral health professionals in community health centers. The student debt accumulated in some of the oral health professions makes it challenging to attract students into these careers. While there are some debt reduction incentives for hygienists and dentists interested in working in community health centers, recruitment remains a challenge as we compete against other opportunities that are perceived to be more lucrative.

I would love to see fully-staffed community health centers so they can maximize their impact on oral health across the entire state of Pennsylvania.

Being part of a greater mission to improve the health of all Pennsylvanians and helping members of the community that could easily fall through the cracks is my biggest motivator. Community health centers are there to step in when patients don’t have insurance or can’t afford care, and the work they do, even beyond just providing oral health care and other medical services, is so inspiring. I’m so honored to be a small part of that.

Going on adventures! I love to hike, travel, and try new activities – as long as they don’t involve ice or snow (my past winter adventures did not go so well).