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Meet The Officers

Current CODHA Officers

 

 

Courtney Justice
President

Courtney started her dental career as a dental assistant in 2011 and returned to dental hygiene school after she realized her love for dentistry was here to stay. In addition to receiving her Associate’s Degree in Dental Hygiene from Argosy University-Twin Cities in 2016, she is currently finishing her Bachelor’s of Dental Hygiene at Minnesota State University Mankato, and plans to start graduate school in Fall 2022 to earn a Masters of Public Health. Courtney has dedicated her career to serving uninsured and underinsured populations, and currently works in a school-based health center. She has held the position of Secretary of the Board of Trustees and is the current Secretary of the House of Delegates and Nominations Committee Chair. In addition to being an ADHA and CODHA member, she holds a professional membership with the National Network for Oral Health Access, and is a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution. Courtney lives in Commerce City with her husband, Joel, who works in renewable energy, and their three fur children: Potter, Weasley, and Lupin.

Valerie Cuzella RDH, BAS 
Immediate Past President

Valerie Cuzella started her dental hygiene career in 2012 when graduating with an Associate of Applied Science in Dental Hygiene from the Community College of Denver. She received her Bachelor’s in Applied science with an education emphasis in 2018, also from Community College of Denver. Most of her years of practice have been in private practice, however recently has changed to emphasis in public health working for Denver Health in an integrated Medical Dental Integration position. She taught briefly at Community College of Denver in spring of 2019 and has a publication in the December 2020 issue of Dimensions of Dental Hygiene continuing education article with co-author Mary Catherine Dean titled “Screening for Sleep Breathing Disorders-Dental Hygiene’s Role in Multidisciplinary Patient Care”. She has held numerous board positions for CODHA including President in 2021-2022, President-elect 2020-2021, CODHA Explorer publication editor 2018-2020, Colorado delegate to ADHA 2020, 2021, 2022, and ADHA CO delegation chair 2021. Valerie lives in Broomfield with her husband, James and numerous “plant babies”.

Janiece Ervin
Vice President

BIO COMING SOON

Danielle Suzuki, RDH
Secretary

Born and raised in Colorado, Danielle has held a passion for healthcare from a young age. In her teens she volunteered at Avista Hospital to socialize and have meals with patients. From that point she knew healthcare is where her passions were. Danielle went on to become a dental assistant and worked for the University of Colorado School of Dental Medicine while finishing her prerequisites to get into hygiene school. Danielle graduated from Concorde Career College in 2020, with an Associate’s of Applied Science in Dental Hygiene. While in hygiene school she was her class president for the Student Chapter of the American Dental Hygiene Association, as President Danielle was invited to attend a leadership conference with ADHA and CODHA. This opportunity led to a passion for advocating for her profession. During hygiene school, she worked at a private dental office as a hygiene assistant and was excited to be offered a full-time position as a hygienist when she finished school. In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with her husband and daughter while exploring all of the great activities Colorado has to offer.

Sarah Summers, RDH
Treasurer

Sarah Summers was born and raised in Houston, Texas and takes pride in living BIG! When Sarah was in high school she moved to Jackson Hole, Wyoming with her family and says Wyoming allowed her to become her true self. She attended the University of Wyoming and aspired to become an Orthodontist, a childhood passion since the age of 9. After graduating with a degree in Zoology/Physiology and applying to many dental schools numerous times with no such luck, Sarah realized that a career in dental hygiene was a great alternative! In 2009, after completing her Associates in Dental Hygiene from Colorado Northwestern Community College Sarah moved to Grand Junction and worked in private practice for 7 years. “The best thing about working in private practice are the relationships made with patients.” The desire to help others has always been the driving force for Sarah and her dental career. The fire was lit with her first dental mission trip to Guatemala where she found herself seeing 120 patients a day. “People came from miles away and would stand in line all day just to have a tooth pulled.” On her second mission trip to the tiny island of Mayrau, only accessible by boat, Sarah spent 4 days tending to the dental hygiene needs of the island people. She was the island favorite and the people begged to have their teeth cleaned! The rawness of the mission trips and the fire to help people in desperate need of dental hygiene care gave Sarah the ability to feel comfortable in any dental setting. Back in the United States Sarah’s grandmother “Mimi” was faced with long-term, slow progressing dementia. Sarah realized that her grandmother was not able to brush her teeth and she was bed-bound. Her grandmother’s special need for a bedside dental hygienist was all of the motivation Sarah needed to establish Front Door Dental, Western Colorado’s first mobile dental hygiene service! Front Door Dental was created to help those not easily mobile get access to the preventative dental care they deserve! “Having your teeth cleaned is a necessity and a luxury, nothing feels better than clean teeth!” Sarah is on a mission to provide dental hygiene services to ALL persons with a “special need” so that they too can live a comfortable life, free of dental disease.

Heather Schenkel
Colorado Springs Component Trustee

BIO COMING SOON


Boulder Component Trustee

Bio coming soon.

Tabitha Converse, RDH, BSDH
Metro Denver Component Trustee

I graduated in 1998 from Sheridan College with an Associate’s degree, completed Bachelor’s degree from the University of Wyoming in 1998. I was an active and involved member of ADHA/WDHA early in my career, then took a break while working and raising my boys. I’m looking forward to getting involved again!

 

Jindy Page, RDH, BS, MPH
Northern Colorado Component Trustee

Jindy works part-time as a Dental Hygienist for a family practice in Fort Collins. She lives in Timnath with her husband, daughter and mini Australian Shepard.

Robyn Maestas RDH BAS
Southern Colorado Component Trustee

Graduate from PCC. Has worked on SMILEs and COMDI grant projects. Part-time faculty at PCC and currently practicing in private practice. Worked in SBHC and with aging communities to expand oral health equity throughout Pueblo county.

Hollee Mundell
Western Slope Component Trustee

 
BIO COMING SOON

Jennifer Hosburgh RDH OMT
Council on Membership Services

I started in the dental field in the USAF as a dental technician in 1989. Loving the hygiene part of my job I decided to become a dental hygienist when my service was up. I received my dental hygiene degree in 2000 from Brevard Community College in Cocoa, Florida.
Membership has always been important to me. Our instructions encourage our class to “Work 1 day to pay for your membership fee and the membership will work 365 days for you”. I moved to Colorado in 2014 with my husband and our 2 adult boys. I soon became chair of the Boulder county component and a few years after moving to CO to help keep hygienists connected and have a group to be a part of. In 2021 I volunteered to be Chair of Membership services. I now work part time as a hygienist dentist in Longmont and have started my own business as an orofacial myofunctional therapist. I stay active on the board to have a vote, be a voice for others and to help be a small part of what supports my license 365 days a year where I can not. It has been an amazing career choice for me and offered me more than I could have imagined. I have been blessed to have an amazingly supportive husband and family who encouraged me while supporting the ADHA at the state and local level.
When I’m not a hygienist I do enjoy the outdoors with my Border Collie and husband.

Ginger Pughes, RDH, BAS
Student Liaison

I’ve been in dentistry for 16 years and a dental hygienist for the past 8 years. I graduated from the Community College of Denver in 2014 and completed my bachelor’s degree in 2019. In 2021, I needed hand surgery and had to think critically about dental hygiene as a long term career for my future. Currently, split my time working in private practice and teaching as an adjunct clinical instructor. This kind of change has enabled me to continue practice clinically. I’ve also enjoyed volunteering for the ADHA in more recently years as a delegate as well as Metro Chair.

Valerie Hoffman, RDH, BAS
Historian

Valerie Hoffman is the CODHA Historian for 2022-2023. She is a proud Colorado dental hygienist who graduated dental hygiene school from CNCC in 2014 and returned to school online through CCD completing her bachelor’s hybrid degree in education and public health in dental hygiene in 2020. She worked in public health for 6 years on the western slope until moving to Loveland, CO where she currently works with a small DSO team that has the “private practice feel” while still serving the uninsured population. Valerie served as a delegate with CODHA house of delegates in 2020 and 2021 and as Council of Public Affairs with CODHA 2021-2022. She enjoys adventures with her dog, spending time with family, doing yoga, shopping, water activities, hiking, watching movies (her all-time favorites are Star Wars and Back to the Future trilogy) and of course educating her patient’s on oral health. She grew up scrapbooking with her mom and loves creating presentations/graphics. She is excited to serve as Historian this year!

Liz Flores RDH, BS, MPH
Council on Education Services, Chair

I have been in the dental field since 2008 as both a dental assistant and hygienist. Although most of my dental career has been spent in private practice, I am passionate about improving the oral health outcomes of vulnerable and underserved populations. As a result, I made the transition to public health just shy of 5 years ago, eventually gaining a position with an FQHC. I spearheaded an MDI program in a Pediatrics Clinic that was based off of a grant from Delta Dental of Colorado. Our site outperformed others in patient encounters and sealants. Unfortunately, my employer decided to suspend the program due to organizational wide consolidation. Now I am enjoying the opportunity of working on both kids and adults again and looking forward to my future in this profession. I recently graduated in May with my MPH, and I am exploring new opportunities both within and outside my organization that will allow me to use my newly acquired skills. In addition to this, I am very excited about my increasing involvement in CODHA as the newly elected Chair of Council on Education Services. I am truly committed to lifelong learning, and I have already seen first-hand how dental hygiene skills can be used to benefit other professions and fields. In this role, I hope to support my fellow colleagues by working with our local component to provide “intriguing” continuing education offerings.

Dani Ford BSDH
Council on Regulation and Practice, Chair

Dani has been a RDH for over 11 years, working exclusively in the community health sector. She is passionate about advocating for hygienists to work to their fullest scope of practice, breaking down barriers to provider access to care for all and ensuring the integrity of the profession is preserved.


Speaker of the House of Delegates

BIO COMING SOON

Kari Brennan,  RDH
Chair of Nominating Committee

Kari graduated from Colorado Northwestern Community College in 2006 with an Associate of Applied Science Degree, emphasizing in Dental Hygiene. Kari practiced in private practice and community health for about 10 years before opening her own Direct Access Dental Hygiene practice in Meeker, Colorado. Currently, she is in her 7th year of business! Kari is married with two children. Kari loves riding horses and competing in rodeo events, helping her family operate their family cattle ranch and doing activities with her kids.

Alyssa Aberle RDH BSDH MBA
Executive Director

Alyssa Aberle is a 2009 graduate of the University of Colorado’s dental hygiene program. Alyssa  has spent her dental hygiene career working with several local nonprofit organizations including Kids In Need of Dentistry, Salud Family Health Centers, Colorado Orthodontic Foundation, and STRIDE Community Health Center (formerly MCPN). Through her work within these organizations, she had the desire to gain knowledge on business operations and management to complement her clinical background. In 2013, Alyssa graduated with a Masters in Business Administration from the Leeds School of Business at the University of Colorado Boulder.

While completing her Masters degree, Alyssa remained active in the Colorado Dental Hygienists’ Association. Alyssa served on the CODHA Board of Trustees as Vice President, President-Elect, President, and Immediate Past President. During her year as Past President, she was hired by the CODHA as Executive Administrator. She has been able to play a role in various aspects of our professional association and has a passion for advocacy and advancing the profession of dental hygiene.

To nominate yourself, or someone else, for a CODHA position, visit www.practicefuel.rocks/codha/nominations.