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Lead … Support … Inspire

Speakers from the 2023 MDA Leadership Forum have made additional information available to attendees in this resource library, which include articles, videos, and other resources. Speakers are listed below in the order they presented at the Leadership Forum. NOTE: Not all speakers have provided additional information.

Morning Keynote | How Ordinary People Create Extraordinary Teams

Ankur Gupta, DDS

Additional Resources

Bio

After completing a one-year GPR in Cleveland, Dr. Ankur A Gupta started a practice from scratch in 2005. Armed with what he considered adequate knowledge, hand skills, and a personable demeanor, he watched as his practice floundered, finances became unpredictable, and his lower back and spirit toward his profession became worrisome. Rather than continue the trend, he made a guinea pig out of his office, family, and self, attempting any and all personal and professional “experiments” in self-improvement. More than a decade later, he enjoys excellent new patient numbers and case acceptance, a solution oriented dental team; and most importantly, a meaningful and positive identity. He happily shares the failures and successes with dental and community groups throughout the country, always ending his presentations with practical, implementable, step-by-step ways to be better. Dr. Gupta is an AGD/PACE certified provider.

Dr. Ankur Gupta

Inclusive Leadership

Lisa Garcia, PhD

Additional Resources

Bio

Jessica Garcia, PhD (she/her) is the founder and CEO of Hummingbird Solutions, LLC, a diversity and inclusion consulting firm. In this role, Garcia offers business and community members the tools and resources to create and sustain inclusive environments for their employees, clients, and constituents. She has consulted with and trained thousands of participants across a wide range of industries in the public and private sectors providing interactive, customized services on topics such as best business practices; implicit bias and microaggressions; bystander intervention; inclusive leadership; allyship; self-care and wellbeing; and, inclusive teaching. Some of her clients include Laguna College of Art and Design; Michigan State University; Toyota Motor Company; the State of Michigan; Ele’s Place; Great Lakes Planetarium Association; Livingston Diversity Council; Michigan Association of Chamber Professionals; Michigan Dental Association; and, the Michigan League for Public Policy. In addition to her work with Hummingbird Solutions, LLC, Garcia serves as the diversity, equity, and inclusion manager for the College of Literature, Science, and the Arts at the University of Michigan. Prior to joining the University of Michigan, Garcia held a joint position in the Department of Sociology and the Office for Inclusion and Intercultural Initiatives at Michigan State University. She earned her bachelor’s degree and doctorate from Michigan State University in sociology.

Dr. Jessica Garcia

Panel Declutter Your Mind: A Hack to Improve Your Development

Debra Peters, DDS; Todd Christy, DDS

Additional Resources

Bios

When anticipating the transition of her 35-year clinical career within dentistry, Dr. Deb Peters turned to her passions of leadership development and personal growth. She became a Maxwell Leadership certified team member in 2020 and entered a new entrepreneurial opportunity with her coaching/training company, Rise2Thrive. Dr. Peters is someone who works with others to assist with their creative thinking to develop solutions or strategies for growing themselves to their full leadership potential. Within her profession, Dr. Peters has held various leadership roles at the local, state, and national level. In 2019, she completed her term as president of the Michigan Dental Association. She returned to the podium as speaker of the MDA House of Delegates in May 2023. Currently, she represents the states of Michigan and Wisconsin as a member of the American Dental Association Council of Ethics, Bylaws, and Judicial Affairs and will serve as its chair starting in October. She is enthusiastic about the principle that “if you want to keep giving, you have to keep growing.”

As the president-elect of the Michigan Dental Association, Dr. Todd Christy is passionate about the mission of our Association and humbled by the opportunity to serve in a variety of roles over his 27 years in all levels of the tripartite. The roles have allowed him to channel his inner parliamentarian, mentor other dentists, and help the MDA improve dentistry in the state of Michigan and beyond. Dr. Christy is a member of the American Dental Association, the Lakeland Valley District Dental Society, the Academy of General Dentistry, the International College of Dentists, the American College of Dentists, and the Pierre Fauchard Academy.

Dr. Deb Peters
Christy

Leveraging Social Media to Drive Member Recruitment and Engagement

Rich Evans
MDA Director of Marketing and Communications

Additional Resources

Bio

I’m a digital growth ninja. My work has been nationally recognized with a 2019 National ehealthcare Leadership Award for best digital growth campaign. I drive revenue and engagement by developing omni and multi-channel marketing campaigns built upon consumer personas, psychographics, personalized email journey-mapping, and engaging ad content to ensure the right message is reaching the right consumer at the right time. You can find me at: @linkedin.com/in/richevans-digitalninja and at [email protected] via email.

Rich Evans

DSO Panel Discussion: I’m Here to Stay

Dr. Daniel Miller
Moderator

Bio

Dr. Daniel Miller is a board-certified pediatric dentist. Originally from Allen Park, he moved to Grand Rapids in 2019 to join Smile Dental Partners. Dr. Miller practices in a multispecialty group practice, where he serves in multiple roles both clinical and nonclinical. He is a passionate and vocal supporter of advocacy and organized dentistry. He currently serves as the West Michigan District Dental Society Editor, vice-chair of the MDA Committee on Government and Insurance Affairs, is a member of the MDA Journal editorial board, as well as part of the MDA and ADA delegation. He is a former LEAD participant and MDAF Board member.

Dr. Daniel Miller

Creative Problem Solving

Lisa Fisher

Additional Resources

Bio

Lisa Fisher is the founder and CEO of Lisa Fisher Associates. Using her talents as a business coach and experienced corporate trainer, she uses her passion for working with others to help business and individuals identify their own vision of success and how to achieve it. She is a Development Dimensions International Certified Facilitator, a Logical Operations Modern Classroom Certified Trainer, and a licensed trainer for the top ranked business book, The ONE Thing. Fisher trained under MAPS Business Coaching where she worked for nine years prior to opening her company. Lisa is a founding investor for Lansing Keller Williams Realty franchise, a specialist trainer for Lansing Community College, and serves on the Leadership Council for the Small Business Association of Michigan.

Lisa Fisher

Courageous Conversations

Jodi Schafer, SPHR, SHRM-SCP

Additional Resources

Bio

Jodi Schafer is a certified Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR, SHRM-SCP) and the owner of Human Resource Management Services. Jodi has a bachelor’s degree in psychology and education from Kalamazoo College and 20 years of experience in human resource management. She was recognized as one of the “10 Over the Next Ten” in the next generation of business leaders by the Lansing Regional Chamber of Commerce, and accepted the MSAE Association Choice award on behalf of HRM for the consulting services category. Schafer sits on several statewide committees focused on human resource policy and leadership development. She is a regular contributor to various industry publications including the MDA Journal. She is co-author of the MDA’s ready-to-use Staff Matters HR system, and she conducts speaking engagements and training seminars on all aspects of human resources including employee relations, leadership skills, performance development, onboarding, recruitment, and retention.

Jodi Schafer

The Importance of Strategic Planning

Sarah Farmer

Additional Resources

Bio

Sarah Farmer is a client services manager at the American Dental Association in the Division of Member and Client Services. In her role as a liaison and relationship manager between state and local dental societies and the ADA, she provides consultation around capacity building initiatives and association and member growth strategies, volunteer leadership development and training, and high-level strategic planning facilitation. Prior to her position at the ADA, Farmer was an executive director for two affiliate organizations at the American Osteopathic Association. A communications and relationship management specialist, her experience spans the fields of the arts, non-profits, hospitals, and private member-based organizations. During her long tenure in higher education administration at Valparaiso University, Farmer managed high-profile projects and events to raise the visibility of the university across international markets, including a project that generated a $3.5 million donation to fund the creation of a Bach Institute on campus. The delivery of exemplary customer service was a central component of her management roles at Trader Joe’s and Columbia Yacht Club in Chicago, where as the membership and communications manager she transformed the member communications and engagement framework. She holds B.A. and M.A. degrees in organizational communications.

Sarah Farmer