Membership Workgroup

• Chair – CDR Diem-Quynh Tran-Nguyen - Diem-Quynh.A.Tran-Nguyen@uscg.mil
• Co-Chair – CDR Emily Ikahihifo - Emily.Ikahihifo@ihs.gov 
• CDR James Dixon - J4dixon@bop.gov 
• CDR Scott Eckhart - Scott.D.Eckhart@uscg.mil 
• CDR Cara Ortega - Cara.B.Ortega@ice.dhs.gov
• CAPT Rodica Popescu - Rpopescu@southcentralfoundation.com
• CDR Joan Attridge - Joan.Attridge@ihs.gov 
• CDR Maria Heidi Sipin - Hsipin@southcentralfoundation.com

The Dental Professional Advisory Committee (DePAC) is made up of active duty, Commissioned Corps (CC) dentists from across the United States. DePAC membership consists of elected voting members and non-elected volunteers. This diverse group of dental professionals work together on the various Workgroups (WGs) and Subcommittees (SCs) that make up the DePAC. Currently, there are 9 DePAC WGs/SCs, and 14 DePAC elected voting members. Collectively, the group brings differing perspectives from the various, representative agencies together, to indirectly advise the Surgeon General of the United States on matters of importance to the organization and to the Public Health Service. Only active-duty CC dentists are eligible to serve on the DePAC at this time.

Nominations for DePAC Voting membership will be solicited annually May 1 to the 3rd Friday in June, and self-nomination applications with nominee’s supervisor approval and curriculum vitaes will be accepted through the 3rd Friday in June, unless otherwise determined by the Executive Committee (XC).

The self-nomination application consists of the following questions:

1. Briefly describe any leadership involvement in your agency and any exceptional performance of duty during your Public Health Service Career. (e.g., local or national agency committees, agency deployments/responses, increased collateral duties, awards, etc.)
2. Briefly describe your interest and involvement in DePAC, including any previous experiences, level of involvement, and significant impact you had on any DePAC workgroups or subcommittees.
3. List specific examples of your involvement and leadership in USPHS support activities (e.g., JOAG, BCOAG, COA, TDY, RDF team, deployments, PACE, etc). Also, briefly describe your impact and accomplishments while serving these support activities.
4. Please share any additional leadership experiences in organized dentistry you have that will assist you in performing your functions as a DePAC Voting Member? (e.g., delegate, committee involvement, meeting planning, etc.) Briefly describe your impact or accomplishments related to these activities.
5. List some examples of work-related projects you have initiated and completed during your career. Describe how your experiences will make you an effective DePAC Voting Member.