DHBC Board Members - Dental Hygiene Board of California

DHBC Board Members and Staff

2023 Officers

President – Dr. Carmen Dones, RDH Educator Member
Vice President – Sonia “Pat” Hansen
Secretary - Naleni "Lolly" Tribble-Agarwal

Board Members

Carmen Dones – Sherman Oaks – RDH Educator Member
Carmen Dones was appointed by Governor Newsom on October 20, 2020 as the new RDH Educator member replacing Michelle Hurlbutt who was termed out this year. Her background is that she graduated in 2004 from West Los Angeles College dental hygiene school and began teaching dental hygiene there in 2006 while working in private practice. She currently serves as a dean at West LA College where she implemented the baccalaureate pilot program in dental hygiene. She earned her doctorate degree in Educational Leadership in 2020 from Cal State Northridge and serves as a mentor to students and faculty.

Sonia “Pat” Hansen – Concord – RDH Member
Sonia “Pat” Hansen, 56, of Concord, has been appointed to the Dental Hygiene Board of California. Hansen has been a Registered Hygienist at Janis Richard DDS since 2013. Hansen was a Registered Dental Assistant at the Contra Costa Dental Program from 2001 to 2010. She was a Reserve Police Office for the Walnut Creek Police Department from 1995 to 2006. Hansen is a member of the California Dental Association, Community Dental Health Coordinators, Walnut Festival and the Mount Diablo Dental Hygiene Society. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $100 per diem. Hansen is a Democrat.

Sherman T. King – San Francisco – Public Member
Sherman T. King, 63, of San Francisco, has been appointed to the Dental Hygiene Board of California. King was Chief Executive Officer at King Oasis LTD from 2010 to 2016. He was Director of Corporate Accounts at Infineon Technologies Inc. from 2000 to 2010. King was Applications Manager at AuraVision Inc. from 1991 to 1998. He was Principal Engineer at Western Digital Imaging Inc. from 1989 to 1991. King was Design Engineer at Advanced Micro Devices Inc. from 1983 to 1989. He was Office Manager at Eva Chau Acupuncture Clinic Office from 1982 to 2010. King is a member of the board of directors of the Video Engineering Standards Association USA, Chinese American Institute of Engineers and Scientists, San Francisco Chinatown Club, Charity Cultural Services Center and the San Francisco Chinatown Salvation Army. He earned a Master of Science degree in electronic engineering from Santa Clara University and a Doctor of Philosophy degree in business administration from American Liberty University. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $100 per diem. King is a Democrat.

Michael Long - San Francisco - RDHAP Member
Michael Long, of San Francisco, has been appointed to the Dental Hygiene Board of California. Long has been a Registered Dental Hygienist in Alternative Practice with Michael J. Perona DDS and Paul-Ryan Lake DDS since 2022. He has been Clinical Faculty for the Department of Dental Hygiene at the University of the Pacific, Arthur A. Dugoni School of Dentistry since 2021. Long is a member of the California Dental Hygienists Association Foundation, American Dental Hygienists’ Association, California Dental Hygiene Educators’ Association, San Francisco Dental Hygiene Society and the American Academy for Oral Systemic Health. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Dental Hygiene from Foothill College. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $100 per diem. Long is a Democrat.

Justin Matthews – Salinas – Public Member
Justin Matthews, 43, of Salinas, has been appointed to the Dental Hygiene Board of California. He has been an Associate Professor of General Experimental Psychology at California State University, Monterey Bay since 2014 and a Subject Matter Expert for the Monterey County Department of Human Resources since 2019. He was a Commissioner and Vice Chairperson for the Monterey County Equal Opportunity and Civil Rights Advisory Commission from 2016 to 2021. Matthews was a Teaching Fellow and Staff Research Associate at University of California, Merced from 2005 to 2014 and a Lecturer at California State University, Fresno from 2005 to 2006. Matthews earned a Doctor of Philosophy degree in Cognitive and Information Sciences and a Master of Science degree in Social and Cognitive Sciences from the University of California, Merced. He earned a Master of Arts degree in Experimental Psychology from California State University, Fresno. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $100 per diem. Matthews is a Democrat.

Sridevi Ponnala, DDS - Fremont - Dentist Member
Sridevi Ponnala, DDS, of Fremont, has been appointed to the Dental Hygiene Board of California. Dr. Ponnala has been Chief Integration Officer at the Tiburcio Vasquez Health Center since 2021, where she has held several positions since 2010, including Chief Dental Officer and Dental Director. She was Adjunct Faculty in the Chabot Dental Hygiene Program at the Chabot-Las Positas Community College District from 2016 to 2019. She was Clinical Director at the Native American Health Center from 2007 to 2010. Dr. Ponnala is a member of the American Dental Association, California Dental Association, Southern Alameda County Dental Society and the Hayward Chamber of Commerce. She earned a Doctor of Dental Surgery degree from the University of California, San Francisco School of Dentistry and a Master of Business Administration degree from California State University East Bay. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $100 per diem. Dr. Ponnala is a Democrat.

Naleni "Lolly" Tribble-Agarwal – Newark – RDH Member
Naleni Tribble-Agarwal, 52, of Newark, has been appointed to the Dental Hygiene Board of California. Naleni has been a Dental Hygienist at Casey Herrera DDS since 2007. She was a Dental Hygienist at Marisa Walker DDS from 2014 to 2020, at Shital Kazi DDS from 2008 to 2018 and at Gurjit Randhawa DDS from 2008 to 2015. She was a Dental Hygienist at Ross Stangeland DDS and Richard Jenson DMD from 2008 to 2014. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $100 per diem. Tribble-Agarwal is a Democrat.

Erin Yee – Lafayette – Public Member
Erin Yee, appointed as a public member by Anthony Rendon, Speaker of the Assembly, January 4, 2021, is the Deputy Director and Senior Advisor of the COVID Contact and Tracing Initiative with the Public Health Institute and is the previous Chief Operating Officer of Planned Parenthood Northern California. Erin has spent her career working in community health services, working in organizations that impact women and families. She is also on the board of Charlotte Maxwell Clinic in Oakland. She graduated with her B.S. from the University of Hawaii in Non-Profit Management.

Anthony Lum, Executive Officer
Mr. Lum has served as the Executive Officer of the Dental Hygiene Board of California since December 29, 2017. Prior to his appointment, he was the Interim Executive Officer from January 1, 2017 and Assistant Executive Officer since July 1, 2015. He has worked for the Board since November 2011 attending to the Board’s administrative and program functions. Prior to joining the Board, he worked for four different Department of Consumer Affairs licensing boards in several positions and programs and the department’s Budget Office. He began his state career in January 2000 and prior to joining the state, worked in the rehabilitation and physical therapy profession for 10 years.