Board of Directors
Sheila Riggs, DDS, DMSc (Board Chair)
Dr. Riggs went to the University of Iowa College of Dentistry, as well as the Harvard University School of Public Health and Harvard University. She has served as an Associate Professor in the Division of Dental Public Health and as Chair of the Department of Primary Dental Care, both at the University of Minnesota School of Dentistry. She has also served as CEO of Delta Dental of Minnesota.
During her career, Dr. Riggs has been on the Board for Hennepin Health System (formerly Hennepin County Medical Center), the Cargill Foundation, the Greater Twin Cities United Way, and YWCA of Minneapolis.
As a member of ‘Get to Yes,’ what Dr. Riggs calls “a coalition of the willing,” she, with other safety net dental clinics, saw the power of a unified voice at the State Capitol. “We knew ‘Go Big or Go Home’ would be even more effective and powerful.”
In her spare time, Dr. Riggs has recently completed the MIT Executive Program “Artificial Intelligence – Implications for Business Strategy.”
When she was younger, Dr. Riggs grew up on a farm outside of Holstein (“yes, like the cow!”), Iowa. She was the last of seven children and the nine members of her family all lived in a three-bedroom house – with one bathroom and no shower!
Mary Seieroe, DDS (Vice Chair)
Dr. Seieroe attended the University of Iowa for both her Bachelors and Doctoral degrees, and did a two-year General Practice Residency Program Certificate at Hennepin County Medical Center. She has practiced Dentistry at Hennepin Healthcare since 1988, and was the Program Director of the General Practice Residency from 1988 to 2017. She is also the current chair of the Department of Dentistry.
In her words, Dr. Seieroe was interested in joining CAD-MN “to assure access to oral health care for vulnerable patients, and to advocate for the dental safety net clinics that provide these critical services.”
In her free time, Dr. Seieroe enjoys making pottery.
Sarah Wovcha, JD, MPH (Secretary)
Sarah Wovcha holds a Bachelors of Art from Macalester College, a J.D. from the University of Minnesota Law School, and an M.P.H. from Harvard School of Public Health.
Sarah has over three decades of experience in nonprofit leadership and advocacy. She began her career first as a social worker, and later an attorney specializing in child welfare and the Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA). Sarah currently serves as Executive Director and In-House Counsel at Children’s Dental Services, a leading Minnesota nonprofit dental provider, serving over 56,000 children and families annually through school- and community-based clinics statewide. Under her leadership, CDS played a key role in the passage of Minnesota’s dental therapy legislation and continues to advocate for policies that improve access to oral health care for low-income, immigrant, and rural populations. CDS has earned several awards for innovation and equity in care delivery.
She has an extensive volunteer background in public health, oral health equity, environmental advocacy, and community development, serving in leadership roles on several nonprofit boards and advisory committees, including Ain Dah Yung Native American Children’s Shelter, Hope Dental Clinic, the Hennepin History Museum, the Sierra Club Northstar Chapter, and the Minnesota Oral Health Coalition.
Both Sarah Wovcha and Children’s Dental Services joined CAD-MN to support expanded access to dental care for underserved Minnesotans and advocate for policies that improve oral health equity across Minnesota. Sarah believes that access to dental care is a social justice issue, and that everyone deserves good health.
Sarah is passionate about paddling and hiking in Voyageurs National Park and the Boundary Waters Canoe Area with her husband, Jeff, and her children Eli, Oliver, and Frances. No matter how busy she is, she can make time to can a batch of tomato sauce every fall!
Michael J. Helgeson, DDS (Treasurer)
Dr. Helgeson studied Physics at St. Olaf College, and later graduated from the University of Minnesota School of Dentistry. He is the Co-Founder and CEO of Apple Tree Dental, and has also worked as a Clinical Assistant Professor and with the United States Public Health Service.
He has also served as President and Board Member for the Special Care Dentistry Association, as President for the American Society for Geriatric Dentistry, as a National Eldercare Advisory Committee Member for the American Dental Association, as a Barriers to Care Committee Member for the Minnesota Dental Association, and as an expert consultant for the U.S. Surgeon General, the National Academies of Science, Engineering and Medicine, the Pew Charitable Trusts, the Centers for Disease Control, the National Quality Forum, and the Santa Fe Group.
Dr. Helgeson joined CAD-MN because Critical Access Dental providers are the source of dental care for more than two-thirds of the people enrolled in Minnesota’s public programs. In his own words, “We are essential to the health of 1.5 million Minnesotans. We face very unique challenges and need a strong, focused voice to advocate on our behalf. And we need to partner with dozens of allied organizations who support our shared mission and can amplify our influence at both the state and national levels. CAD-MN is that strong voice, and I’m proud to be a member.”
In his free time, Dr. Helgeson enjoys designing and building things, and he is an avid woodworker. He loves walking his dogs, biking, and cooking with family members and friends. Although his parents’ and grandparents’ roots are in rural Minnesota, most of his childhood was spent in Oakland, California. In high school, he helped build sets for the school plays, and he happened to do sound and lighting for Tom Hanks, who was a classmate.
Todd Thierer, DDS, MPH
Dr. Thierer studied Chemistry at State University of New York at Binghamton, completed an Oncology Fellowship at Roswell Park Memorial Hospital in Buffalo, New York, and achieved his DDS degree at State University of New York at Buffalo in the School of Dental Medicine. He also completed a fellowship and a residency at the University of Rochester, along with a Masters of Public Health.
Throughout his career, Dr. Thierer has had a number of faculty and administrative appointments at dental schools and healthcare organizations. He has also served as a dentist both in Rochester, New York, and in Minnesota, with the University of Minnesota Physicians and with HealthPartners. He has a long history of volunteer work, including Union Gospel Mission Dental Clinic, Hope Dental Clinic, and Prince of Peace Outpost Dental Mission.
Regarding his involvement in CAD-MN, Dr. Thierer says, “CAD-MN provides an amplified voice for CAD providers in Minnesota. It is well run and provides great benefit to the members.”
In his free time, Dr. Thierer likes outdoor activities, and has been a marathon runner for 25 years. He has run over 40 marathons.
Kate Tonjum
Kate studied at St. Cloud State University and the University of Minnesota at the Carlson School of Management. She has worked for Marriott International and ETC Enterprises Inc, and currently serves as the CEO and Co-Founder of Lighthouse Strategic Solutions, and the COO for Southern Heights Dental Group.
Over the course of her career, Kate has volunteered with the Mayo Health Advisory Council, the Bethlehem Academy Finance Committee, Doctors Without Borders, Infants Remembered in Silence, and the Minnesota Oral Health Coalition.
Kate says that she joined CAD-MN to “be surrounded by other CAD providers, to have our perspectives and experiences be shared, so that together we can make a larger and more significant impact. Southern Heights Dental Group is a for-profit, large private group practice, which allows me to share our unique experiences serving this demographic successfully as a private practice.”
In her free time, Kate enjoys traveling with her husband of 25 years to take in new experiences, places, cultures, and food. Her favorite time is spent with her sons – both young adults – and being engaged in everyday life. Kate loves time at home the lake with family, friends, and pets. She is a coffee enthusiast, and has traveled to all of the Starbucks Reserve Roastery and Tasting Rooms in the United States and Europe. Of the six in the world, two are in Asia, which she plans to visit in 2030.
CAD-MN Staff
Anila Prabhu, BS, MS, Ph.D (Executive Director)
Dr. Prabhu started her education journey in India, earning her Bachelor of Science in Chemistry at Bangalore University, her Master of Science in Life Science/Biotechnology at Jawaharlal Nehru University in New Delhi, and her Doctor of Philosophy in Life Sciences/Biotechnology at Jawaharlal Nehru University. She then went on to be a Postdoctoral Associate in the Department of Chemical Engineering and Material Sciences at the University of Minnesota, and completing the Chief Sustainability Officer Certification Program at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Boston.
Over the length of her career, Dr. Prabhu has been a Research Associate for the University of Minnesota; has held multiple positions in R&D for 3M, including being responsible for global research and development, and the commercialization of products for medical devices; was the Chief Sustainability and Social Impact Officer at Solventum; and is now the Executive Director for CAD-MN. She is also the Chief Advisor to the CEO for Apple Tree Dental, and is a Fractional Executive Leader providing executive level services to corporations, nonprofits, and academic institutions. She also has an extensive volunteer background, including American Red Cross, 3M Foundation, CONACyT, American Chamber of Commerce, Breakthrough Twin Cities, Solventum Charitable Foundation, and more.
Dr. Prabhu believes that health is a basic human right. She became involved in CAD-MN because the mission of the organization advances access to critical dental care for underserved communities. “Joining CAD-MN strengthens a collective that is committed to health as a basic human right,” she says.
In her spare time, Dr. Prabhu loves spending time with my extended family, traveling to places to learn about the people, history, and culture. She likes reading and learning something new every day!
John Pournoor, PhD, MBA (Policy Director)
Dr. Pournoor earned his M.S. and Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering from the University of Washington, his MBA from the University of St. Thomas, his B.S. in Chemical Engineering from the University of California, Berkeley, and has been a Public Policy Fellow at the University of Minnesota Humphrey School of Public Affairs.
He is the CEO and Founder of Government Analytica. John has also been the Vice President of Global Government Affairs at 3M, the Director of Multinational Government Markets Portfolio & Government Strategy at 3M, the Director of Health Care R&D at 3M, and has held engineering and scientific specialist roles at Chevron, Intel, DuPont, and Boeing.
Dr. Pournoor has held a variety of volunteer positions including chairing the Policy & Advocacy Committee of the Minnesota Public Health Association and the Trade Policy Committee of the National Association of District Export Councils. He has also been the vice chair of the Minnesota District Export Council, an Advisory Committee Member of the U.S. Global Leadership Coalition, and the Director of Global Minnesota from 2013-2021.
When asked why he became involved with CAD-MN, Dr. Pournoor cited the 1.2 million Minnesotans on public insurance that CAD providers serve. “I believe it is a worthy cause of great public value to serve one in every five people in our state,” he said. Dr. Pournoor’s role as Policy Director allows him to assist the association in navigating its multipronged advocacy strategy with the executive branch, legislative branch, and peer groups.
John is a tireless advocate and volunteer for community-based organizations. He lives with his wife, Erin, in Minneapolis, where they enjoy film, music, and theater. He is an avid cook.
His travels and his weakness for good food and good company has blessed him with many lasting friendships around the world.
Tamara Block, JD, MBA (General Counsel)
Tamara earned her JD from DePaul University College of Law, her MBA from the University of St. Thomas, and her BSMT from the University of South Dakota. She is an attorney licensed in Minnesota, South Dakota, and Tennessee, and she owns a private practice focusing on estate planning, probate, small business law and nonprofit law.
Currently, Tamara is the Chair of Wings for Widows and is on the Board of the Beaurline Family Foundation, the Atelier, and Variety – the Children’s Charity International.
Tamara joined CAD-MN as internal legal counsel and serves as staff for the organization.
In her free time, Tamara loves traveling. She is the mother of two and the grandmother of two.
Deb Jacobi, RDH, MA (Government Affairs Committee Chair)
Deb Jacobi earned her M.A. in Public Policy and Health Administration from the University of Wisconsin – Madison, after earning her BA in Sociology from the same school and her AAS in Dental Hygiene from Hawkeye Community College.
As the Policy Director at Apple Tree Dental, Deb works to advance oral healthcare system solutions in support of Apple Tree’s mission to overcome barriers to oral health. She has a clinical dental hygiene background in private practice and as a commissioned officer of the United States Public Health Service/Indian Health Service. She has also been a clinical dental hygienist with public health mission-driven dental organizations.
Deb has past board and leadership roles with the Minnesota Association for Community Dentistry, the Minnesota Oral Health Coalition, and Ryumonji Zen Monastery. She has also been a past volunteer for Project Homeless Connect and Give Kids a Smile events. She joined CAD-MN to help create a collective voice for the dental professionals who serve public program patients in strengthening Minnesota Health Care Programs.
John A. Kunelius (Industry Affairs Committee Chair)
John graduated from Southwest State University with a Bachelor of Science degree and later got his M.A. from St. Mary’s University of Minnesota. He currently works for Caring Hands Dental Clinic, and previously worked with Metro Sales, Inc., Rasmussen University, Norwich University and Norwich University Applied Research Institutes.
His extensive volunteer background includes Project Pathfinder as Board Treasurer; Common Spirit, CAH-Minnesota as a Board Member; Ampersand Families as a Board Member; and now CAD-MN as a member of the Industry Affairs Committee.
Dental care for all Minnesotans
Join the Association of Critical Access Dental Providers of Minnesota to have a voice in your patients’ futures
