13 Members to Receive Evelyn Ireland Volunteer Award
In celebration of outstanding volunteer achievements, the National Association of Dental Plans (NADP) will honor 13 individuals with the Evelyn Ireland Volunteer Awards during the Sept. 30 general session of CONVERGE 2026, the association’s annual conference. The award recognizes annual volunteer contributions necessary for the association to accomplish its mission to improve consumer access to affordable, quality dental care through advocacy, research, and the promotion of dental benefits.
“NADP values collaborative volunteerism. It is the engine that drives the association and provides insight, innovation, energy, and enthusiasm along the way,” said Executive Director Mike Adelberg. “NADP is privileged to honor these outstanding individuals, who are recipients of the 2026 Evelyn Ireland Volunteer Award.”
Following is a list of award recipients and their contributions to NADP.
Beth Bennett
Western Dental Services
Operations WorkGroup
The Operations WorkGroup is commending Beth for knowledgeable, valuable updates to delegated credentialing documents created by the workgroup and used by NADP members.
Beth Bennett is a healthcare operations and compliance professional specializing in dental support organizations (DSOs) and dental insurers, with expertise in credentialing, quality management, and regulatory compliance. She has extensive experience in dental provider credentialing and payer enrollment, delegation oversight, provider contracting, grievance and appeals, and provider relations. Throughout her career, she has led initiatives that ensure compliance with regulatory and accreditation standards while advancing operational excellence.
Beth has developed and managed quality improvement programs, credentialing delegation oversight, complaint and appeals processes, and performance measurement initiatives supported by data analysis and reporting. She is recognized for implementing efficient workflows, strengthening payer relationships, and driving continuous process improvement to measure and enhance provider performance.
Beth began her career in dentistry as a certified dental assistant, working in private practice with both her father and father-in-law, who were practicing dentists. She later held leadership roles with CIGNA Dental, MCNA, Ameritas, MB2 Dental, and Sonrava Health. Beth earned a bachelor’s degree in marketing from Dallas Baptist University and completed CIGNA's Lean Six Sigma Green Belt program. She currently leads the Quality Management and Credentialing programs for Sonrava/Western Dental's DSO and oversees regulatory compliance for its California-based dental insurance plan.
Suzanne Cibotti
United Concordia Dental
Communications WorkGroup
The Communications WorkGroup is honoring Suzanne for providing valuable feedback regarding NADP content and stepping up to serve as vice chair.
Suzanne Cibotti is a communications consultant at United Concordia Dental, with more than 20 years of experience in public relations, media relations, thought leadership and strategic storytelling. In this role, she develops communications strategies that elevate awareness of the connection between oral and overall health, support executive thought leadership and reinforce the organization's work to strengthen the total health of the communities it serves. Her work helps translate complex healthcare topics into compelling stories that educate, engage and inspire action among a wide range of audiences.
Prior to joining United Concordia, Suzanne held various communications roles with several organizations, including the Pennsylvania Bar Association, Burns White LLC, the American Bar Association and ChemImage Corporation. Across the benefits, professional membership, legal and biotechnology sectors, she has developed impactful communications programs, elevating brand awareness and organizational visibility, and fostering meaningful engagement.
Suzanne graduated from the University of Pittsburgh with a bachelor’s degree in communications and a focus in English writing. She volunteers with the NADP Communications Workgroup, as well as local animal rescues and food outreach programs.
Tony Cutillo
Anthem, Inc.
Government Relations WorkGroup
Government Relations is recognizing Tony for his leadership and collaborative approach on unprecedented network leasing legislation in Colorado.
Tony Cutillo is a Washington, D.C.-based public policy and government affairs professional with experience shaping legislative and regulatory strategies across the healthcare sector. Throughout his career, including roles at Elevance Health and the National Governors Association, he has worked at the intersection of public policy, government affairs, and business strategy, helping organizations navigate complex policy challenges and advance enterprise priorities.
At Elevance Health, Tony partners with executive leadership, government affairs, legal, and business teams to develop advocacy strategies and assess the impact of emerging state and federal policy. His policy portfolio includes healthcare affordability, price transparency, fraud, waste and abuse, Affordable Care Act implementation, and the regulation of dental and vision insurance markets. He leads policy analysis and advocacy on issues affecting insurance markets, consumer protections, preventive care, benefit design, and healthcare costs while evaluating legislative and regulatory developments across all 50 states and the federal government.
Jacque Draper
Delta Dental of IA
Research Commission
The Research Commission is praising Jacque for her leadership on ICHRA task force and contributions to the Industry Research Reports.
Jacque Draper, MBA, is a product manager at Delta Dental of Iowa with more than 10 years of experience leading product development, operations, and business transformation. She has built a career centered on delivering innovative solutions that make a positive impact for customers and organizations alike.
During her time at Delta Dental of Iowa, Jacque has led strategic initiatives that improved efficiency, enhanced customer experiences, and strengthened business performance. Her accomplishments include implementing automation processes that generated significant operational savings, leading technology integrations that increased productivity, and developing solutions that improved product performance and customer satisfaction.
Known for her collaborative leadership style, Jacque enjoys bringing together different perspectives to solve complex challenges, drive lasting results, and advance the organization's growth objectives. She is passionate about innovation, developing high-performing teams, and aligning business strategies with customer needs to support business growth. Her expertise spans product management, systems implementation, process optimization, and strategic planning.
Jacque earned a master’s degree in business administration from the University of Iowa Tippie College of Business and holds a bachelor’s degree from Drake University.
Joanne Fontana
Milliman
NADP is celebrating Joanne for providing valuable technical advice on a range of topics and always being available to the NADP community in formal and informal capacities.
Joanne Fontana is a principal and consulting actuary with the Hartford office of Milliman. She has been with the firm since 2006, and prior to that held various actuarial roles at Cigna.
For the past 15 years, Joanne’s consulting work has focused almost entirely on the dental benefits space. She works with many carriers in the commercial, ACA, and Medicare Advantage dental markets providing core actuarial services including pricing, product development, underwriting, and benchmarking support. Joanne supports employer groups on the dental insurance procurement process, consults with both state entities and bidders on Medicaid dental projects, and provides analysis on health policy issues affecting dental coverage to industry associations. She also manages Milliman’s Dental Actuarial Analytics PPO Network Study, a product that uses a vast contributor database of dental claims to provide competitive insights on dental network discounts and utilization to study participants.
Joanne is a Fellow of the Society of Actuaries and holds a bachelor’s degree in mathematics and economics from Cornell University.
Sarah Frederick
Ameritas
Education Commission
The Education Commission is recognizing Sarah for leading efforts to establish a new community service tradition for CONVERGE.
Since joining the Group Division at Ameritas Life Insurance Company in August 2010, Sarah Frederick has cultivated deep expertise in dental and vision benefits. Dedicated solely to the Business Development team throughout her tenure, she currently serves as sales account executive with the Reliance Matrix distribution partnership, providing specialized expertise to sales and service teams across a territory spanning the Northeast, Greater Chicago, and Florida.
Sarah's career progression—from Sales Support to Underwriting to her current role—has given her a holistic understanding of the insurance process, from initial client engagement through implementation and long-term account management. A Fellow of the Life Management Institute (FLMI), she combines advanced technical knowledge with a consultative, relationship-driven approach that consistently earns her recognition in finalist presentations and long-term client partnerships.
Sarah's natural ability to win others over creates immediate rapport with brokers, policyholders, and key stakeholders, while her strong sense of responsibility ensures follow-through on every commitment. A bachelor’s degree in music from the University of Missouri-St. Louis sharpened the communication and creative problem-solving skills she brings to her professional practice.
Beyond her career, Sarah leads with the same passion in her community. She serves as alumnae national officer for Zeta Tau Alpha's District XV Gamma, sits on the board of United Way Women in Philanthropy, and is a dedicated advocate for breast cancer awareness, education, and research following her own 2013 diagnosis. She also serves as deacon of events at her church.
Sarah's leadership philosophy centers on building authentic relationships and creating lasting impacts, whether serving clients, leading organizations, or supporting causes close to her heart.
Allison Jackson
United Concordia Dental
Membership WorkGroup
The Membership WorkGroup applauds Allison for her creativity and preparation regarding the reimagined new member meeting.
Allison B. Jackson is a supervisor within Dental Network Operations at United Concordia Dental, where she has built her career since 2015. With a decade of experience in the dental industry, Allison is an expert in credentialing, provider data management, and workflow optimization. She leads a team that supports provider organizations and dental practices nationwide, focusing on regulatory compliance, provider onboarding, network maintenance, and driving operational efficiencies that enhance the provider experience.
In 2024, Allison furthered her industry involvement through active volunteer service with the National Association of Dental Plans. She currently serves on both the Operations Workgroup and Membership Workgroup, collaborating with industry leaders to share best practices, strengthen member engagement, and support initiatives that advance innovation and operational effectiveness throughout the dental benefits industry.
Beyond her professional responsibilities, Allison is committed to volunteerism and community service, with a particular passion for improving access to oral healthcare. Through opportunities supported by United Concordia, she volunteers with programs such as TeamSmile and Mission of Mercy Pennsylvania (MOM-n-PA), helping connect underserved individuals and families with dental care and oral health resources. Her commitment to service reflects her belief that strong partnerships among dental plans, providers, and community organizations are essential to improving oral health outcomes and expanding access to care.
Dr. Steven Keller
Steven H Keller, DDS & Assoc., P.A.
Education Commission
The Education Commission is honoring Dr. Keller for his leadership and contributions to NADP educational content.
Dr. Steven Keller has been a recognized leader, and one of the pioneers, in the dental insurance industry for over 45 years. He was the founder and president of Consumer Dental Care Co., one of the first dental managed care companies in the Mid-Atlantic area in 1980. After the company's acquisition by DentaQuest in 2001, Steve served as DentaQuest's vice president of business development until 2009, leading all merger and acquisition initiatives. During his tenure, the company grew from 2 million to 14 million members.
After retiring in 2009, Steve grew a bit restless and returned to work in 2013 as an independent dental industry consultant. Since then, he has successfully represented both buyers and sellers of dental insurance companies in merger and acquisition activities. He has used his industry insight and broad network of key insurance executives to assist numerous clients in finding the right audience for their innovative products. In a recent engagement, he led business development and lead generation that helped a client expand access to their product as a member benefit to insured members from 5 million to over 125 million members.
Dr. Keller has been a longtime member and volunteer of NADP since its second year of operation. He has been a recipient of the Gabryl Award, served on the Board of Directors, chaired the Membership Commission, and received four Star awards and a Galaxy Award. He has also moderated approximately 150 NADP webinars over the last 12 years.
Additional Professional associations and positions held:
- NADP Education Commission, 2020-present
- National Museum of Dentistry, Board of Visitors, June 2008 — June 2012
- NADP Membership Retention and Recruitment Task Force Chair, 2004-2009
- NADP Board of Directors, 1997-2001
- NADP Board secretary/treasurer, 2001
- NADP Foundation Board Secretary 1997-2001
- NADP Provider Relations Commission, 1994 —1999
- NADP Provider Practice Capacity Initiative Task Force, 1999 — 2001
- NADP Academy of Managed Care Dentistry, chairman, 1995-1996
Awards:
- 2018 NADP Galaxy Star Award for individuals receiving four or more Star Awards.
- 2014 NADP Star Award
- 2004NADP Star Award
- 2003 NADP Star Award
- 2002 NADP Gabryl Award, the dental benefits industry’s highest honor
Jim Mullen
Delta Dental of CA, NY, PA & Affiliates (retired)
Government Relations Working Group
The Government Relations Working Group recognizes Jim for years of outstanding contributions to NADP advocacy efforts.
Beginning in 2001, James Mullen held many government relations and compliance positions at Delta Dental of California. He served as executive of public and government affairs from 2016-2026. Prior positions include manager, public and government affairs (2011-2016), compliance project manager II (2008-2010) and compliance administrator (2001-2010). Jim has extensive experience working with state and federal government officials, legislators and other stakeholders in advocacy efforts.
Jim holds a bachelor's degree in History from San Francisco State University and multiple industry accreditations including Managed Healthcare Professional (MHP) and Chartered Property Casualty Underwriter (CPCU).
Gary Pickard
PDS Health
Government Relations Working Group
The Government Relations Working Group recognizes Gary for his numerous contributions regarding advocacy issues.
For more than two decades he has been connecting people and ideas, dedicating his life to advocating for the dental industry and elevating the profession.
Gary currently serves as PDS Health’s senior director of government and industry affairs. He is a proud veteran of the United States Navy. He earned a bachelor’s degree in organizational leadership from Azusa Pacific University. He also serves as an advisory board member for the PDS Foundation, a foundation dedicated to creating opportunities to serve through improving oral healthcare locally, nationally and internationally.
He has been an NADP member since 2004, annual participant in Advocacy in Action, and a longtime Government Relations Workgroup member.
Don Polite
SKYGEN USA
Membership WorkGroup
The Membership WorkGroup commends Don Polite for leadership and guidance on workgroup initiatives as he prepares for the 2027 vice chair role.
Don Polite serves as chief marketing officer at SKYGEN. He joined the company in 2019 as vice president of customer success and has played a key role in advancing the company's market presence and customer experience.
Prior to SKYGEN, Don was vice president of brand and corporate marketing at Johnson Controls. His career also includes senior marketing leadership roles with Warner Bros. Discovery, NBC Universal, Abbott, and The Walt Disney Company, where he built expertise in brand strategy, customer engagement, and business growth across healthcare, media, entertainment, and technology sectors.
Don has served on NADP’s Membership Volunteer Workgroup since 2022. He has also served on the Communications Workgroup since 2023.
A passionate community advocate, Don serves as board president of the Silver Spring Neighborhood Center, supporting Milwaukee's northwest communities. He also serves on the board of directors for Susan G. Komen's Chicago Chapter and the Chicago-based Juice Hoops Foundation, which empowers underserved neurodiverse youth through basketball and community engagement.
Kim Sheldrake
UnitedHealthcare
Government Relations, Operations and Education
NADP is celebrating Kim for decades of dedicated service to NADP on multiple groups, including Government Relations, Operations and Education.
Kim joined UnitedHealthcare in April of 2007. She has dedicated over 40 years of her career to the Health Care Industry. Her experience is in management, provider recruitment, product development, marketing, and regulatory compliance. She’s had the opportunity to work with some of the Industry’s leading National Health Care Companies, which offer Indemnity, PPO, HMO, and Hybrid products, and has assisted in developing dental, vision, chiropractic, and medical networks nationally. Kim is also a licensed Registered Dental Assistant, which has given her clinical experience and practice management experience. As a Registered Dental Assistant, Kim has worked with General and Specialty practices in California. Her responsibilities were not only clinical but also encompassed the day-to-day operations of running a dental practice.
Megan Young
United Concordia Dental
Research Commission
The Research Commission commends Megan for consistent and thorough contributions to the Industry Research Reports and willingness to volunteer for special projects.
Megan Young is a market insights consultant at United Concordia Dental. She joined the company in May 2022 after completing her master’s degree and began serving on NADP’s Research Commission shortly after. She has immersed herself in the dental industry, consistently applying her expertise to translate complex information into clear, actionable insights that inform leaders and advance key company initiatives. Megan plays an important role in strategic planning, leveraging her skills in market analysis, competitive profiling, and industry trends to navigate the evolving dental landscape. She is a dedicated team player who continually seeks opportunities to learn, build meaningful relationships, and support collective success.
Megan holds a bachelor’s degree in business and competitive intelligence and a master’s degree in data science, both from Mercyhurst University. In addition to NADP, Megan is also a member of WinDSO.