Meet Your GADHA Board of Directors
President
Meaghann Bradley is a dedicated Registered Dental Hygienist and passionate advocate for advancing the dental hygiene profession across Texas. Her career path reflects her strong commitment to growth and service. Before entering dental hygiene, Meaghann spent 20 years as a consultant in the Oil & Gas industry, specializing in pre-production. This experience built her skills in leadership, problem-solving, and collaboration—strengths she now applies to her work in oral health. Dental hygiene is her second career, and one she embraces wholeheartedly.
She earned her Associate of Applied Science in Dental Hygiene from Concorde Career College, where she served as Class President, contributed over 60 hours of community service, and received the Clinic Star Award. Meaghann is currently pursuing her Bachelor of Science in Dental Hygiene at Texas Woman’s University, with an expected graduation in 2026.
Her involvement in professional associations is extensive. She has served as Secretary of the Dallas Dental Hygienists’ Association and as Community Outreach Chair, Legislative Action Committee member, and Policy & Bylaws Committee member for the Greater Austin Dental Hygienists’ Association. At the state level, she is the current Ways & Means Committee Chair, Corporate Relations Co-Chair and an active member of the Governmental Affairs and Annual Conference Committees for the Texas Dental Hygienists’ Association. She has also represented Texas hygienists as a TDHA Delegate to the American Dental Hygienists’ Association for 2025-2026.
Beyond her professional work, Meaghann is a devoted wife, proud bonus mother of two amazing children, and loving dog mom. A creative at heart, she enjoys crafting, volunteering in her community, and making lasting memories with her family, nieces, and nephews.
Meaghann is deeply committed to supporting and representing dental hygienists across Texas. Through her leadership and advocacy, she strives to strengthen TDHA, empower colleagues, and advance the profession she is proud to call her own.
Vice President / CE Chair – Vacant
Email: greateraustindha@gmail.com
Immediate Past President
Brittany Cox is a dedicated dental hygienist with a passion for promoting oral health and making a difference in her community. In 2015, she graduated with her Associates of Applied Science in Dental Hygiene, laying the foundation for her career in dental care. Recognizing the importance of continuous education, she pursued further studies and obtained her Bachelor of Science in Oral Health Promotion from O’Hehir University in 2020.
Driven by her commitment to professional growth and excellence, she is currently pursuing a Master’s degree in Oral Health Promotion with O’Hehir University. This program allows her to deepen her knowledge and expand her skill set, enabling her to provide even greater value to her community and colleagues.
By joining forces with the Greater Austin Dental Hygiene Association and other dental professionals, she believes they can have a stronger impact on their communities. Together, they can work towards raising oral health awareness, advocating for optimal patient care and access to services, and influencing healthcare policies that benefit both their profession and the general public.
Through their collective efforts, they have the ability to effect positive change and create a more vibrant dental hygiene community. With her unwavering enthusiasm and dedication, she aims to play an instrumental role in improving oral health outcomes, enhancing professional standards, and fostering a collaborative environment where their profession can thrive.
She is excited about the opportunities ahead and looks forward to making a lasting impact on the oral health landscape, one smile at a time.
Trustee
Reena Patel holds a Bachelor’s in Science from The University of South Carolina in addition to an Associate of Applied Science in Dental Hygiene. Since moving to Austin, she has served on the board as secretary, delegate, and alternate trustee. She is excited to continue her role as trustee and to serve as a liaison between her local and state components. In addition to serving as trustee, Reena is also an active member of the budget and finance committee along with the Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Access (IDEA) committee. She is proud to be a member of ADHA and hopes to provide awareness on the importance of being involved with your professional organization, whether that be in the local, state, or national level. Reena is passionate about community outreach, volunteerism, and mentorship. In her free time, she enjoys reading, traveling, caring for her plants, and being outdoors.
Email: tdha.greateraustintrustee@gmail.com
Treasurer
Erica Bell graduated with an Associates of Applied Science in Dental Hygiene from Austin Community College in 2023. She is passionate about volunteer and community work as well as advocating for dental hygienists in Texas. During her time in hygiene school, she participated in the student chapter level of the ADHA, and is excited to begin participating at the local level. This will be her third year on the GADHA board, and has been applying herself in learning many new roles. In her free time, Erica enjoys reading and book club, meal prepping, playing games, and doing crafts!
Secretary
Kathy Trilli
In 1973 I graduated from Sheridan College (Wyoming) with an Associate of Science degree. As secretary and delegate of our student organization, I attended my first ADHA Annual Session in San Francisco, and I’ve been “hooked” as a member for the past 52 years! Following our wedding, my
husband Vic and I moved to Texas to Wichita Falls where he played basketball at Midwestern State and I began my dental hygiene career with periodontist, Dr. John Nabers (Nabers Probe). I served in the Wichita Falls component starting as Secretary, the same office where I am serving today, for GADHA. I completed my Bachelor of Science degree in 1981 so that I could teach dental hygiene. I served as a delegate to TDHA for 8 years and as President of the Wichita Falls Dental Hygienists Association. Our next move was to East Texas for another eight years and I became President of the East Texas Dental Hygiene Society and President of TDHA in 1984. We moved to Austin in 1989 and loved being “Longhorns”. Root planing and adding two rdh’s to the dental board were our legislative goals at the time. Our next move for five years was to North Texas (UNT Mean Green) where we formed a new dental hygiene component. Hygienists in Denton did not wish to drive to Dallas for meetings, so a new component formed, and I enjoyed a short teaching assignment at TWU before our next move to West Kansas. Garden City did not have a dental hygiene program or component, so I became a member of the Wichita Dental Hygienists Component, almost 4 hours east. Seven years later we moved to Wichita where I completed my Master of Science degree and finished my last seven years prior to retirement at Wichita State University. Prior to retirement I served as President of Wichita DHA and Kansas DHA in 2017. Our four children are living all along 1 35, so we are somewhat centered here in the beautiful Hill Country at Horseshoe Bay. We are still a basketball family.
Components: Wichita Falls, East Texas, Austin, North Texas, Wichita (Kansas)
Constituents: Wyoming, Kansas, Texas (current)ADHA: Attended over 25 Annual Sessions as a student, delegate, alternate educator, facilitator, poster presenter, Community Health grant recipient
Current: GADHA Secretary and Delegate, member of TDHA
Governmental Affairs, Bylaws, Membership
Membership
My name is Karen Tuel. I was born in Washington, DC and grew up in Maryland. I earned an Associate in Arts Degree from Montgomery College in 1968. In the Fall of 1968 I applied and was accepted to Howard University’s Dental Hygiene Program (within the College of Dentistry) in Washington, DC. I was on the Dean’s Honor Roll my second semester. I was elected to Membership in Sigma Phi Alpha, the Dental Hygiene Honor Soriety, in February of 1970. I graduated with a Certificate in Dental Hygiene in June of 1970. I moved to Austin in September of 1973 and obtained my Texas Dental Hygiene License in 1974. I became a member of our professional association in 1990. I practiced in general and pediatric private offices. I was employed for 10 years with the City of Austin Dental Program for Medical Assistance Patients. In that time Doug and I married & had a son, born in 1983. I “retired” for2 years to tend to my
family. My next employment was with a private general practice which lasted 27 years until I retired in August of 2015. I have made many friends over the years as a member of ADHA, TDHA, and GADHA. Being a member has given me many volunteer opportunities to give back to the Austin community. I participated in several “Seal Out Decay the Austin Way” programs, Health Fairs, oral health presentations at elementary schools, an oral health presentation at Seton Hospital to members of the local Parkinson’s Association, and AISD’s Back to School Bash. I served as a Delegate for many years at the TDHA Annual Sessions. I also donated blood regularly over the years. I am proud of my 20 gallon blood donation plaque. At the component level I have served as President for 2 consecutive years, Secretary, and Treasurer a couple of times, as well as Membership Chair. In 2004 Esther Wilkins came to Austin for a continuing education seminar and I volunteered to pick her
up at the airport. I had my Clinical Practice of the Dental Hygienist textbook in the car and she immediately recognized it and said, “Oh, I see you have the Second Edition!”, knowing the color of each of her twelve editions. She was an energetic 88 year old that year. She autographed my textbook, thanking me for my kind hospitality. Her penmanship was meticulous! I participated for several years in TDHA’s “Legislative Awareness Day” at the Capitol. I testified a few years ago at the Sunset hearing for TSBDE.
My husband and I are currently living in Round Mountain. Come November it will be 4 years since we moved from Austin. We are close to 3 state parks- Pedernales, Blanco, and Inks. We love camping in our trailer, getting out in nature, watching the birds and hiking.
Legislative Committee Chair
Sandy Tesch grew up in upstate New York and attended dental hygiene school at Broome Community College in Binghamton, New York. After working for a few years as a clinical hygienist, she returned to school full-time to earn a Bachelor of Science degree in school health education. Upon completion of her BSE degree, she was tired of the cold winters in NY and decided to move to Texas to further her professional career.
Sandy worked as a dental hygiene clinician for several general practices while completing her Master of Science in Health Professions (Health Education/Health Administration) at Southwest Texas State University. She has been a registered dental hygienist for over 45 years.
Sandy currently serves as TDHA’s Legislative Director and chair of the Governmental Affairs Council. She is a past president of both the Austin and TDHA. On the national level, she served as ADHA Vice President and District IX Director.
Sandy has recently retired from the Department of State Health Services (DSHS) after 31 years as a state employee within the Oral Health Improvement Program (OHIP) for the office of the Public Health State Dental Director. Her specialty includes dental public health, education, and administration.
She serves nationally as a sealant consultant for the Association of State and Territorial Dental Directors (ASTDD). Sandy has served in many, many leadership roles on the TDHA Board of Directors over the past 20 years.
She and her son Tyler live in Austin and spend their free time traveling, gardening, TNR rescues, and eating out. Right now, her primary focus is enjoying retirement!
Bylaws/Policy and Procedures Committee Chair
Nancy Cline, MPH, RDH
I am a retired dental hygiene educator who moved to Texas 25 years ago. I graduated
from the University of California, San Francisco Medical Center School of Dentistry and
received a Master’s Degree in Public Health from the University of California. I was the
Dental Hygiene Program Director at the Louisiana State University School of Dentistry
for 10 years before I retired.
I am an active member of GADHA because the importance of belonging to my
professional association was something that my faculty instilled in me when I was a
student. There was no question. You joined and you contributed. As an educator, I
also required it of my faculty and students.
Membership in ADHA not only makes the dental hygiene profession stronger on a
personal level, it gives you a “home” and a network of friends where ever you move. I
have had “homes” in California, Puerto Rico, Georgia, Louisiana and now Texas. The
dental hygiene friendships I have developed will last a lifetime.
Dental hygiene and libraries are dear to my heart. In addition to my volunteer work for
GADHA, I work one day a week at the Blanco Library, and I am on its Board of
Trustees. My husband and I recently built a house outside Blanco and are enjoying
retirement in the Texas Hill Country.
GADHA 