Our Story

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"Good dental health is important to overall health. The clinic changes the lives of people who don't have the means to get good dental care."

Patricia Barris is the Manager, Workforce Solutions Group DTS East at Dell Technology. A leader in the technology industry she has also worked for Unisys as Portfolio Sales Executive. A former college track runner, she enjoys outdoor activities and feels blessed to live in a 

historic house in Belleair.

“I am honored to serve on the board of the Community Dental Clinic. Since 2013, the clinic has been providing a crucial service 

to the community.”

Lindsey Crown Hardee is the managing partner of Crown & Company, CPAs. With close to 20 years of public accounting experience, she has become a trusted consultant to closely held and family-owned businesses, as well as high-net-worth individuals and families in the Tampa Bay area.  She is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and the Florida Institute of Certified Public Accountants. She serves her community as a board member for the Morton Plant Mease Foundation. Lindsey enjoys spending time with her husband and two children.

 "It is a tremendous privilege to support the great work of the Community Dental Clinic."

“The meaning of life is to find your gift. The purpose of life is to give it away." Pablo Picasso 

Aurilla (Dee Dee) Fusco has over twenty-five years of experience in leadership, mentoring, development, and business management. She is an entrepreneur and brings the associated levels of creativity and enthusiasm to both professional and community service endeavors.

A Washington, DC native who has lived and worked all over the world, Ms. Fusco is a graduate of the University of Maryland. She also earned her master’s in public administration from Troy University while living in Germany and ultimately completed her Executive Juris Doctor with Concord School of Law/Purdue Global.

Dee Dee currently lives and works in Portland, ME as the Director of Major and Planned Gifts for the University of Southern Maine. Additionally, she serves on the Senator's Circle for the Mitchell Institute, is a member of the Association of Junior Leagues,  a Daughter of the American Revolution, Rotary, and the National Conference of State Societies. 
 

"The Community Dental Clinic affords me the opportunity to give back to the community, with my many years of experience owning my own business.

There is no greater joy, than to help others in need."

For over 35 years, Lela Kelly and her family, owned Dosatron International Inc., here in Clearwater, Florida.   Her company became the largest distributor of Dosatron water-driven pumps worldwide. The company was sold to a Fortune 500 company in 2022.  Lela credits 

the successful negotiation with the buyer, to her successful completion of the OPM Executive Education program at the Harvard Business School, of which she is an alumni.

Lela's love for Horticulture and Agriculture is what helped to make their company successful.

"Serving patients at the clinic who can't get dental services anywhere else is my way of giving back.  Easing their pain and receiving their heartfelt thanks is very rewarding. It is truly an honor to be part of this organization."

Dr. George Kostakis has been practicing dentistry in Palm Harbor for the past 33 years. His private practice, George Kostakis P.A., specializes in crowns and bridges. He volunteers at the Community Dental Clinic almost every month and regularly participates in the Florida Dental Association's Mission of Mercy. Dr. Kostakis enjoys fishing, playing the accordion (since age 6), and playing pinball on his full-size virtual pinball machine. He also enjoys spending time with his wife and 3 sons.

“I am proud to serve with the great staff and volunteers of the Community Dental Clinic.  Dental health is the foundation of our overall health and wellbeing.”

Brad Meinck is the founder of Asset and Key, a full-service Real Estate Brokerage and Property Management Company.  Prior to venturing into Real Estate, Brad held various management positions in the private practice multi-specialty medical space.  He currently serves as the Chairman of the Board for the Saint Paul’s Independent School.  Past non-profit Board service included the Morton Plant/ Mease Foundation Board of Directors.  In 2023 Brad and his wife Dr. Lee Ann Brown served as Honorary Chairs of the dental clinic’s Red’s Whites and Bites annual fundraiser. 

"Proper dental hygiene is essential for good health and self-esteem. I am fortunate to be part of an organization that provides this for our community."

Jim Roble is a Certified Financial Planner™ for Raymond James & Associates serving as a financial advisor for families since 1984. Over the years he has been a baseball coach at many levels, a delivery driver for Meals on Wheels, and a mentor for the Take Stock in Children program at Clearwater High School. Having relocated to the Maryland area with his wife Mary and dog Roger, they are able to spend more time with their 3 adult sons while still being an ardent supporter of the Tampa Bay Lightning.

 “Caring for our neighbors is the very thread that weaves a true community fabric. It is an honor to partner with the CDC team to deliver care that truly improves the quality of life for those around us.” 

 Shannon Smith’s career includes serving NYSE-listed and private companies in roles ranging from Independent Director, Chief Executive Officer, Chief Operating Officer and Chief Financial Officer.  He has executed strategies through various corporate forms including: a real estate investment trust (“REIT”), employee-owned corporation (“ESOP”) and private equity funds in addition to traditional corporate entities and partnerships.  Shannon most enjoys family time with his wife, Donna, immersed in experiences with five wonderful grandchildren and their parents.  

"The dental clinic makes a tangible difference in people’s lives. I’m humbled to play a part in making that difference. When patients leave looking and feeling better, I’m rewarded."

Dr. Dilshad Sumar-Lakhani is a Pediatric Dentist who ran her private practice in Pennsylvania for 40 years. She teaches at Kornberg School of Dentistry at Temple University and treats patients at the Clearwater Community Dental Clinic. In her free time, she consults for international dental clinics and lectures at international Universities. In addition, she has helped establish various dental clinics in Nepal and Cambodia through the Sumar-Lakhani Foundation. Her interests include playing tennis, listening to Indian music, and having a sweet cup of tea. 

I believe the Community Dental Clinic is a blessing for the working poor, veterans, and seniors in Pinellas County. It’s a privilege to be a part of this dynamic organization." 

Linda Turley is a consummate healthcare professional who has spent her career in healthcare sales, marketing, and management. She currently serves on the spirituality and healing committee and women in philanthropy at the Morton Plant Mease Foundation. She and her late husband, Stewart, founded the Turley Family Health Center.