Jessica Pennay, President

ADOHTA VIC/TAS

Jessica is an Oral Health Therapist with Adult scope, having graduated from the University of Newcastle in 2015 with a Bachelor of Oral Health and a Bachelor of Oral Health Therapy with extended adult scope in 2017. She currently works in public dental at Oral Health Services Tasmania (OHST) in Hobart and has mentored OHT students and supported new graduates and fellow team members. Jessica's very passionate about community-based prevention and making a positive impact in her patients' lives, which led her to postgraduate study completing a Master of Public Health in 2022. She's previously held the role of Director of Governance with ADOHTA and remains dedicated to upholding high-level corporate governance standards through her membership with the Australian Institute of Company Directors (AICD). She's also a current VIC-TAS Branch Officer and represents ADOHTA through the EAG (Provider Number Expert Advisory Group) and NOHA (National Oral Health Alliance).

Tylen Burt, Vice President & Finance Director

ADOHTA QLD

Tylen has been an ADOHTA member for 9 years, a QLD Branch member since 2017 and the former Director of Advocacy for 3 years including writing submissions, attending meetings and liasing with Directors, staff and stakeholders to further the Association and profession. He feels fortunate to be part of such a dedicated team of Board Directors, Company Secretary, Branch Chairs and Branch Officers and has the ongoing goal to achieve ADOHTA's mission and adhere to its objectives. To have seen and been part of the huge milestones achieved for the Oral Health profession through the hard work and determination of the Assocation's leadership, staff and membership has been Tylen's honour. Through his involvement with ADOHTA, Tylen continues to learn from those who are experts in their fields, and it's this continued experience and mentorship (both from within the Association and beyond) that's developed his own leadership qualities. 

Timothy Budden, Advocacy Director

ADOHTA SA/NT

Timothy is an Oral Health Therapist (Extended Scope) with 8 years of clinical experience in the public sector, having worked in prisons, hospitals and community clinics including four years in management positions. He's also tutored BOH and BDS students through the University of Adelaide, recently completed a Master in Public Health and currently enrolled in a Master of Health Administration. Tim made the transition from clinical oral health provision to policy in November 2020 by working as the Manager of COVID-19 Contact Tracing and Outbreak teams in SA before moving onto COVID-19 vaccination policy in 2021. Tim currently works as Manager of Strategic Policy in the SA Department for Health and Wellbeing, involved in health system policy and funding issues, as well as locum tutoring and clinical work to keep his clinical skills current.

He's been part of the ADOHTA SA-NT Branch as the Advocacy Officer for two years, initially joining due to representing ADOHTA on the SA Oral Health Planning Monitoring Group. Tim was involved in working on the response to the Senate Select Committee into the Provision of and Access to Dental Services bringing both clinical and policy experience, an understanding of how both areas intersect and how to navigate political issues. He's passionate about advocating for the oral health profession and willing to contribute to the Board in whatever way he can.

Robyn Riley, CPD & Oral Health Promotions Director

ADOHTA WA

Robyn is a dual qualified Dental Therapist/Dental Hygienist, graduating in 1991 from Curtin University, WA. She's worked in both the public and private sectors in general practice and for the past 12 years at a specialist paediatric practice. Robyn's also currently a sessional educator with the OHT students at Curtin University. Since graduating, she's been a member of DTHA WA then ADOHTA and has held executive positions for many of those years on the branch committee as president, treasurer and state representative on the National Board. For the past 2 years Robyn was the ADOHTA Director of CPD.

Sedibelo Lebotse, Governance Director

ADOHTA VIC/TAS

Sedibelo's clinical experience in both public and private healthcare spans 14 years having always had an interest in Australian health care as a whole, which led to pursuing postgraduate studies. Sedibelo's a Certified Health Manager through the Australasian College of Health Service Management and striving for continuous education led to sharpening his skills with the Australian Institute of Company Directors (AICD). Having taken multitudes of courses through the AICD covering governance, ethics, risk management and more, Sedibelo brings experience as a company director and chair from 2020 until 2022. Sedibelo's skillset and continuous education will be of great value to ADOHTA as it grows further as part of the leading Australian oral health care advocates.

Judith Ottaway, Media & Communications Director

ADOHTA WA

Judith is a dual trained Dental Therapist and Hygienist who graduated from Curtin University. A long time member of her professional association having served on committees since 1991, Judith is an ADOHTA honorary Life Member and recipient of the inaugural ADOHTA 2019 Leader & Advocate of the Year Award. Prior to joining the ADOHTA Board, Judith was the WA Branch Chair bringing leadership, governance and operational organisational skills to the Branch and offers her extensive experience, diplomacy and rigour to the Association.

Ebony Woods, Membership & Sponsorship Director

ADOHTA SA/NT

Ebony graduated with a Bachelor of Oral Health from the University of Adelaide in 2018, followed by the completion of a Graduate Certificate in Oral Health Science in 2019 and is undertaking a Graduate Certificate in Public Health at Griffith University. She's been a Branch Officer since 2017 which has included being responsible for newsletter articles, coordinating CPD events and representing the Northern Territory. Since 2021 Ebony's been the Director of Oral Health Promotions with ADOHTA and has networked with people from various backgrounds, while being a supporter and guide to the SA-NT Branch. Having worked in private practice in both South Australia and the Northern Territory, Ebony's currently on a break travelling the UK and Europe with hopes to gain further skills to continue contributing to health promotion within ADOHTA and practice abroad in the future.

Jane Whitaker, Research & Education Director

ADOHTA NSW/ACT

Jane is an Oral Health Therapist who graduated from the University of Newcastle Bachelor of Oral Health with distinction in 2011 and then completed her Graduate Diploma of Dental Therapy the following year. Working the majority of her career in public health has led Jane back to rural NSW in Tamworth where she works as a Clinical Lead for Hunter New England Local Health District. Jane grew up in the small rural town of Gunnedah in NSW and is passionate about rural public health.

Jane holds a conjoint lecturer appointment with the University of Newcastle and has been a Clinical Educator for the past 9 years and sits on several advisory committees for research and oral health therapy courses. Through the role of Director of Research and Education, Jane wishes to continue to strengthen and grow our profession.