Board of Directors

Howard. I. Mark, DMD
COHI Board President
Clinical Professor of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery
University of Connecticut

Dr. Howard I. Mark, an oral and maxillofacial surgeon, teaches at the University of Connecticut School of Dental Medicine and is the Chairman of the Mentorship Program at the School. A member of the American Dental Association (ADA) and the Connecticut State Dental Association (CSDA), he is Editor Emeritus and served as CSDA Editor for fifteen years. Dr. Mark’s leadership in organizing COHI resulted in Connecticut’s first Early Childhood Caries Symposium. He has been active in the Tobacco Cessation Program and a pioneer in promoting the use of mouth guards. Dr. Mark has received the Distinguished Editor Service Award from the ADA. He served as an International Trustee of the Pierre Fauchard Academy and is a former Vice President of the Academy.

Robert D. Batch
Certified Public Accountant

Robert Batch is a certified public accountant and a retired partner with PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP. He received a Bachelor’s Degree in accounting from Fairfield University, a law degree from Fordham University in 1970, and a Master’s Degree in taxation law from New York University in 1973. Robert has been active with Literacy Volunteers of Greater Connecticut, Community Accounting Aid and Services, and Community Health Charities of Connecticut.

Jamey Bell, Attorney
Greater Hartford Legal Assistance (GHLA)

Jamey Bell has been a staff attorney at Greater Hartford Legal Aid since 1982, concentrating on legal issues affecting the well-being of low-income families, including health care access, education and protection from abuse and neglect. She is currently lead counsel in litigation efforts to bring Connecticut’s Medicaid dental program into compliance with state and federal Medicaid laws including the Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnostic and Treatment services provisions. Ms. Bell received a B.A. from the University of Michigan and a J.D. from Northeastern University.

Grace Damio, BS, MS
Director, Maternal & Child Health and Nutrition Services
Hispanic Health Council

Grace Damio has worked at the Hispanic Health Council since 1986.  During the last 17 years, she has developed and administered service, advocacy and research initiatives in the areas of: maternal and child health, nutrition, breastfeeding, hunger and food security, breast cancer and reproductive health and oral health.  She has also written culturally tailored curricula and training manuals, and provided training on diversity skill development at a wide variety of universities, conferences and worksites.  Prior to her work at the Hispanic Health Council, she consulted for a nutrition development program in Nicaragua, and did clinical and community nutrition work in Hartford and Harlem. Ms. Damio currently serves on a wide variety of local and statewide boards and committees related to maternal, child health, and nutrition issues.

Michael S. Goodman, DDS
Pediatric Dentist in Private Practice

Dr. Michael S. Goodman is private pediatric dentist in Newington, Connecticut and a Medicaid provider. He is Board Certified by the American Board of Pediatric Dentistry. He has been in practice since 1970. He has testified numerous times before state legislative committees in support of more and better dental coverage for the state’s underserved populations. Dr. Goodman is a member of the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry and the Connecticut Society of Pediatric Dentistry. He is an Assistant. Clinical Professor at the University of the Connecticut School of Dental Medicine, Department of Pediatric Dentistry, and a member of the medical staff of the Connecticut Children’s Medical Center.

Robin Knowles, RDH
Tunxis Community College

Robin Knowles is a full time instructor in the Department of Allied Health’s Dental Hygiene Program at Tunxis Community College in Farmington, Connecticut. She received bachelor and associate degrees from the University of Bridgeport and a Master of Public Health degree from the University of Connecticut. Ms. Knowles is a member of the New Britain Oral Health Collaborative; the Hartford/East Hartford Oral Health Collaborative; the Healthy Child Care Connecticut Core Committee; the New Britain Head Start Health Advisory Board; the American Dental Hygienists Association; the Connecticut Dental Hygienists Association; the Hartford Dental Hygienists Association; and Sigma Phi Alpha.

Hampton (Hank) G. Lewis
American Express Financial Advisors

Hank Lewis is a Financial Advisor with American Express. Prior to this position, Hank served for seven years as a Financial Advisor with Merrill Lynch Private Client Group in Hartford, planning and implementing investment solutions for businesses and high net worth clients. He also has four years of territory sales experience with a major coffee company and fifteen years of experience as an automotive professional in retail sales, finance and insurance management, and district management for General Motors. Hank has a bachelor’s degree in Communication Arts and Sciences from Michigan State University. His wife is a dentist.

John J. Shaw, DMD
Senior Project Manager
Capitol Region Metropolitan Medical Response System

Dr. John J. Shaw practiced dentistry for 27 years in the Hartford area, focusing on the treatment of medically compromised patients in a hospital setting. Following his 1997 retirement, Dr. Shaw began a career in public health with the Hartford Health Department pursuing special projects, including the development of a smallpox response plan. Following the tragedy of September 11, 2001, Dr. Shaw was asked to direct the development of the Capitol Region Metropolitan Medical Response System that is responsible for bioterrorism response planning for north central Connecticut. Dr. Shaw is also a member of the Board of Directors of Connecticut Voices For Children and of United Way of Connecticut. He is a graduate of Fairfield University and of the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey.

Margaret Ann Smith, DMD
Dental Director, Generations Family Health Center

Margaret Ann Smith has served as Dental Director of Generations, a Community Heath Center (CHC) in Willimantic, since 2001 and as a solo private dental practitioner for twenty years. She has maintained a continuing relationship with private practitioners through the volunteer program at her CHC and through her involvement with the Connecticut State Dental Association. Margaret is a member of the advisory board of Tunxis Community College Allied Health Program and of the Board of Directors of the New England Rural Health RoundTable. She received her Doctor of Dental Medicine degree from the University of Connecticut in 1978 and has been honored with the Pierre Fauchard Award, the American Student Dental Association Award, and the American Society of Dentistry for Children Award.

Alison Sommers
Managing Director of the Drake Group

Alison Sommers has a broad corporate background holding senior financial and general management positions, such as Chief Financial Officer, Vice President of Operations and Chief Operating Officer, at companies including The Travelers, Baxter, Citicorp and Pitney Bowes. Her corporate background is complemented by extensive entrepreneurial experiences in her years as President and Chief Executive Officer of Carveth Porter Associates, a full-service business consulting firm specializing in acquisitions, joint ventures and turnarounds. Alison has a bachelor’s degree in Political Science and Economics from The University of Connecticut, graduating Summa Cum Laude and Phi Beta Kappa. She has a Masters in Business Administration from New York University with a concentration in Finance, graduating with distinction. Alison is currently finishing her first book, a collection of humorous stories from both her personal and professional life.