Executive Leadership Team

Matthew Wickesberg joined InterDent as EVP/CFO in 2016, assumed Co-Leadership as Executive Vice Chairman two years later, and was further elevated to Co-Chief Executive Officer in 2019 and Chief Executive Officer in 2023. Mr. Wickesberg is an experienced board member, executive officer, and leader with a deep background in multi-site hospitality and healthcare industries. He has dedicated his career to business transformations, oftentimes working with lending institutions and private equity firms to ensure strategic investments are optimized. Prior to joining InterDent, Mr. Wickesberg served in various senior finance roles with HOA Restaurant Group, Z’Tejas, Inc., and GE Capital. Mr. Wickesberg received his Bachelor of Science in Finance from Oklahoma State University and his MBA from Thunderbird School of Global Management.

Dr. Heather Hawkins has committed her career to patient care while understanding current healthcare trends and value-based comprehensive care.  Dr. Hawkins has an expansive clinical, academic and operational background, including leading medical-dental integration as well as quality and risk management for multi-site healthcare organizations.  After 12 years of practicing general dentistry, she expanded her skills with several key roles in academia.  In 2012 she joined the team at Adventist Health in Northern California, a multi-site health care organization with over 5,000 medical and dental staff physicians, as the Director of Quality.  In her leadership role there, Dr. Hawkins led expansion and integration across the health system with medical and dental clinic management and an emphasis on comprehensive care models addressing patient risk factors, active disease and preventative measures.  Dr. Hawkins earned her Doctor of Medicine in Dentistry (DMD) from Nova Southeastern University in Florida and her Advanced Education in General Dentistry Certification from Virginia Commonwealth University.

Dr. Manu Chaudhry has dedicated his career in the pursuit of dental health care, improving clinical quality and access to care, and transforming delivery of care to improve overall health outcomes. He is a dynamic and mission-driven leader with extensive leadership experience over multi-region dental practices, and has also founded multiple collaborative organizations that reduce oral and overall health disparities. Dr. Chaudhry is a board member of Healthier Kids Foundation and holds a Masters of Science in Biomedical Engineering from the University of California, San Diego and earned his Doctor of Dental Surgery from University of the Pacific.

Sandra Lau is a seasoned legal adviser with over fourteen years’ experience acting as General Counsel of multiple dental healthcare corporations. Ms. Lau’s responsibilities include advising executive management, supporting strategic growth initiatives, overseeing all aspects of the corporate legal function including HIPAA, state and federal regulatory compliance, corporate transactions and governance, mergers and acquisitions, and risk and litigation management. Before Joining InterDent, Ms. Lau served as General Counsel at Western Dental. Ms. Lau holds a Bachelor of Arts from the University of California, Los Angeles and a Juris Doctor from Loyola Marymount University.

Darrin Kellaris is a senior marketing executive with over 20 years’ experience specializing in digital marketing, social media, and brand strategy. Mr. Kellaris offers a record of success in creating and driving marketing strategies that strengthen revenue, margins, and market share by elevating brand authenticity and relevance. At InterDent, he leads all aspects of marketing including digital and social media, brand positioning, and performance analytics. Prior to joining InterDent, he led marketing efforts at The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf and IHOP. Mr. Kellaris holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with an emphasis in Marketing from San Diego State University.

Pete Raustein has had a distinguished career across several Fortune 500 companies including 15+ years dedicated to information technology in the healthcare industry. Prior to joining InterDent, Mr. Raustein served as Head of Information Technology for a clinical-stage pharmaceutical business focused on neurological diseases. He has held various executive leadership positions with Genoa Healthcare, Kaiser Permanente, and Seattle Children’s hospital. Mr. Raustein holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Lewis & Clark College and a Masters of Business Administration from George Fox University.

Mark Shortt brings over 25 years’ experience leading HR teams specializing in large scale international growth, building a culture of excellence driven through team member engagement, best in class talent acquisition and retention driven by comprehensive training and total rewards. Prior to joining InterDent, Mr. Shortt served as Chief People Officer at Belkin International where he built a culture of true ownership with a strong drive for results and continuous improvement across the organization. He has also held executive leadership roles at Boyd Corporation, Hewlett Packard, Kraft Foods, and Raytheon Technologies. Mark holds a Bachelor of Science in Finance and a Master’s of Science in Organization Development from Georgia State University.

Vikash Jhunjhunwala brings over 20 years of experience in strategic planning, forecasting, due diligence, M&A integration, and building best-in-class finance and accounting teams. Prior to joining InterDent, Mr. Jhunjhunwala served as SVP Finance for a national DSO as well as served in leadership positions at Aramark Corporation and Republic Services, Inc. Vikash earned a bachelor’s degree in Accounting from Calcutta University, India, and a Master of Business Administration from UCLA Anderson School of Management.