Our Board of Directors

Michael Whang, DDS
President

A native Angeleno, Dr. Whang, a 3rd generation USC DDS and UCLA trained Periodontist, devotes his time volunteering at SFVDS, treating patients in various practices, and training residents at UCLA. When not doting on his wife and three daughters, he enjoys channeling his inner oenophile, perfecting his skills on the BGE, or striving to avoid buzzards, three/four-jacks and the dreaded snowman while playing a round.

Chi Leung, DDS
Immediate Past President

Dr. Chi Leung graduated from USC with an undergraduate degree in Biomedical engineering, and then graduated from USC dental school in 1996.  Dr. Leung is a member of the Pinhole Academy faculty staff.  She is currently President, Southern California Academy of General Dentistry, and immediate past president of the San Fernando Valley Dental Society.  She has a dental Practice in Glendale and has been a General dentist since 1996.  Dr. Leung is Married with 2 wonderful sons, and enjoys dancing, cooking, sculpture making, and traveling.

Philomena Oboh, DDS
President-Elect

Dr. Philomena Oboh became an active member of the San Fernando Valley Dental Society in 2016. Among many other positions that she has held was Chair of the Council on Dental Health for her first two years on the board. She has been in Private practice since 1996. She has also worked in public and cooperate dentistry. She is currently the President Elect of the San Fernando Valley Dental Society. 

Emad Bassali, DDS
Treasurer 

Dr. Emad Bassali is an Adjunct Assistant Professor of Clinical Dentistry, Herman Ostrow Schools of Dentistry at USC. His Practice is limited to Endodontics in Sherman Oaks, CA. 

Irubiel Barbosa, DDS
Secretary 
Council on Dental Health

Dr. Barbosa graduated from the National University of Mexico and received a scholarship from the Education Department in Japan to study dentistry for 2 years.  He also worked at the Children’s Hospital in the Cranofacial- Ortho-Dental Department for 5 years. He is the Founder of the Professional chapter of the Hispanic Dental Association in Los Angeles and the former treasure at the national level. He is the Former President of Latinos for Dental Careers. Former Director of dental community clinic El Proyecto del Barrio. Member ADA, CDA, SFVDS and volunteer in many non-profit organizations. President of Los Angeles Dental Meeting.

Shukan Kanuga, DDS, MSD
Editor

Shukan Kanuga DDS, MSD is a board-certified pediatric dentist with practices in Santa Clarita and Porter Ranch. Originally from India, she lives in Porter Ranch with her husband and her 2 kids- Kahan, age 11 and Parishi, age 16. Shukan enjoys hiking, fitness activities, cooking, entertaining, reading, writing, and planning the next family travel experience in her down time! 

Gilbert H. Snow
Legislation Committee
Antelope Valley Liaison 

Dr. Gilbert Snow has been creating beautiful, healthy smiles since 1971, and he has gained a reputation for providing the highest quality and most modern orthodontic treatment available. Dr. Snow is a graduate of USC School of Dentistry with a post graduate specialty degree from Loyola University in Chicago. 

Mark Amundsen, DDS
By-Laws Committee 

Dr. Mark Amundsen graduated from University of Southern California Dental School in 1982.  He is a Former President of the SFVDS in 2010, and the current Chair of the Bylaws Committee. Dr. Amundsen is a General Dentist practicing in Woodland Hills, CA, and enjoys lots of outdoor activities.

Sean Sakhai, DDS
Committee on the New Dentist 

Dr. Sean Sakhai received his dental degree, with a specialization in Periodontics from the University of California San Francisco (UCSF). While there, he also earned a Master’s Degree in Oral and Craniofacial Sciences.  Dr. Sakhai is board certified and a Diplomate of the American Board of Periodontology.

When he is not fighting periodontal disease, you can find Dr. Sakhai spending time with his family and friends, hiking, fishing, and tuning his culinary skills.

Mahfouz Gereis, DDS
Media Relations Committee 

Dr Gereis has been a member of CDA since 1980, got involved in organized dentistry and served in different roles as past president of SFVDS and Foundation, past Chair CDA Dental Forum, invited guest to Board of Trustees meetings, AD-PAC team leader, assistant to CDA Board of Managers, presenter for Judicial Council at CDAS presents. He served as a delegate for SFVDS at CDA HOD as well as CDA delegate to ADA HOD. Dr Gereis has a private practice in San Fernando Valley. He strongly believes in the role of organized dentistry in serving our community.

Myron J. Bromberg, DDS
Council on Dental Practice

Dr. Mike Bromberg is Past President of the SFVDS, Past Trustee to CDA, Delegate to CDA, and Chair of the Dental Practice Committee.  He has been a Past Trustee, Delegate and Past Dental Care Council of the CDA, along with being a Past Delegate, Past Dental Practice Council, and ADPAC Board member of the ADA.  Dr. Bromberg has also been quite busy with AGD serving as National Chair, Council on Legislative and Governmental Affairs, Past national chair, Council on Dental Practice, Congressional Liaison, Delegate, Past President, California AGD, and Past President, Southern California AGD.

Neil Sangani, DDS
Digital Media Committee 

Dr. Sangani is an active member of San Fernando Dental Society since 2017 and a member of the CDA and ADA. He is a proud Bruin and Trojan, and his private practice is in Lancaster, CA where he practices Family and Cosmetic Dentistry. 

Taline Kotchounian, DDS
Ethics Committee

Dr Kotchounian is a proud graduate of USC Herman Ostrow School of Dentistry. After dental school, she completed a General Practice Residency at Montefiore Hospital in Bronx, NY.  She has been in private practice since 2009 and currently practices with her partner in Studio City, CA. Dr. Kotchounian has been serving on the SFV Dental board as Ethics Chair since 2019.

Marilyn Hopkins, DDS
Foothills/Glendale Area
Liaison 

Dr. Marilyn Hopkins is a newer addition to the board. She has served on the San Fernando Valley Dental Society Board since 2020 as the Foothills/Glendale Area Liaison. She is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine and was in private practice in Glendale until 2007. She has held numerous leadership positions volunteering in the community and is now proud to be serving the dental community. 

Nita Dixit, DDS
Leadership Dvp't Committee

Dr Dixit has practiced as a general dentist since graduating from USC in 1991.  She has been involved in leadership at CDA and SFVDS for over two decades and tries to visit at least 2-3 new countries every year.

Alan Taylor, DDS
Political Action Committee
Member at Large

Dr. Alan B. Taylor graduated from UCLA school of dentistry in 1982. For the last 39 years, he has had a private practice in General Dentistry in Los Angeles, Culver City and now in the city of Palmdale.  Dr Taylor’s hobbies are Bicycle Riding, Foreign Language and tutoring Mathematics to high school students. He and his wife Mary has resided in the Santa Clarita Valley for the last 24 years.

Afshin Mazdey 
Program Committee 

Dr. Afshin Mazdey is a Board-certified Endodontist.  His Practice is limited to Endodontics and Microsurgery, in Northridge, CA.   He is also on the Adjunct Faculty staff, Department of Graduate Endodontics, Herman Ostrow School of Dentistry at USC.

Anette Masters, DDS
Membership Committee

Dr. Anette Masters has served Organized Dentistry since 1998 where she lobbied for children’s access to dental care through “Healthy Families Plan.” She later became the 3^rd    youngest female President of San Fernando Valley Dental Society.

Anita Rathee
Member at Large

Dr. Rathee has served on the San Fernando Valley Dental Society Board for over 15 years, 8 of them as Editor. She was President of the SFVDS as well as the SFVDS Foundation in 2016. She has been in private practice in West Hills since 1999. Aside from her DDS degree, Dr. Rathee has a Master’s degree in Public Health Policy and Administration and received her Mastership award in the Academy of General Dentistry in 2020. Dr. Rathee is proud to continue serving in the leadership of the dental profession and feels being involved is the best way to ensure the future success of our profession and serve our patients.

Mahrouz Cohen, DDS
Member at Large

Dr. Cohen received her bachelor’s degree from UCLA following which entered into the USC School of Dentistry. She then went on to do her residency in Endodontics where she received high honors from the USC School of Dentistry in Advanced Endodontics in 1995. She then became a diplomate of the Board of Endodontics in 2004. Dr. Cohen has taught at USC Advanced Endodontics from 1993-2010. She has been in private practice since 1995. Dr. Cohen has served at the SFVDS board for over 15 years. She has been a delegate to the House of Delegates since 2009. She is credited by her peers to have introduced and subsequently passing the bills which allowed dentists to be able to apply cosmetic botox. She has served as the president of the SFVDS and the foundation in 2014. She is a firm believer of organized dentistry.

Michael S. Simmons, DDS,MSc
Member at Large

Michael Simmons has been serving on the SFVDS Board for about 15 years. He is past president of the SFVDS, SFVDS Foundation, Dental Foundation of California and has also served on several sleep medicine boards including the AADSM, California Sleep Society and the ASAA. Dr. Simmons is board credentialed in Sleep, TMJ and Orofacial Pain Disorders and was part time faculty at UCLA's dental school for 31 years having also taught at UCLA's medical school pain management center and as a dental school pain clinic director. Dr. Simmons continues to publish original research, lecture, and advocate for more dentist involvement in sleep health having written multiple resolutions discussed at the CDA House of Delegates over the past 10+ years. Dr. Simmons has a master’s in sleep medicine, a master’s in public health in community health services and is now working on a masters in Laser dentistry. 

Mehran Abbassian, DDS
Member at Large

Dr. Mehran Abbassian is a general dentist In Valencia, CA. His is a past president of the San Fernando Valley Dental Society and has been on the SFVDS board since 2008. 

Ted Feder, DDS
Member at Large

Dr. Ted Feder grew up in the SFV, graduating from El Camino Real High School. He then graduated from UCLA and Northwestern University Dental School in Chicago, and later returned to Harbor/UCLA Medical Center for his Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery Residency.  Dr. Feder has been practicing OMFS in the SFV since 1986, and has been on the SFVDS Board since1989.  He is married with (3 grown) children.

Jorge Alvarez, DDS
Trustee

Dr. Alvarez has served the SFVDS since 2004, he was President in 2009, 6 of them as Media Relations Committee Chair, 3 years as Legislative Committee Chair, and CDA Trustee since 2020.
He has been in private practice in the San Fernando Valley since 1984, in addition being a Lecturer at UCLA School of Dentistry until 2019, and supervisor at MEND Dental Clinic in Pacoima until 2019.
Dr. Alvarez is committed to continue serving our profession and the public we serve.

Karin Irani, DDS
Trustee

Dr. Karin Irani graduated from USC Dental Hygiene in 2000 and Dental School in 2003.  She graduated from ADA Executive Management Program and is an Alumni of ADA Institute for Diversity in Leadership.  Dr. Irani’s accomplishments include:  Past Chair, SFVDS New Dentist and Membership Committee, Past Chair, ADA Council on Membership, Past Chair, CDA Leadership Development Committee.  She is currently going to law school at GUCL, with an expected graduation date of May 2022.  Dr. Irani is passionate about Veterans' Well-being, and loves skiing, horseback riding, traveling and learning.