2026-27 Executive Board
Nika Abdiashtiani
CO-PRESIDENT
About Me
Hi everyone! My name is Nika Abdiashtiani, I’m a 4th year Biology major, and I’ll be one of your Co-presidents this year! Some of my favorite things to do are spending time with friends and family, anything crafty, and going on walks.
I’ve been in PDS since my freshman year and it’s made such a huge impact on my pre-dental journey. From meeting incredible people, to learning so much about pursuing a career in dentistry, PDS has created such an amazing support system, and I don’t know where I’d be without it.
I highly encourage you to come to meetings, events, and become part of the PDS fam! Looking forward to an awesome year, feel free to reach out!
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Josh Tobi
CO-PRESIDENT
About Me
Hi everyone! I’m Josh, I am a 4th year biological sciences major and your PDS Co-President this school year. You can usually catch me playing beach volleyball or some video games in my free time. I have been a member of PDS since my freshman year and am so grateful I joined. This club has given me so much guidance on a pre-dental journey that once seemed so overwhelming. I am so excited for this coming year and can’t wait to meet everyone. Feel free to reach out if you have any questions!
Sofia Gupta
VICE PRESIDENT
About Me
Hi everyone! My name is Sofia Gupta, I am a fourth year studying biopsychology and serving as the PDS Vice President this school year. Some of my hobbies are drawing and yoga! I have been a member of PDS since my sophomore year and this community has been such an important part of my time at UCSB. This club provided me the best mentorship from older students who are more than willing to give advice and so many amazing pre-dental opportunities. Some of my favorite events PDS had this past year were the panel with ucsb alumni who are now in dental school and the meeting lead by Dr. Nagy, a periodontist! I am so excited for this next year and please feel free to reach out :)
Natalie Ohanes
TREASURER
About Me
Hi everyone! I’m Natalie, a fourth-year Biological Sciences major, and I’ll be your treasurer this year! I really enjoy cooking, crafting, and going on sunset walks with my friends. I want to pursue dentistry because I love working with my hands, building lifelong relationships with patients, and helping restore their confidence by improving their oral health and smiles.
I have been involved in PDS since my freshman year, and I’m so glad to have the opportunity to help support pre-dental students here at UCSB. PDS has helped me gain a better understanding of what the pre-dental path looks like, the steps involved in applying to dental school, and has given me fun opportunities to practice manual dexterity, so I encourage everyone to get involved!
One of my favorite memories from PDS was touring the UCLA and USC dental schools. Being able to see what I’ve been working toward really motivated me to continue pursuing this path. I can’t wait for you all to see what this year has in store, and please don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any questions!
Casey Logue
CO-INTERNAL EVENTS/AFFAIRS COORDINATOR
About Me
Hi everyone! My name is Casey and I am so excited to be one your internal affairs officers next year! I am a fourth year biology major and this will be my third year in PDS. This club has brought me so many friendships and connections in the dental world and allowed me to improve my manual dexterity significantly. I am so excited for this year and don't hesitate to reach out with any questions about dentistry, the DAT, classes, etc!
Kambria Prado
CO-INTERNAL EVENTS/AFFAIRS COORDINATOR
About Me
Hi!! My name is Kambria Prado and I am a fourth year biological sciences major. I can’t wait to serve as co- internal events and affairs coordinator for the 2026-2027 year.
Some of my favorite hobbies include running, swimming, and spending time outside staying active. I became a member of PDS my second year and it has provided me with endless knowledge about the dental field and connections with other pre dental students. My favorite thing about PDS is that every member is always willing to share advice and provide mentorship, which has been so valuable throughout my time here at UCSB. I cannot wait to be able to do the same for other pre-dents as a board member. I am so excited for the amazing year ahead! Always feel free to reach out about anything!
Lucas Manaligod
CO-COMMUNITY OUTREACH CHAIR
About Me
Hey everyone! My name is Lucas Manaligod, and I am a second-year Bio-Psychology Major. I will happily be serving as one of the co-chairs for the Community Outreach Coordinator position. Some of my favorite hobbies are surfing, playing volleyball, and traveling. What I love most about dentistry is the combination of meaningful patient relationships, lifelong learning, and the ability to make a direct impact on someone’s health and confidence. PDS has served as an outlet for mentorship and guidance for both UCSB and the dental application process as a whole. I really enjoy all of the guest speaker events that we have all year long! I am so excited for this upcoming year, and can’t wait to meet all of you!
Shahzad Khosravi
CO-COMMUNITY OUTREACH CHAIR
About Me
Yo! My name is Shahzad Khosravi, a 2nd year Molecular & Cellular Developmental Biology major, and I’m super excited to announce I’ll be serving as one of your community outreach chairs this year! Coming into college, I knew I wanted to go down the dental route but struggled to find like-minded people to surround myself with, until I found that community in PDS. What I love most about this club is the people. Every individual I’ve met has been highly motivated and passionate, not just about dentistry and healthcare, but in all walks of life. Surrounding yourself with the right people is by far the most important step towards your success, and I'm sure you will find those people here! I’m truly grateful for the chance to now give back to a club that’s given me so much. Cheers to a great year ahead!
Sara Mansourian
MARKETING/PUBLICITY CHAIR
About Me
Hi everyone! My name is Sara Mansourian, and I’m a third-year Biopsychology major. I’m so excited to serve as the Marketing & Publicity Chair for PDS this year! Outside of school, I love checking out new coffee shops, going on long walks, and listening to music. I joined PDS during my second year, and it has had such a positive impact on my college experience and my pre-dental journey. Through the club’s workshops, guest speakers, hands-on events, and advice from students who have already gone through the application process, I’ve gained so much valuable information about dentistry and what it takes to become a strong dental school applicant. The knowledge, guidance, and friendships I’ve found through PDS have made me even more excited about pursuing a career in dentistry. I’m so grateful to be part of such an encouraging community, and I can’t wait to help create fun events and share helpful resources with everyone this year. I’m looking forward to meeting all of our new members and having a great year, so don’t hesitate to reach out for any advice or say hi!
Lori Sarkissian
DENTAL SCHOOL COORDINATOR
About Me
Hi! My name is Lori Sarkissian and I am a third-year studying Biology. I’m excited to be your Dental School Coordinator this year! Some of my favorite things are spending time in nature, hanging out with friends and family, and doing my own nails! I joined PDS my first year to connect with other students who share my passion for dentistry and learn more about the path to dental school. PDS has been such an important part of my pre-dental journey and has helped solidify my interest in dentistry through mentorship, manual dexterity workshops, and guidance from upperclassmen and guest speakers. I have learned so much from this community, and I hope that I can pass on some of the knowledge I’ve gained to all of you! I can’t wait to meet you all in the fall!
Ronan Mead
SOCIAL CHAIR
About Me
Hello everyone! My name is Ronan Mead, and I am a third-year general biology major serving as the PDS Social Chair. Some of my hobbies are thrifting, weight lifting, fashion, and personal finance. What I love about PDS is how genuine everyone is and how it really feels like a family. Every board member is so supportive, helpful, and super easy to talk to. This is my second year being a part of this club, and, most notably, I’ve enjoyed our social gatherings and manual dexterity workshop. Dentistry is such a rewarding industry to belong to, and this club is such a fantastic way to begin/continue your path to becoming a professional in the dental space.
Angie Liu
ACADEMIC CHAIR
About Me
Hiiii I’m Angie and I’m super excited to be this year’s Academic chair!!! I’m a fourth year bio major and outside of school I love thrifting/sewing, ceramics, film photography, and being outside in the sun. I love dentistry for its hands on artistic approach and ability to connect with and help so many diverse people on the job, but I only realized I wanted to pursue dentistry the end of my second year. From feeling behind and knowing nothing about the field to my growing confidence and skills in it every day, PDS has helped me along that path and I’m super grateful that I joined. It’s been the best experience to meet so many people who are not only welcoming and kind but also driven and passionate about dentistry. I can’t wait to meet even more PDS members and for an awesomeeee year!!!
Previous Officers
2018-19
Katherine Yale
President
Ryan Davis
Vice President
Omeed Soltanalipour
Treasurer
Gentille Javidzad
Internal Affairs Coordinator
Kia Payani
Community Outreach Chair
Mackenzie Velk
Marketing/Publicity Chair
2019-20
Mackenzie Velk
President
Youssef Gabraiel
Vice President & Treasurer
Samuel Aguilar
Internal Affairs Coordinator
Vivian Long
Community Outreach Chair
Ruchi Panjwani
Marketing/Publicity Chair
2020-21
Vivian Long
President
Ruchi Panjwani
Vice President
Joe Cho
Treasurer
Tala Al Awwad
Internal Affairs Coordinator
Alise Cung
Community Outreach Chair
Amy Jiang
Marketing/Publicity Chair
2021-22
Alise Cung
President
Amy Jiang
Vice President
Joe Cho
Treasurer
Tala Al Awwad
Internal Affairs Coordinator
Pauline Hobbs
Community Outreach Chair
Jacquelyn Chau
Marketing/Publicity Chair
2022-23
Joe Cho
President
Pauline Hobbs
Vice President
Anushka Larson
Treasurer
Madison Lam
Internal Affairs Coordinator
Jacob Young
Community Outreach Chair
Rachel Park
Marketing/Publicity Chair
2023-24
Madison Lam
President
Rachel Park
Vice President
Mark Lu
Treasurer
Arielle Rashtian
Internal Affairs Coordinator
Faith Johnson
Community Outreach Chair
Joyce Cao
Marketing/Publicity Chair
Chloe Messian
Dental School Coordinator
Jake Damico
Application Chair
2024-25
Arielle Rashtian
President
Faith Johnson
Vice President
Jennifer Robbins
Treasurer
Sameer Faizyar
Internal Affairs Coordinator
Jaden Lee
Community Outreach Chair
Susanna Poghosyan
Marketing/Publicity Chair
Brian Calimquim
Dental School Coordinator
Helen Walton
Application Chair
2025-26
Sameer Faizyar
Co-President
Brian Calimquim
Co-President
Jaden Lee
Vice President
Casey Logue
Treasurer
Kaede Juarez
Internal Affairs & Events Coordinator
Nika Abdiashtiani
Community Outreach Coordinator
Sofia Gupta
Marketing & Publicity Chair
Natalie Ohanes
Dental School Coordinator
Josh Tobi
Social Chair
Averi Wong
Application Chair