MEET THE TEAM
Kristy
Insurance Coordinator
Kristy has been a part of Gig Harbor and Port Orchard Endodontics since 2007 as administrative assistant and insurance coordinator. She enjoys playing a part in making our patients comfortable during their office visits.
She was born in the Midwest but has lived most of her adult life in the beautiful Pacific Northwest. When away from the workplace, she and her husband Mark enjoy checking out local restaurants, travelling and always make sure to allow plenty of time for their adult children and grandkids!
Margaret
Patient Care Coordinator
When you first visit our office, you will be greeted by Margaret. With a smile and sense of humor, she takes care of all your front office needs. With more than 25 years in the dental field, Margaret really enjoys helping patients have a fantastic dental experience.
When Margaret is not at the office she enjoys running, camping, hiking, traveling, visiting family, and spending time outdoors. Margaret has a son with whom she enjoys spending time. She is an avid animal lover and has a rescue dog named Rosie...her "partner in crime."
Bailee
Patient Care Coordinator
Bailee has been with PSEA since June 2022. Over the last few years, she has enjoyed learning many different aspects within the dental industry. She now has experience that includes back office clinical work, front desk patient care, referral coordinating, taking charge of employee benefit information and even some marketing.
Bailee decided to go into the dental field because she wanted a career that would allow her to work with patients. She's always enjoyed a medical-based job environment. What does she like best? Patient interactions! Bailee ensures that patients have a good experience with PSEA based on the care they receive. She believes this starts with the initial phone call and finishes with in-person connections at the front desk.
In her free time, Bailee loves reading, playing Animal Crossing and playing with her dog Yogi and two kitties, Milo and Akira. You might even see her at car shows with her boyfriend Donavin.
Kortney
Patient Care Coordinator
Before joining Puget Sound Endodontic Associates, Kortney spent three years working as a surgery scheduler and receptionist in a private practice of 8 OBGYN’s and 3 nurse practitioners. She decided to give dentistry a try because it is so similar to medical and she could adapt her medical experience to benefit our dental patients. Kortney likes the dental environment because of the fast-paced environment, ever changing of faces, interacting with the patients and helping people. She is also going to school for her Bachelors of Science of Nursing.
Kortney is originally from St. Louis Missouri. But as a military family, she has moved around the country including 4 years in San Diego but loves living in the Northwest.
Between work and school, Kortney has 2 children who keep her busy. But when she gets time to herself, Kortney reads, listens to podcasts, and crochets. Her busy household includes Zoey and Gibbs the dogs, Pancake and Winnie the cats and one bearded Dragon named Cricket!
Hannah
Patient Care Coordinator
Hannah, a Tacoma local, joined Puget Sound endodontic Associates with experience with the legal side of the insurance world. Now learning to work on the “provider side,” Hannah is fascinated by this new field of work. She decided to dive into dental because she wanted a job where she could interact face-to-face with patients. We are happy that her friendly face and voice is here to greet them.
Hannah is an avid reader and writer. With a full library at home, Hannah enjoys a variety of genres depending on her mood. Is she writing her own book? Most definitely, but it has taken a back seat with the career change. Her two kitties, Olive and Mimi, and Murphy, the German Shepherd/Husky pup must keep her company while snuggled up with a good book!
Kelsey
Patient Care Coordinator
Although Kelsey has no experience in healthcare, her background in dentistry comes from a family legacy: her uncle is a dentist in California, and her grandmother was a dental assistant for her entire career. With a special interest in the medical and dental fields, along with encouragement from family and friends, Kelsey decided to pursue a career in dentistry. She has discovered that dentistry keeps her busy all day with connecting with people and helping them get the treatment they need.
Originally from California, Kelsey has family all around the PNW. She has always loved the area with it's amazing the marine wildlife. She is an avid reader and movie watcher, but when the season is right, she loves to get outside into the garden and visit local beaches.
Joia
Patient Care Coordinator
This is Joia’s first time working in the dental field, but she is excited and eager to learn and have new experiences. Her previous experience has been “customer-facing.” She enjoys making sure “people feel heard and respected from wherever they are.”
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In her younger days, Joia was insecure about her teeth…until she got braces and a straighter smile! She knows that teeth can affect people’s confidence, so working somewhere that knows the importance of a healthy smile feels very rewarding to her.
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Joia comes from a long line of family members who work in the medical industry, her dad is an LPN, her grandmother is an OBGYN and her sister is a physical therapist. So, she has always respected and looked up to anyone who works in the medical field since she knows it takes a lot of patience and care.
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Joia has been a lifelong resident of the PNW having lived in Lakewood, Tacoma and now Bremerton. In her free time, Joia enjoys anything related to music! Being Jamaican, she feels music is ingrained in her since it’s a big part of her culture and a big part of her life. She also loves to travel! Her favorite places are Germany, France and Jamaica. Back at home Joia's pets include a black cat named Pancake and a tabby named Bubbi.
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Alaya
Patient Care Coordinator
Alaya’s working career has always focused on sales and retail but in search of a new career path she explored working in general dentistry. She was hoping to gain knowledge of a different field of work other than retail. After a year in the dental field, she decided to go back into sales working for Verizon for three more years. But, lucky for Puget Sound Endodontic Associates, she felt more fulfilled working in dentistry.
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Alaya loves being of help to other people and serving other people in need. (She has always been this way!) She knows a healthy smile is a great confidence booster and the first thing that greets you when meeting someone new. She loves helping people feel confident in their smile…helping people feel good makes her feel good, too!
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Alaya has always lived in the Pacific Northwest, having grown up in Lakewood but moved to University Place in the last 3 years. In her free time Alaya loves to get comfy on her couch and read. It’s her way to wind down after a busy day. Her interests include exploring new recipes and cooking!
Theresa
Patient Care Coordinator
Theresa was new to dentistry when she joined Puget Sound Endodontic Associates. She had been working in a local plant shop providing customer service, and advising clients on selecting and caring for all things plants! But she wanted to start down a career path that she could “see herself on” for years to come looking for opportunity and career growth in a dental office environment. During her time at the office, Theresa has applied her people skills towards helping patients get the dental care they need.
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Originally from California, Theresa and her husband have moved with the military to South Carolina and eventually to Washington three years ago. During her free time, she loves going on adventures with her husband and friends, and attending concerts and festivals. Their pets also keep her busy. they have Maya a white German Shepherd, Quinn a golden retriever and Goose the Black Cat!
Nicole
Patient Care Coordinator
Nicole joins the team with general dentistry and specialy dentistry in her background. She started in 2017, when a dental office “took a chance on her” and she has loved it ever since. Nicole enjoys learning the “specifics” in a specialty practice and loves the staff!
She is originally from Southern California and moved here in 2017. She has two daughters and a son “on the way.” In 2024 she married the love of her life. Together they enjoy going camping and spending time with family in Oregon. In the family mix is an Australian Labordoodle, Finn.
Talia
Treatment Coordinator
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PSEA welcomes Talia, who is a dentist, but we are lucky to have her working for us as an assistant! Since she was a kid, Talia knew she wanted to be in the health care field and studied dentistry for her undergraduate degree in Mexico. She has two other family members who are dentists, so she was familiar with the field before she decided to become a dentist herself. Talia likes helping people improve their oral health and always enjoys seeing people leave the office feeling better than when they came in. Not only does she like helping people, Talia has also spent much altruistic time rescuing dogs and cats in Mexico.
Talia moved to Washington State in November 2021 but she is originally from Mexico City. She met her husband five years ago online and they got married 2 years ago and for that reason she moved to the PNW! Talia believes this state is beautiful. She likes the mountains and the snow but misses the hot weather of Mexico! In her free time, Talia likes hiking, learning to roller skate, playing tennis, and learning new crafts, acrylic painting and working out. She has 2 adopted dogs, Nanny (a Yorkie) and Sophie (a Chiweenie mix.)
Brittany
Treatment Coordinator
Brittany is from Gig Harbor, and she was personally trained by Dr. Olsson. Today, what she enjoys most about being a dental assistant is having the power to help patients feel better about themselves!
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Brittany is married to her high school sweetheart, and they have two fur babies at home. She also has two older brothers and one younger sister – in fact, most people think her sister is her twin.
When she isn’t busy at the practice, her favorite hobbies include boating in the summer, wake surfing, wakeboarding, camping in the Great Pacific Northwest, watching football (GO HAWKS), and playing fantasy football.
Tawnya
Treatment Coordinator
Tawnya recently returned to dental as an endodontic assistant after a 30-year break. She decided to go into the dental field because she feels that helping others daily is a good purpose to life. She loves the “detail oriented” work and “a good challenge.”
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Tawnya grew up in the Orting/Sumner/ Puyallup area but has been residing on the Key Peninsula for 20 years. There she enjoys gardening and farming, having raised dairy goats for many years! Also, on the farm there are 17 chickens, Teddy the Border Collie, and kitties named Catniss and Astro.
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Our talented Tawnya is also a portrait artist and classical guitarist! But in her “down time” she loves movies of all kinds.
Yulia
Treatment Coordinator
Yulia went to the Academy of Dental Technology in 2007 to become a dental assistant. In 2009 she worked in the largest Navy facility in Norfolk, Virginia. She was trained by the military dentist, in 2011 and became an advanced endodontics specialty dental assistant. She has always wanted to work in the medical field, including dentistry.
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What does she like about the dental field? “Healthy life starts from healthy mouths. Root Canals save your teeth. And I can make patient visits more comfortable.” Yulia is very social and friendly.
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Yulia is originally from Vladivostok, Russia. When she was 20 years old, she went to Korea by herself and that's when she met her husband. They moved to Virginia and she became a military wife. Being a military family, they move a lot…from Virginia to Texas to California and now to Washington in 2020!
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“In my free time I like to cook my Russian food, kayaking, hiking, and taking care of my indoor plants. I have two daughters: Victoria, 18 and Kira, 8 years old.” She has two small Chihuahuas, one is 12 years old, Boss, and the youngest one five years old, Bella. The Maine Coon cat, Nalla, is 1.
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An interesting fact about Yulia: she speaks three languages including Russian, Korean, English, and is currently learning Filipino and Spanish.
Lam
Treatment Coordinator
What helped Lam decide to go into the dental field? She says definitely her parents! Growing up, her mom and dad always emphasized the importance of dental health and that in some way engrained in her mind a fondness for teeth! She now enjoys helping patients be more at ease and confident with their dental health, noting how dental people take care of an aspect of the patient’s busy lives and “making it better.”
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Lam and her husband are new to the area having just move from sunny and humid Florida. She is originally from Vietnam. In her free time, Lam goes to yoga classes, or to the park for hiking. But if she is really bored she will just pick a book from the stack she’s accumulated in the corner of her room. She recently adopted “the goofiest” German Shepherd named Toby.
Paulina
Treatment Coordinator
Paulina has been interested in dentistry for a very long time. She has many family members in the field and has always loved going to the dentist. In high school she started down the path towards a dental career and graduated as a dental assistant in January 2024. Paulina loves the quick pace at the office, noting “there is always something to do and learn.” PSEA has become like a second family to her. She likes the unity among the team.
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Someday Paulina would like to achieve her ultimate goal: becoming a Registered Dental Hygienist. She says, “it’s not just the (tooth) numbers, there is a world in there!” She is going to keep studying in her free time until she gets there.
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Paulina moved to Washington from San Diego, CA. In her off time, she likes going to the gym with her brother, shopping and taking care of her little brother. She has one pet that sadly lives in Mexico: a Shih Tzu named Kowy.
Hailey
Treatment Coordinator
Hailey joined PSEA in 2024. She graduated from Bates Technical College dental assisting program in 2023. She then joined a pediatric practice where she gained much experience interacting with young patients and even enjoyed cleaning their teeth! Hailey has always been fascinated with teeth. When she was very young, the dentist even let her watch as mom had fillings done explaining along the way what was happening.
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After working in pediatric and now endodontics, Hailey has decided to make dentistry her career and perhaps pursue the goal of becoming a dentist herself! She loves everything about this field of work and that there is always something new to learn. She feels oral health is very misunderstood and that it deserves the same attention as anything else in the body.
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Hailey is a native to Gig Harbor having been born and raised there. During her free time, Hailey loves reading and owns more books than can fit on her shelves! She also spends time just listening to music or watching movies. Luna, her 2-year-old pup, keeps her active, too.
Nicole
Office Liaison
Nicole has been with Gig Harbor Endodontics for 13 years. As the office liaison, she has had the privilege to travel throughout Pierce, Kitsap and Mason County areas visiting the offices of our referring dentists. You will most likely find her on the road delivering lunches, flowers, or other seasonal goodies to show our appreciation to those who help the practice thrive. She has been learning on the job by adding website design and social media management to her work skills.
When she's not working she enjoys spending time with her husband, working in the garden and Sunday suppers with family.