A New Dawn AZ | Community Dental Program
Pearl Santillan and Macy Kiim helped connect their mothers with dental services with the assistance of generous donations from Arizona dentists, and the process of linking their moms with these services and the life-changing implications that followed inspired Macy and Pearl to start A New Dawn AZ in 2015, a 501(c)3 non-profit aimed at bringing dental services to those in need. Both are grateful for their strong oral integrity and smile about it as much as possible. In 2018, Alicia Yaeger-Booth joined the team to support the growth and impact of the organization.
My love for Flagstaff and my community members is what drives me to do the work I do. I am so
excited to help the people in my community to improve the quality of their lives through
healthcare and make Flagstaff an even better place to live and raise our families. I have been
connected to Flagstaff since early childhood and care deeply about this community.
My early
adulthood was spent working as a dental assistant and lab technician and getting a formal
education. Upon graduation from the NAU Dental Hygiene program in 2010, I began work as a
Registered Dental Hygienist in Flagstaff and spent the next 11 years delivering oral healthcare
and education in a small, local practice. Here I developed a deeper comprehension of oral health
care, identifying and understanding patient needs, and collaborating with a team of health care
professionals to fulfill the goal of providing excellent care based upon a foundation of empathy,
education, and community engagement.
Throughout my tenure in Flagstaff, I have honed my
skills in preventative care, placing a strong emphasis on patient education to empower
individuals to take control of their oral health. My passion for community-based solutions in
health care led me to pursue engagement with the local community, participating in outreach
programs to raise awareness about the importance of oral health. This experience not only
deepened my appreciation for the impact of preventative measures but also highlighted the
systemic barriers that many individuals face in accessing quality oral health care.
Inspired by this
awareness, I am eager to bring my passion for community-driven oral health solutions to my new
role as the Executive Director of A New Dawn AZ. I am committed to leveraging my experience
and collaborating with dedicated professionals to advance our mission of promoting oral health
equity and improving the overall well-being of the community we serve.
It is a pleasure and
privilege to join A New Dawn AZ, and I look forward to furthering the organization’s mission of
providing access to oral health care services to uninsured and underinsured adults in Northern
Arizona for comprehensive dental care.
To contact Emilia, please email her at emilia@anewdawnaz.org.
As a Co-Founder of A New Dawn AZ, Pearl has dedicated herself to supporting its growth and development from the outset, driven by
a deep-rooted passion for health, healing, and public service. She presently holds the role of Coconino Regional Director at First
Things First, the state agency in Arizona dedicated to early childhood initiatives.
Pearl has served mothers, babies, and families in Northern Arizona for 20 years. As a Birth and Postpartum Doula and Women’s Health
Massage Therapist at the Flagstaff Birth and Women’s Center, Pearl began her career with a hands-on approach to maternal and
child health.
Following the completion of her degree in Public Health, Health Sciences, at NAU, she spent five years as a home visitor for the
Parents and Teachers Program at Parenting AZ, followed by four years as the Maternal and Child Health Program Manager at North
Country HealthCare. Working closely with families and supporting staff to implement family services strengthened her understanding
that what happens in the early years has a tremendous impact on a person throughout their life, and that every family should have
access to the resources they need for the best start possible.
In 2014, after witnessing the detrimental effects oral cancer had on her mother’s oral health, she co-founded A New Dawn AZ,
a non-profit created to help low-income and vulnerable adults receive comprehensive dental care. Through this experience, she
learned the inner workings of the non-profit world and how important it is to move money toward efforts that improve health outcomes
and increase the quality of life for individuals.
Beyond her professional pursuits, she is raising her son in Flagstaff, finding joy in the community and the stunning natural
landscapes of Arizona. During her leisure time, she immerses herself in outdoor adventures, explores new destinations through
travel, enjoys culinary pursuits, and finds inspiration in the realms of art and music.
Macy is proud to be one of A New Dawn AZ's co-founders, former Co-Director, Director, and current Board member.
Working toward the greater good has always fueled Macy, and she finds the pro-social nature of ANDAZ uniquely rewarding. She believes that
when people are lacking basic needs it is most often a systemic failure, not a personal one. She dreams of a progressive society in which all
people's needs are met and no one has to suffer due to health disparities.
When not collaborating with the ANDAZ team, Macy can be found guiding and loving the children of Haven Montessori, growing alongside
her family, cooking, reading, enjoying the forest, or slowly chunking away at her Master’s degree with NAU’s Sustainable Communities Program.
Macy lives and works as a guest on occupied Indigenous homelands while acknowledging and honoring the past, present, and future generations
who have been here for millenia and will forever call this beautiful place home. People look to her as a community-minded friend and
leader who is steady in her conviction that access to oral health care is a human right.
To contact Macy, please email her at macy.kiim@anewdawnaz.org.
Alicia Yaeger-Booth is a former executive director and patient support specialist for A New Dawn AZ, an currently serves on the Board of Directors.
She also works with the collaborative Oral Health Northern
Arizona (OHnAZ) project, funded by the Arizona Community Foundation. OHnAZ merges A New Dawn’s goal to fill gaps
in oral health for adults to the Northern Arizona Oral Health Coalition’s (NAOHC) mission to address oral health
disparities within our community.
Over the course of her career, Alicia has both worked and volunteered in various non-profits within Arizona,
New York, and abroad, including serving as a Peace Corps volunteer in Guatemala. She has committed her efforts to
serving vulnerable populations in areas of education and health.
She holds a Bachelor of Science in Biology, A Master of Science in Teaching 7-12 grade Biology, and a Master of
Public Health in Global Health from Tulane University.
Outside of work, Alicia spends her time caring for her two children and husband while enjoying all the wonders
Northern Arizona has to offer.
To contact Alicia, please email her at alicia@anewdawnaz.org.
Former President & CEO recently retired (5/23) from United Way of Northern Arizona after serving 24
years, has given her many skills in the nonprofit arena to include, Philanthropy, Board Development,
Community Development/Outreach, Strategic Planning, Crisis Management, Project Planning,
Relationship Management, Marketing/Communications, Program/Volunteer Management and Event
Planning.
Carol currently serves on the Northern Arizona Healthcare PFAC (Patient & Family Advisory Council),
Soroptimist International Mountain Morning Member (a women & girls service organization), a Board
Member for Naturopaths International (a non-profit medical practice) and recently joined the board of
The Flagstaff Family Food Center-Food Bank and Kitchen.
Carol is married with two children (a son and daughter) from a previous marriage who live in Nashville,
TN and a Stepson who lives in Scottsdale, AZ. There are a total of six grandchildren who range from ages
three to fourteen. Carol has many passions, some of which include; hiking with her five year old female
mini labradoodle , JoJo, reading, camping, traveling and spending time with her friends and family.
During Kim's 30 years working in dentistry she has had the chance to see many people struggle to maintain their oral
healthcare needs due to financial constraints. Having had the opportunity to work with the Arizona Dental Mission of
Mercy since 2012 as an event coordinator and department lead, she was able to be a part of helping those in need access
dental care.
Living in Flagstaff since 2021 has given Kim the chance to integrate with the organizations that help our Northern
Arizona communities. Kim has excitedly assisted with the Fort Tuthill MOM and Dental Days events.