Our Leadership Team

Dr. Chris Salierno is Tend’s Chief Dental Officer. A native New Yorker, Dr. Chris graduated from Stony Brook School of Dental Medicine, where he also completed his residency. He started his own practice on Long Island and went on to become an educator, international lecturer, and the Chief Editor of Dental Economics.

Dr. Chris has served as the National President of the American Student Dental Association and Chair of the ADA New Dentist Committee. He advises Tend on all clinical matters, helps to lead expansion efforts, and attracts the world’s top dental talent. Dr. Chris received his BA from Muhlenberg College.

Patricia Mahony has over 20 years of leadership experience in healthcare, with a strong focus on the dental sector. As Interim CEO of The Smilist, she spearheaded a 65% revenue increase, expanded the organization by 40 offices, and achieved same-store sales growth of 12.5%. Her initiatives included securing $8 million in insurance fee increases and implementing staffing optimizations to enhance operational efficiency.

At Western Dental, she led clinical and operational teams during a period of significant expansion, adding over 100 offices and successfully navigating the COVID-19 pandemic.

Patty also served as COO of SmileCare, where she drove a $20 million revenue increase and expanded specialty services by 38%. She excels at integrating acquisitions, optimizing processes, and mentoring teams to achieve organizational goals.

Patty holds an MBA in Healthcare from the University of California and a BA in Psychology from Rutgers University. She has completed executive courses at Harvard Business School, specializing in value measurement and healthcare delivery excellence.

Ryan Johnson is the Chief Financial Officer of Tend. A results-driven leader with a strong track record in finance and operations, Ryan has extensive experience scaling multi-unit businesses. Before joining Tend, he was CFO at PetVet Care Centers, where he helped grow the company from $270M to $1.6B in revenue, and led initiatives that improved operations and optimized costs. Prior to that, Ryan partnered with the founder of Lovesac to take the company from bankruptcy to a successful IPO, growing sales from $7M to $70M. He began his career at General Electric before transitioning into financial leadership roles. Ryan holds expertise in M&A, financial planning, and process improvement.

Charlie Wagner is Tend’s Vice President of People. She leads the human resources team to drive attraction, retention, and development for all prospective and current team members. Charlie joined Tend in 2020 and has professionally grown from leading total rewards to leading all people team functions. Passionate about team member engagement, developing competitive and unique total rewards, and growing future leaders in the organization, Charlie leads with our core value, Tend to Others.

Prior to joining Tend, Charlie led talent acquisition and HRIS functions at MAPCO Express, Inc. and taught middle school math in the Metro Nashville Public School district. Charlie received a BA from Rhodes College and a M.Ed from Vanderbilt University’s Peabody College.

Kaela Shupe is an accomplished marketing executive with two decades of experience driving growth and innovation across industries. As the former Senior Vice President of Marketing at JUX Health, she led transformative strategies in digital marketing, go-to-market execution, data-driven decision-making, and partnership development. Her expertise spans social media, paid search, SEO/SEM, graphic and web design, multi-location strategies, and project management.

Kaela's leadership has consistently delivered measurable results, including scaling ad revenue, driving user engagement, and launching impactful campaigns for enterprise and independent accounts. She has a proven ability to build and lead high-performing teams, optimize operations, and create cohesive strategies that bridge business goals with customer needs. Her work has earned recognition in competitive industries, cementing her reputation as a strategic, forward-thinking leader.

Kaela developed a strong foundation in marketing and business from her time at Mansfield University. Her continuous pursuit of excellence is reflected in her certifications and ongoing education in cutting-edge marketing technologies and strategies.

Outside of work, Kaela is a proud mother to three daughters and is happily married to her husband, Will. A lifelong fan of Philadelphia sports, she loves cheering on the Eagles, Flyers & Phillies and spending time outdoors with her family, embracing every opportunity for adventure and connection.

Tatiana Morton brings a passion for people, process, and purpose to her role as Vice President of Operations at Tend. With a proven track record of scaling operational systems across multi-site healthcare organizations, she leads Tend’s studio operations, team performance, and patient experience initiatives with clarity and care.

Tatiana oversees day-to-day execution across all Tend locations, driving operational excellence while keeping members and team members at the center of every decision. From launching new studios to optimizing workflows and supporting field leadership, her work is rooted in empowering teams and delivering consistent, high-quality care at scale.

Before joining Tend, Tatiana held leadership roles in both healthcare and retail operations, where she developed a reputation for building strong, collaborative teams and turning complex challenges into actionable strategies. She thrives in fast-paced environments and is committed to creating systems that work — for both patients and the people who care for them.

When she’s not in the field or refining processes, Tatiana enjoys spending time with her family, mentoring emerging leaders, and finding new ways to simplify the complex.

‍

Based in Nashville, TN, Thomas leads Tend's Internal Operations teams which includes traditional RCM but extends into Payor Relations, Provider Contracting and Credentialing, and Services Pricing. Joining Tend in 2021 with just 5 studios, Thomas has led the scaling of these functions to support Tend's current footprint and future growth.

A veteran of the Acute Care and Physician Revenue Cycle space, Thomas has overseen significant transformation in this space. After 13 years at R1 RCM leading RCM for Hospitals ranging from small Regional Health systems to large Integrated Delivery Networks (IDNs), he had a desire to translate those learnings and scale advantages to a different healthcare vertical. His focus now is bringing those same concepts into the Dental field knowing that the need for Operating rigor and financial stability is critical.

John Quarles is the Vice President of Engineering at Tend. With a background in engineering leadership and technical innovation, John plays a pivotal role in overseeing the company's technological infrastructure, driving Tend forward as a technology-first dental provider. Since joining Tend in 2019, John has spearheaded key initiatives, including the development and optimization of Tend's proprietary Tend Core platform.

Prior to Tend, John held engineering leadership positions at SmileDirectClub and Lonely Planet, where he successfully led teams in the deployment of scalable systems and process automation. With a strong focus on problem-solving and rapid value delivery, John has a proven track record of delivering elegant technical solutions and consistent excellence across his teams.

John holds a BA from Vanderbilt University, and an MA from Indiana University. Outside of work, John enjoys running and foreign languages, and is committed to continuous learning and professional development.

Kendal Borup is an accomplished healthcare leader currently serving as the Vice President of Strategy at Tend. With over a decade of experience in public health, strategy, and operations, Kendal has made significant contributions to healthcare innovation and business growth. At Tend, she oversees strategic initiatives that enhance business effectiveness and drive organizational success.

Before joining Tend, Kendal held leadership roles at Eden Health, including Chief of Staff to the CEO and VP of Health Plan Account Management. During her tenure, she played a key role in streamlining operations, fostering client relationships, and implementing impactful health solutions. She also gained extensive experience in data operations and provider management during her time at Clover Health.

Kendal’s career began at Buck, where she focused on health and productivity, further honing her expertise in public health and organizational wellness. A graduate of The College of New Jersey with a BA in Health Administration, Kendal has consistently demonstrated her ability to integrate data-driven insights with strategic vision. Her passion for improving healthcare systems and her commitment to effective leadership make her a respected voice in the industry.