Our Team
Dr. Shana Berger Van Cleave
- Raised two sons while earning her dental degree
- Taught music to kids at church for over 10 years
- Loves to sing to nervous patients
- Isn’t even five feet tall!
Dr. Monika Meekay
- Raising two beautiful kids with her husband (who is also a dentist)
- Gives preschool talks about oral health to local schools
- Studied in San Francisco and Brooklyn, NY
Carol
- Raised three kids in Santa Rosa but is originally from Long Beach
- Her grandkids are patients of the office
- Has a cat named Cheddar and a dog named Lola
Carol Suman has been working in our front office a total of 18 years. She is originally a Southern California girl but moved to Sonoma County in 1989. She has been married to her husband for 38 years and has three children, one adorable grandchild, a three-legged cat and a sixteen year old fox terrier. She says her favorite part of the job is “the pure honesty” of the kids and spending time with her “work family.” She is a die-hard San Francisco Giants fan and loves traveling, cooking, gardening and playing games.
Dao
- Has traveled the world and cooks amazing international cuisine
- Fostered puppies for an international rescue organization (three of which were adopted by her coworkers)
- Used to be a certified tax preparer and did accounting for a winery in Windsor
Dao Nguyen is a new face in our front office, but you may have seen her working as an assistant in the past. She was an intern as a dental assistant when she was going through the program at SRJC several years ago. She says of working in our pediatric office, “I love working with children because they keep me young!” She has lived in Sonoma County most of her life. She has been married to Markus for 26 years and have two children: Anna and Adam. Their family also includes a pair of dogs: Bootz the Beagle and Niz.
Jenny
- Grew up in Santa Rosa and knows many of our patients’ parents from going to school with them
- Started off as a patient when she was 8 years old (With Dr. Steve Berger)
- Has won several body building competitions
Jenny Mesa was a long-time patient in our office before she started working as a dental assistant. She likes to say, “I started coming to Dr. Berger’s office when I was eight and I never left!” She is a Santa Rosa native and graduated from the dental assisting program at SRJC in 2001. Jen loves the challenges and rewards that inherently come with working in pediatrics. She loves to help kids have a positive and fun experience in the dental environment. She has an eleven year old daughter of her own, has a husband (Josh) and loves her “fur baby” (a Shiba-Inu dog named Bauer). She is fascinated by all things fitness and has even competed and placed in a few bodybuilding competitions.
Romelle
- Has worked at the practice for over 40 years!
- Loves to Snuba Dive (cross between snorkeling and scuba diving)
- Often travels to Colorado to visit her first grandbaby
Romelle Sweeney has been working for Dr. Steve Berger for 36 years!!! (She knew Dr. Shana when she was in pigtails.) She started as a dental assistant and now manages the front office. She has been married to her husband, Bill for 30 years and they have supported one another through thick and thin in a manner that is truly inspiring. Their son Sean is about to be married, and their Daughter Madelyn also works in the dental field as a registered dental assistant. She enjoys cooking and hiking, loves animals, and enjoys any excuse to travel.
Dulce
- Continues to go to night school to advance her education
- Has a sister living in Korea
- Speaks fluent Spanish
Bio Needed
Terri
- Loves to travel and spend time with family and friends
- Raised two daughters in Santa Rosa
- Started as a dental assistant with Dr. Steve almost 40 years ago!
Terry is our office surgery scheduler and is also a Registered Dental Assistant. She has been working for Dr. Berger since June of 1984. Terri lives in Santa Rosa with her husband Val, and has two daughters Bailey and Maddy. She enjoys spending time with family and friends and cheering on the SF Giants!
