By Genma Stringer Holmes
BRENTWOOD, TN — Brentwood native, Dr. Jan-Néé B. Sheats-Mathis was elected as Central Area Secretary at the 47th Central Area Conference of The Links, Incorporated held in Chicago, Illinois from July 5-8, 2023. Prior to being elected secretary, she served dual roles as the Central Area Chair of Organizational Effectiveness and Chair of Vendors and Exhibits. She is a member of the Parthenon Chapter in Nashville. Comfortable at being behind the scenes organizing, Sheats-Mathis is no stranger to leadership. She has been voted by Nashville Lifestyles Magazine’s readers as a “Top Dentist” for eleven consecutive years.
A respected community advocate and business leader, Sheats-Mathis is a magna cum laude graduate of Spelman College where she was recognized for her exemplary scholarship, leadership, and service. She received her Doctor of Medicine in Dentistry degree with honors from University of Louisville and her Endodontic Specialty Certificate from Tufts University School of Dental Medicine. As a practicing endodontist at Sheats Endodontic Group, she is loved by both her patients and dentist peers.
Raised and nurtured by civic and culturally engaged parents, Dr. Sheats-Mathis is an active member of several professional organizations, including the American Association of Endodontists, American Dental Association, National Dental Association, and the Capital City Dental Society, where she served as a past president. With a strong commitment to service, she is also involved with several other organizations and is a member of The Circle-Lets, Inc., The Girlfriends, Inc., Jack and Jill of America, Incorporated, and Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated, where she has held several leadership roles.
Sheats-Mathis’ effervescent spirit allows for the perfect work-life balance. She is also a Beautycounter consultant and enjoys travelling, spending time with family, and “veganizing” recipes in her spare time She and Ken, her husband of 20 plus years and a retired veteran, are proud parents of an energetic eight-year-old daughter, Zoë Simone. While Zoë aspires to be a dentist like her mom and uncle, in the interim, she enjoys being her mom’s fashion consultant and make-up artist. As a family, they are involved with and lead health and wellness efforts across Middle Tennessee.
Sheats-Mathis will not be the only dentist on the newly elected Central Area team. The 47th Central Area Conference of The Links, Incorporated also elected Dr. Sheila R. Brown as the Area Director, whose theme is “Simply the B.E.S.T.: Building Excellence through Sisterhood, Service, and Teamwork.” Dr. Brown was the 87th President of National Dental Association and founded her dental practice in 1987. Dr. Sheats-Mathis and Dr. Brown have worked closely together and have been friends for many years.
The Central Area is known as the “Heart of Linkdom” and consists of 72 Chapters representing 17 states with transformative programming that improves the quality of life for individuals, families, and communities of African American ancestry across the region. “Music City” and our region has much to be “Parthenon Proud” that one of its many exceptional leaders is Dr. Jan-Néé B. Sheats-Mathis. Her contributions to the community are immeasurable, and her heart for servant leadership sets an example for generations to come. The impact of The Links, Inc. on the lives of African Americans in the times that we are living in will be crucial today and in the future.