Management Team

David A. Perez, President

David is Co-Founder and President of InterAmerica Healthcare Group, the general partner for InterAmerica Wound Centers. Previous to starting InterAmerica in September of 2000, David was Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer for Renal Care Group’s Wound Care Division from 1997 to 1999. Prior to that, David managed 14 hospital-based wound care programs from 1995 to 1999 with a previous company, which he co-founded. David lives in Boerne, Texas, is married, and has two daughters. His favorite saying is one he borrowed from Peter Drucker, “The best way to predict the future, is to create it.”

Valerie Short, RN, ACHRN, CWS, CWCN, CMBS Director of Clinical Services and Reimbursement Specialist

Valerie has also been in her current position since InterAmerica’s inception – September 2000. Valerie is responsible for all clinical aspects of operations of the company as well as providing reimbursement consulting and expertise as a certified master biller. Prior to InterAmerica, Valerie served as a Regional Vice President of Operations with Integrated Wound Care Systems in San Antonio, Texas from 1999-2000. Previous to that, she was Regional Program Director for Integrated Wound Care Systems from 1998-1999. She also served in various marketing and clinical positions in wound care and surgical services. Valerie lives in San Antonio, Texas and has two grown sons.

Rochele Esper, Director of Administration & Finance

Rochele has been in her current position with InterAmerica since October 2002. She is responsible for Human Resources, Accounts Receivable, Accounts Payable, Insurance, Benefits, Payroll, and Database Operations, as well as the administrative operations of the corporate office in San Antonio, Texas. Previous to InterAmerica, Rochele was Director of Customer Service/Contract Management with vGPO, Inc., a virtual group purchasing optimization product, based in Dallas, Texas from March 2000 to October 2002. Rochele has also served as Principle and CFO for Physician Practice Services in El Paso, Texas from July 1997 to September 1999, and was Director of Administrative Services with STAT Healthcare, Inc., in Houston, Texas from August 1996 to April 1997. She held various senior executive-level administrative and medical staff coordinator positions in Columbia/HCA Healthcare Corporation in the El Paso, Houston, and San Antonio, Texas markets. Rochele lives in San Antonio, Texas and is married. Her two dogs, Edgar and Abby are her only children.

George Peter Dingeldein, M.D., Corporate Medical Director

Dr. Dingeldein has served as InterAmerica’s Corporate Medical Director since September 2000. Dr. Dingeldein received his M.D. degree from Columbia College of Physicians and Surgeons in New York City, New York in 1970. He did his Burn fellowship at the Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, North Carolina Memorial Hospital with the University of North Carolina School of Medicine. He is currently in private practice in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery/Surgery of the Hand in Texarkana, Texas. A little known fact about Dr.Dingeldein is that he is a serious Star Wars fan and a collector of vintage comic books.