MAND 2025 Fall Newsletter
- jmaynard54
- Oct 9
- 7 min read
The Fall season is in full swing, and the weather has been drier and warmer than at the start of summer. FNCE is just around the corner in Nashville, Tennessee, and we are excited to have a strong turnout of members attending this year. We look forward to connecting with many of you in person.
Throughout the spring and summer, MAND worked closely with our New England Affiliate partners to explore more opportunities for collaboration. On September 12, MAND co-hosted our first-ever joint event with New Hampshire AND (NHAND): a watch party featuring Clancy Harrison, MS, RD, LDN, founder of the Food Dignity Movement. We hosted in-person gatherings at the University of New Hampshire, UMaine, and the University of New England, while additional members joined online. Next, we will meet with New England Affiliate leaders in Nashville to brainstorm other areas for partnership.
Looking ahead, we have an exciting year planned. Our Food and Nutrition Security Committee, chaired by Pat Watson, is developing an online resource hub for members. Public Policy remains a priority, with Kayla Gayer, Public Policy Coordinator, advancing the Licensure Compact, and Mary Emerson, returning as State Regulatory Specialist, overseeing updates to the Maine Dietetic Licensure Board’s laws and rules—scheduled for public comment in November.
Also- Save the Date: MAND’s Annual Conference will take place April 10 at the Wells Conference Center at UMaine.
I’d also like to extend a warm welcome to the 2025–26 MAND Board:
Voting members: Denise Gaudette (President-Elect), Linda Russell (Treasurer), Melissa Page (Secretary/Historian), Eileen Molloy (Communications Chair), Kristine Kittridge (House of Delegates), Lily Brickman (Nominating and Awards Chair), Kayla Gayer (Public Policy Coordinator), and Shari Bowden (DTR Representative).
Non-voting members: Sarah Gilbert (Past President), Rachel Wilkinson-Bartlett (Conference Chair), Emma Watras (Sponsorship Chair), Anna Titcomb (Nutrition Services Payment Specialist), Mary Emerson (State Regulatory Specialist), Julie Milan (Media/Webmaster), Jenny Maynard (Newsletter Editor), Amy McClellan (Membership Chair), Pat Watson (Food and Nutrition Security Chair), Catherine Brown and Sarah Nutt (Student Representatives), and Kristen Vander Woude (Treasurer-Elect).
You may also have noticed MAND’s growing presence on LinkedIn and Instagram—special thanks to our Social Media Coordinator, Alexandria Gayton, for leading this effort.
If you’re interested in getting more involved—whether through the Foodies Forum, nominations and awards, or a board position (our State Policy Representative role is currently vacant)—please reach out. We’d love to have you help shape the future of MAND!
Happy Fall!
Laurie Copithorne, MS, MBA, RD (CDN), FDC
2025-2026 President
Follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Instagram #EatRightMaine, #MaineNutrition, #MaineDietetics
MAND 2026- Save the Date!
The MAND Spring 2026 conference may seem a lifetime away, but it is just around the corner. Save the date for April 10, 2026, and plan to join us at the University of Maine in Orono, Maine.
Calling presenters and speakers who can share their expertise with nutrition professionals in Maine at the MAND Spring 2026 conference.
The conference will take place on April 10, 2026, on the University of Maine campus in Orono, Maine. Complete the speaker application form to describe your topic and apply to present (applications close 11/21/25)
You can reach out to the conference chair, Rachel Wilkenson-Bartlett at maineandconference@gmail.com
For Those who Missed Out- Highlights from an Amazing Conference!
On September 12th MAND and NHAND hosted our first joint web conference: “Food Dignity: Strategies to Create Nutrition Security” with 50 participants. The conference was a “watch party” in three university locations with others logging in at a location of their choice. The three main locations were: The University of New England, University of Maine, Orono, and the University of New Hampshire. The sites were selected to maximize the opportunity for student involvement.
MAND’s Food and Nutrition Security Committee was committed to bringing a dynamic speaker to engage our membership in the discussions of food dignity and food access and bringing us closer to projects that are achievable and impactful for MAND members focused on nutrition security. A huge thank you to our board for this opportunity- Eileen Molloy and Kayla Gayer (Parsons) for their organizational work in Orono; Sarah Gilbert for her collaboration with NH, and to our counterparts in NH for joining us on this adventure. It was a huge success!
The conference had two parts: a keynote presentation followed by a panel discussion with representatives from both states. Clancy Harrison MS, RDN, FAND was our dynamic speaker. Clancy is a Fellow of the Academy, an internationally renowned speaker, registered dietitian, TEDx speaker, and author, who challenged us on how we approach food insecurity in this country. Clancy has presented at numerous affiliate and national meetings, is an advisory board member for the Pennsylvania American Academy of Pediatrics Food Insecurity EPIC program, the recipient of the 2025 IDEA Leadership Award from the Pennsylvania Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, an Ambassador of the National Dairy Council, member of the Tufts Innovation Platform, and past president of a large food pantry. Clancy hosts the weekly Food Dignity® Podcast.
Panel members included: Mary Hammar (Nutrition Program Manager New Hampshire Food Bank- RD) - New Hampshire; Denise Gaudette (RD with Good Shepherd Food Bank, Cooking Matters Manager) - Maine; Lily Brickman (clinical RD who is involved with both screening and hospital food program) – Maine; Kitty Broihier (RD and member of the MAND food and nutrition security committee who presented highlights from the MAND food and nutrition screening and member needs from MAND survey) - Maine; Tiffany Brewster (NH Hunger Solution. Policy Development & Advocacy Director- RD) - New Hampshire.
Those in attendance learned from our panel responses to questions such as:
From your perspective, what does food insecurity look like in our local community and how might it differ from the national picture?
When thinking about our local community, what barriers stand out as the most challenging?
How do you and your organization work to preserve dignity while providing food support?
What role do local farms and food producers play in advancing food security and how can we better support them?
How can healthcare providers, schools, farms, and nonprofits collaborate more effectively?
What gives you hope about improving food security in our community?
What small steps can audience members take to support food dignity in their personal or professional roles?
Next steps: MAND’s Food and Nutrition Security committee is working on exploring a resource hub for the MAND website. If you are interested in joining us or learning more about the survey results, please reach out to me at patriciawatson26@gmail.com.
For a peek at Clancy Harrison in action, check out this 12-minute Tedx talk.
MAND Communication Update
Stay in Touch Through MAND Communications
Our website is updated regularly and includes a member's only section with our governing documents, application portals for scholarships, awards, volunteer positions, and an incident reporting tool.
If you have nutrition news to share with other members, tap the submission button in the members section and it will be included in the MAND newsletter. If you are a member and need a password, please email us: eatrightmaine@gmail.com
Email: MAND communicates with members every two weeks through email. We occasionally send a special email blast if the news is time sensitive.
Follow us on:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/eatrightmaine/
MAND Delegate Report
The House of Delegates (HOD) met on August 21st to hear presentations from the Academy’s Research and Policy and Advocacy teams regarding their current efforts and to solicit feedback from delegates on current efforts as well as ideas for future improvements. Great discussions were had on each presentation – see the summaries below. We are looking forward to the October meeting where we will be hearing from the Council on Future Practice regarding declining trust in society and the impact on our profession.
Research Discussion Summary
The Academy’s Evidence Analysis Center (EAC) engaged Delegates to discuss priorities ranging from clinical topics like malnutrition, GLP-1s, and women’s health to broader issues including planetary health, food insecurity, and the value of medical nutrition therapy. Delegates provided feedback regarding how to navigate existing resources and considering more concise, accessible formats. Discussions recognized the need for frequent updates, stronger dissemination, and public-facing efforts to counter misinformation.
Policy and Advocacy Discussion Summary
Delegates noted that while the Academy offers many advocacy and practice tools, members often find them hard to access or are seen as less impactful than resources from peer organizations. They called for more practical, outward-facing formats such as podcasts, social media toolkits, CEU workshops, and easy-to-share infographics to make policy engagement simpler and more effective. Delegates affirmed current policy priorities
but stressed the need to address fast-moving issues.
What's New- The Academy
Apply Today: Foundation Research Grants
The Foundation is accepting applications for its 2026 Research Grants. There are nine opportunities available, including the CDR Emerging Researcher Grant, the CDR Student-Faculty Collaborative Research Grant and the Diabetes DPG Karen Goldstein Memorial Grant for Diabetes MNT. The applications are accessible within the Foundation’s application portal and have a deadline of Monday, November 17 at 5 p.m. (Central time). Click here for more information.
Career Support for RDNs and NDTRs
Academy members have access to a variety of career resources, including a job listing database, guidance on resume writing, tips for job searching, networking strategies, interview preparation, professional development and more. Click here to learn more.
Nutrition-Focused Physical Exam Hands-On Training Workshop
The Academy’s NFPE training workshop provides skills, techniques and expert guidance an RDN needs to perform an NFPE and accurately provide a nutrition diagnosis of malnutrition. Attendees benefit from receiving real-time feedback on their techniques, which increases their confidence and skill level. Adult Live Virtual NFPE Workshops will be held October 27 and 28; November 10 and 11; December 9 and 10. Participants of the NFPE Workshop receive 18.5 CPEUs upon completion. Click here to learn more.
Available Now: Food as Medicine Resource Hub
Explore what Food as Medicine (FAM) means, find resources to help you communicate effectively with consumers, and learn how practitioners can engage with FAM experts and get more involved in this growing movement. Click here to learn more.
Academy Statement on Autism and Folate
The Academy believes that we need to promote evidence-based treatments for complex conditions such as autism spectrum disorder (ASD). ASD is a developmental condition influenced by a wide range of genetic, biological and environmental factors. The autism spectrum is broad and while there are several described risk factors, there is no consensus that any single exposure or parenting practice has a direct causal link to ASD. Click here to learn more.