MAND 2025 Spring/Summer Newsletter
- jmaynard54
- Jun 19
- 9 min read
Updated: 6 days ago
Hello MAND Members, and Happy Summer!
We’ve just wrapped up another successful MAND Board year, and I’m excited to share some updates with you. I’m honored to serve a second term as President, with Sarah Gilbert continuing as Past President due to a Board vacancy.
Annual Conference Highlights
I hope you were able to attend our Annual Conference at the University of New England, titled Nutrition Horizons: Advancing Practice and Research in Maine. It was a fantastic event featuring keynote speakers on topics like the Farm Bill, Dietary Guidelines for Americans, Weight-Loss Medications, and the impact of Circadian Rhythms on health and disease. We also brought back the much-loved Research and Practice Briefs. With a record turnout of members and students, it was wonderful to see our nutrition community come together to network and learn.
During the conference, we recognized several outstanding members (see below for recipients):
· Outstanding Dietitian of the Year
· Recognized Nutrition and Dietetics Technician
· Recognized Young Dietitian of the Year
· Outstanding Dietetic Student
· The Future Dietetics Professional Scholarship (2025)
Congratulations to all the recipients!
Board Member Transitions
We want to extend heartfelt thanks to our outgoing Board members for their service:
· Paul Blakeslee (Secretary)
· Lydia Roy (Student Representative)
· Rebecca MacLean (State Policy Representative)
· Mary Emerson (State Regulatory Specialist)
· Amelia Sullivan (Conference Chair)
Thank you to our returning Board and Committee members for your dedication to MAND as we continue advancing our 2024-2028 Strategic Plan.
Administrative Updates
As of June 1, MAND has transitioned its administrative services back in-house, overseen by the Board of Directors and relevant positions. A special thank you to the Board-Appointed Transition Team, Sarah Gilbert (Past President), Paul Blakeslee (Secretary), and Linda Russell (Treasurer), who joined me in leading the change, and for their time and expertise in making this transition smooth. We also appreciate Carrie Kiley, Rachel Kelleher, and Amy Bastic from The Academy for their administrative support over the past few years.
Welcome, New Board Members!
We’re excited to welcome our FY’25/26 team:
· Denise Gaudette (President-Elect)
· Melissa Page (Secretary)
· Kristen Vander Woude (Treasurer-Elect)
· Sarah Loring & Grace Violet-Hill (Membership Committee)
· Mona Therrien-Genest (Nominating and Awards Committee)
· Catherine Brown & Sarah Nutt (Student Representatives)
· Anna Titcomb (Nutrition Services Payment Specialist)
· Rachel Wilkinson-Bartlett (Conference Committee Chair)
We also have two new non-elected and non-appointed members lending us their expertise this year:
· Jane Sylvestre (Food and Nutrition Security Committee)
· Alexandria Gayton (Communications Committee - Social Media)
Looking Ahead
As we move into FY’25/26, we are focused on ensuring MAND’s viability and sustainability in a fiscally responsible way. We’re also excited about collaborations with our New England Affiliates to bring more value to members and attract new ones.
Thank you for trusting me to serve as President for another term. I’m thrilled to work with you all this year. If you enjoy being part of MAND, please spread the word and encourage others to join!
Laurie Copithorne
MS, MBA, RD(CDN), FDC
2025-2026 President
Follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Instagram #EatRightMaine, #MaineNutrition, #MaineDietetics
MAND Delegate Report
Hello from your Maine Delegate to the Academy’s House of Delegates (HOD)! If you are unfamiliar with the HOD, the purpose of the HOD is to serve as a voice of Academy members. Delegates are trained to take a holistic approach towards addressing views, beliefs, values, and self-interests of fellow constituencies in meetings and to participate in a collective dialogue that collaborates with the perspectives of other constituencies. When addressing professional issues in this way, delegates can understand the entire issue so they can make decisions based on the best interests of the profession. The HOD also oversees Academy bylaws and establishes qualifications for membership and dues structure.
I wanted to give you an update on each of the meetings I’ve attended since my last update this winter. Below you’ll find some notes from each meeting.
March House of Delegates Meeting: Position Statements and Professional Papers
The group was provided with pre-work to review the available position papers released by the Academy, and then discussed the rationale for these position statements and other professional documents in groups. We discussed how we use them in our practice and ways they could be more useful to members. We also gave suggestions for future position statements for the Academy to make.
May House of Delegates Meeting: Professional code of ethics
The focus of this meeting was to discuss the purpose of having a professional code of ethics, and what educational opportunities exist for members as well as future opportunities. We were provided a presentation by a lawyer and had the opportunity to ask questions. We then broke into small groups and discussed what professional development opportunities the Academy provides on ethics that already exist, which are most useful and why, as well as opportunities for future resources. We also discussed ways the Academy could communicate the available ethics-related resources to members. We also heard an update on the Academy’s Strategic Plan.
HOD 2025-2026 Year
The new year of the HOD began this month, so new delegates are being oriented and those of us who are not new are gearing up for a new season. If you ever have concerns facing our profession that you think the HOD should discuss, feel free to reach out to me. I may also reach out at times for your input on topics so I can be sure to represent our state appropriately. If you are ever interested in attending a HOD meeting as a proxy if I were to be unable to attend, please email me at maineanddelegate@gmail.com so I can reach out to you in the future if need be. Thank you again for trusting me to be your delegate, it is an honor to represent our affiliate, and I will continue to keep you informed this year.
MAND Public Policy Report
2025 Legislative Event & Dietitian Licensure Compact
The Public Policy Panel’s (PPP) annual legislative event was held on March 12th during National Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN) Day. This year, the Public Policy Panel and the University of Maine’s junior dietetic interns teamed up to table at the Hall of the Flags at the State House. Our main priority was discussing the importance of the passage of the Dietitian Licensure Compact with legislators. It was during the legislative event that several members of the PPP attended a work session for the Committee on Health Coverage, Insurance and Financial Services in support of LD 416: An Act to Enact the Dietitian Licensure Compact. Currently, Maine’s dietetic licensure board does not have the bandwidth to support the initiation of the compact in Maine, a major contributor to the bill dying in committee. The PPP is hopeful to reintroduce a similar bill in the following year once compact rules have been finalized by participating states. ( See Academy news below for an update on this initiative!). A special thank you to Representative Kristi Mathieson, RDN, for not only introducing the bill but also being an active advocate for advancing the dietetics profession. Her efforts made her the clear candidate for this year’s Policy Leadership award. Also, we would like to thank the multiple RDNs and dietetic interns who submitted written testimony for the licensure public hearing on March 5th. These efforts are moving us towards a healthier Maine!
Thank You to Our Members
The PPP has been lucky to have several dedicated members, including Mary Emerson and Rebecca Maclean, who have recently transitioned out of their roles as State Regulatory Specialist and State Policy Representative, respectively.
Mary has served as an asset for the PPP, bringing expertise that spans across policy and advocacy, the clinical world and school nutrition. Mary’s passion for school nutrition advocacy is deeply connected to her current role as a Food Service Director in Southern Maine’s school systems. Mary has been instrumental in shaping Maine’s dietetic licensure rules and ensuring RDNs have a voice in nutrition and health-related issues. Thank you, Mary and we’re grateful for having you continue to volunteer on the PPP!
Rebecca has been instrumental in advancing several key areas of the PPP. Her drive and dedication contributed to numerous successes, including the 2024 and 2025 Legislative Events and the introduction of LD 416: An Act to Enact the Dietitian Licensure Compact. In addition, she has played a vital role in strengthening membership engagement by delivering webinars to educate members on current legislation and advocacy efforts. We commend Rebecca for her valuable contributions and wish her all the best!
These important roles still need to be filled for the next year. If you are interested in learning more about either of these roles, please contact Kayla Parsons at maineandppc@gmail.com
MAND Communication Update
Connect with us!
An important goal for MAND is to communicate with our members through multiple channels. Here is a summary of how you might hear from us:
• Newsletter: This is created and posted to our website three times a year and provides updates on the actions of committees on the MAND board, and news of interest to nutrition professionals in our state.
•Website: https://www.eatrightmaine.org/ Check it out to find events, a jobs board, sections on advocacy and student resources, nutrition resources, and the current Board. There is a members-only section on the website with links to awards, scholarships, and volunteer opportunities. The member’s password is “strategy.”
• Email communications: These provide current news and information in a quick and concise format for easy reading. You can look for these twice a month-about the 10th and 25th.
• Social media: Follow us on LinkedIn- https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-maine-academy-of-nutrition- and-dietetics/and Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/eatrightmaine/
To share news with us, complete this “Nutrition News to Share” form here: https://forms.gle/8vbmrjzp8JBvvorN7
MAND 2025 Conference Recap
Nutrition Horizons: Advancing Practice and Research in Maine
This spring, the Maine Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics welcomed over 125 attendees to our annual conference held at the University of New England Innovation Hall in Portland, ME. The event brought together RDNS, NDTRs, and students to explore emerging topics in dietetics through engaging keynotes, practice-based research briefs, and valuable networking.
The day began with opening remarks followed by a dynamic keynote from Christina Badaracco, MPH, RDN, LDN, highlighting the implications of the Farm Bill for food systems and dietetic practice. The morning continued with the second year of our Research & Practice Briefs, spotlighting community-based interventions, nutrient-dense meal kits for college students, EFNEP social media engagement strategies, and mindful eating initiatives.
Toby Amidor, MS, RDN, CDN, FAND, led a mid-morning keynote examining the evolution and future of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. Attendees then enjoyed connecting over lunch, exploring sponsorship exhibits, and receiving updates from MAND and the Academy.
In the afternoon, a compelling keynote explored nutrition considerations for individuals on GLP1/GIP-RA medications by Mary Finckenor, MA, RDN, CDCES. Following, additional Clinical-based Research & Practice Briefs tackled challenges in surgical nutrition practices and highlighted the value of interprofessional nutrition education. The conference concluded with Sangeeta Pradhan, MEd, RD, LDN, CDCES, presenting on chrono-nutrition and circadian health.
With 6 CPEUs offered and a full day of learning and connection, the 2025 MAND Spring Conference reaffirmed the strength and innovation of Maine’s nutrition community.
MAND Awards
Each year MAND presents awards recipients to outstanding members to recognize their
contributions to our profession and our state. We are pleased to announce the 2025 winners of the Maine Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics annual nutrition and dietetic awards.
Outstanding Dietetic Student - This award is given to students enrolled in an ACEND-accredited dietetics education program, who has demonstrated academic achievement, leadership, and professional potential.
Congratulations to: Bryn Kubinsky (undergraduate)
Recognized Young Dietitian of the Year - This award is given to an RDN 35 years of age or younger who is active in the national, state, or district academy who demonstrated concern for the promotion of optimal health and nutritional status of the population and leadership.
Congratulations to: Lily Brickman, MS, RD, LD, NWCC
Recognized Nutrition and Dietetics Technician - This award is given to a DTR active in national, affiliate, or district who demonstrated concern for promoting optimal health and nutritional status of the population, and leadership.
Congratulations to: Emma L. Scott, DTR
Outstanding Dietitian of the Year - This award is given to an RDN who is active in the national or state Academy who has demonstrated leadership in the field of nutrition and helped our state meet the vision and mission of MAND.
Congratulations to: Paul A. Blakeslee, MS, RD-AP, LD, CNSC
2025 MAND Graduate Scholarship Recipient – Congratulations to: Shelby Dawn Stevens
What's New- The Academy
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