UNE LEND team attends national advocacy conference

LEND conference
Maine LEND attendees at AUCD Conference

UNE was well-represented at the Association of University Centers on Disabilities (AUCD) conference, held November 5-8 in Washington, D.C. The conference emphasized the critical importance of communication and advocacy on both the collective and personal levels.

Attendees took part in networking sessions, guest speaker presentations, policy committee luncheons and regional meetings on strategy, advocacy, and programs. The conference concluded with Capitol Hill policy meetings where LEND leaders met with Senator Angus King and Representative Chellie Pingree.

“I was incredibly impressed by the individuals I heard from and spoke to,” said LEND trainee Matt Pascarella. “Many sessions had a range of people with developmental disabilities speaking about their experiences. They are incredible advocates for themselves, speaking out to make sure those with disabilities are being heard.”

Attendees from UNE included LEND Director Eileen Ricci, PT, D.P.T., M.S., P.C.S., LEND Training Director Kathryn Loukas, OTD, M.S., OTR/L, FAOTA, Valerie Jones, LMSW, assistant clinical professor of Social Work, and trainees Emily Gall (D.P.T. ’18), Kim Humphrey, M.P.H., Matt Pascarella and Melissa Ward. LEND practitioners included Laurie Mack, M.A., CCC-SLP of Northeast Hearing and Speech.

 

To learn more about the Maine LEND program, visit www.une.edu/LEND

To apply, visit www.une.edu/admissions

Poster presentation on "Little Lifted Voices: Transdisciplinary Playgroup as Inclusive, Family-Centered, Early Intervention."
Poster presentation on "Little Lifted Voices: Transdisciplinary Playgroup as Inclusive, Family-Centered, Early Intervention."
Kim Humphrey and Senator Angus King
Kim Humphrey and Senator Angus King

About the University of New England

The University of New England is Maine’s largest independent university, with two beautiful coastal campuses in Maine, a one-of-a-kind study abroad campus in Tangier, Morocco, and an array of flexible, accredited online degrees. In an uncommonly welcoming and supportive community, we offer hands-on learning, empowering students to make a positive impact in a world full of challenges. The state’s top provider of health professionals, we are home to Maine’s only medical college, Maine’s only dental college, a variety of other interprofessionally aligned health care degree programs, as well as nationally recognized programs for marine science degrees, natural and social sciences degrees, arts and humanities degrees, and business degrees.