NH-ME LEND Program

03/20/2026

https://iod.unh.edu/blog/2026/03/family-experience-inspires-lend-sisters

Having a sibling with a disability often inspires a family member’s career path. Sarah Chevrefils (LEND 2014) and Emily Bourque (LEND 2017) both chose occupational therapy as their profession and they both undeniably attribute the course of their life’s work to their younger sister, Katie Bourqu...

03/18/2026

Today's Trainee Spotlight is on Maggie Mahoney -- an Occupational Therapy trainee! Maggie is a graduate student at the University of New Hampshire (UNH), where she is pursuing an accelerated doctoral degree in occupational therapy (OTD). She recently started a new position as a doctoral occupational student at the Cynthia Day Family Center within Harbor Care where she is developing and implementing an OT program for mothers in active substance recovery and their children (infancy to 3 years old) who were prenatally exposed to opioids.

Maggie completed her undergraduate studies at UNH, graduating with a bachelor's degree in occupational science. During Maggie’s time at UNH, she engaged in clinical activities in a variety of settings like community-based geriatric care and inpatient acute care at St. Anne's Hospital in Fall River, MA. Maggie has had many opportunities to advance her knowledge in occupational therapy outside the classroom setting. She traveled to Kenya, Africa to assist in creating interactive murals for children with disabilities. She also was a research assistant for a study using social assistive robots for individuals with Alzheimer's, and a teacher’s assistant for the UNH OT department for the last two years of school. Maggie worked as an intern for Seacoast Pathways as a mental health advisor.

Maggie joined the NH-ME LEND program eager to learn new skills in pediatric care. Her NH-ME LEND leadership placement is with occupational therapy at Cynthia Day Family Center.

03/12/2026

Today's Trainee Spotlight is on Jany Kayitesi -- a Family trainee! Jany holds a Master’s in Business Administration (Finance) from the Adventist University of Central Africa. Jany brings a strong academic background to complement Jany's hands-on expertise in managing complex operational and financial systems. Jany has demonstrated a capacity for adapting to evolving roles and navigating complex challenges throughout Jany's career. Having taken career breaks for personal and family commitments, Jany re-entered the workforce in 2021 after Covid with an enhanced perspective and renewed dedication to excellence in community-driven roles, and connecting and collaborating with others.

Currently serving as a Customer Service Leader at Hannaford Bros. Co., LLC, Jany has successfully overseen store operations, managed teams, including training new associates and managing customer service operations. This experience builds on previous roles in leadership, including mentoring young people. In earlier positions, Jany worked internationally directing project outreach and stakeholder engagement, coordinating office operations and financial activities, and contributing to financial oversight at various companies.

Jany is an experienced and multilingual professional with a strong foundation in community engagement, project management, human resources, and finance. Fluent in Kinyarwanda (native), English, French, and Swahili, Jany has a proven ability to bridge communication gaps across populations and create meaningful relationships, particularly in multicultural environments. As a parent of a child with speech delays, Jany hopes to learn advocacy skills within LEND. Jany also hopes to help other people understand that children with disabilities are not their label of disability, but children who need help. With a passion for advocating for children with special healthcare needs, Jany combines a robust technical skill set with a commitment to community and organizational success.

Jany's NH-ME LEND leadership project is with the University of Maine Center for Community Inclusion and Disability Studies!

03/06/2026

Today's Trainee Spotlight is on Lisa Rancourt -- a Family trainee! Lisa earned a PhD in organizational change from Walden University and her dissertation explored implied contracts with new, expecting, and breastfeeding parents in diverse workplaces. Lisa also holds a Master’s in Business from Husson University. She previously worked as an advertising manager at the Bangor Daily News where she innovated the newspaper’s approach to new media, classifieds and obituaries.

Lisa has been active in Scouting America, as a merit madge counselor, cubmaster and den leader. She coaches Special Olympics swimming, bocce and track and field. In her free time, Lisa enjoys art and likes to paint landscapes with watercolors and sometimes acrylics. Lisa enjoys traveling with her family, and Disney cruises. She loves to learn about new places and cultures. Lisa lived overseas in Norway, Belgium and attended school in Switzerland, where her love for international travel began. She has visited four continents with a life goal of visiting all seven. Some of her favorite travel experiences include the total solar eclipse in 2024 which she only had to travel one hour to see, viewing the Northern Lights from the arctic circle, and taking her son to a Canadian grocery store to practice his French. In the Summer Lisa enjoys swimming and boating at her family camp on Thompson Lake in Western Maine.

For her NH-ME LEND leadership project, Lisa is working with the University of Maine Center for Community Inclusion and Disability Studies with Dr. Cobo-Lewis!

03/04/2026

Today's Trainee Spotlight is on Melissa Whaley - a Family trainee! Melissa graduated from Wake Forest University with a Master’s in Divinity (MDiv) and from Clemson University with a Bachelor’s in English. She completed a residency at Atrium Health in Clinical Pastoral Education, with specialized study in the role of story in healing during crisis. For thirteen years, Melissa provided staff education and spiritual care to patients and families at end-of-life as a hospice chaplain.

Since moving to New Hampshire in 2022, Melissa has been exploring a vocational transition that utilizes her love of writing, pastoral care skills, and longtime interest in and deepening understanding of the neurodiversity movement. Her pursuits have been guided by relational-cultural theory in which community shapes individual reality and power with, not over, is key to transformation and health. She currently co-leads a mental health initiative at her church that promotes appropriate faith community engagement, destigmatization, and support for mental health challenges.

Melissa was diagnosed with autism at the age of 50 which has led to greater self-understanding and ability to self-advocate for all members of Melissa’s immediate family. The benefits of diagnosis and the challenges of addressing stigma, navigating medical and school systems, and doing life with differences in a neuro-normative world have long fueled and continue to guide Melissa’s advocacy.

For her NH-ME LEND leadership project, Melissa is working with Community Crossroads!

03/03/2026

Current LEND Trainee Julia Sabet and LEND director Sarah Smith are doing one-hour online research interviews with parents of children with disabilities about a family health survey. We are looking for about 5 more parents. See info below and email Julia ( julia.motlagh@unh.edu) and/or Sarah (s.smith@unh.edu) if you'd like to learn more.

The UNH Healthy Families Research Program in the Department of Occupational Therapy is conducting a research study examining the content validity of a newly developed assessment called the Healthy Families Inventory. We are looking for parents of children with special health care needs ages birth-17 to participate in a 60-minute online session in which they take the assessment and then participate in an interview about the tool. The interview will be audio recorded. Research participants who choose can be entered into a drawing for a $25 digital gift card.

If you want information about the research study more generally, please contact Sarah Smith s.smith@unh.edu, 603-862-2463. The inclusion of human participants within this study is approved by the University of New Hampshire’s Institutional Review Board IRB # FY2023-204.

02/27/2026

Trainee Spotlight: Linda Hansen, an education trainee! Linda holds a master’s degree in elementary education from UNH and has been a certified educator for over 20 years. She has taught in general education classrooms, as well as in specialized programs, on curriculum committees, and functioned as a team leader. These experiences have made her a more well-rounded educator with broad, insightful understanding of diverse individual needs and educational systems.

Linda is the mother of two adopted, neurodivergent children. Her personal and professional experiences have shaped her into a strong advocate grounded in perseverance and resilience. Inspired by her family’s journey, she is committed to promoting inclusion, flexibility, and understanding for all children.

For her NH-ME LEND leadership project, Linda is working with the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services, Bureau for Family Centered Services!

02/25/2026

Trainee Spotlight: Regina a self advocacy trainee! Regina received her associate’s degree in accounting from Northern Maine Community College. She is an active self-advocate with Speaking Up For Us (SUFU) where she has served as the Board Chair and currently is a member of the Maine Developmental Disabilities Council (MDDC) where she was recently appointed as Treasurer.

A graduate of the SUFU Leadership Development Program, Regina mentors other self-advocates. Regina served on Project Connect and was a poster project presenter at the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) conference for health care providers in 2024.

This year, Regina is completing her NH-ME LEND leadership placement project at the Maine Educational Center for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing.

02/24/2026

Registration is now open for the Nationwide Children's Family ECHO: Autism session, Understanding Autism Research: Why It Matters and How Families Can Get Involved

Join the series as we build knowledge and confidence for families and caregivers raising children with autism and other developmental disabilities, ultimately empowering them with tools to support their children.

02/20/2026

Trainee spotlight time: Julia our nutrition trainee! Julia holds a Bachelor of Science in Biology from the University of New England and a Master of Science and PhD in Nutrition from Tufts University. She has been working as a nutrition scientist for 11 years and has worked in both academia and the dietary supplement industry, conducting research related to cancer prevention, gut health, mental health, and joint health. She is now working as an independent science consultant for food, beverage, and dietary supplement companies.

This year, Julia is completing her NH-ME LEND leadership project conducting family health research in Dr. Sarah Smith's Healthy Families Research Program!

02/18/2026

Welcome to our trainee spotlight launch in which we highlight a few trainees each week! First up Cara, a social work trainee! Cara is a Master of Social Work student at UNH, where she previously earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Painting and Drawing, along with a certificate in Coaching Children and Youth.

With ten years of experience designing and facilitating group-based youth development programs, Cara has developed a strong foundation in leadership, program management, and community of care approaches.

Cara is working with the NH Council on Developmental Disabilities for the NH-ME LEND leadership project!

02/13/2026

At this year's NH-ME LEND Spring Policy Kickoff event we welcomed two speakers, followed by a panel discussion and Q&A with local state representatives and disability rights advocates.

Thank you to our speakers ✨ Atlee Reilly, managing attorney at Disability Rights Maine, and Sarah Sadowski, project director with NH Leadership Series, UNH Institute on Disability, for sharing your impactful experiences. ✨

We also are grateful to this year's NH-ME LEND Spring Kickoff panel✨ Maine Senator Marianne Moore (R), Maine Representative Kelly Noonan Murphy (D), New Hampshire Representative Wayne Burton (D), and disability advocate and ABLE NH president, Alex Beachner. ✨

Thank you all for supporting the NH-ME LEND program and its mission.