Dear friends and colleagues,
Thank you to all attendees who participated in our Spring Conference, held from April 3rd to 5th, 2025, at the Westin Portland Harborview in Portland, Maine. The conference was a resounding success.
Attendees enthusiastically embraced the theme of “Amplify Your Voice!” The conference featured a diverse range of activities, including the opening circle led by students, musical performances by new professionals during the closing circle, and a keynote panel discussion by allied health professionals sharing their experiences and perspectives on music therapy.
We are pleased to report that the conference attracted 215 attendees, including 88 students. Twenty-four concurrent sessions were offered, and four Certified Music Therapy Education (CMTE) courses were conducted, with an average of 5-8 attendees per course. Additionally, eight vendors and eight sponsors participated in the event.
The conference provided opportunities for attendees to connect through affinity group meetings, including those for the Asian Music Therapy Network, Latin American Music Therapy Network, and LGBTQIA2+ Group. Community spaces were also available for attendees to engage in various activities, such as a NER State Recognition: Task Force Updates meeting hosted by Judy Simpson and Dena Register, an Evening Yoga session led by Krystal Demaine, a lively LAMTN Dance Party, and an open jam session and open self-care art and music listening experience implemented by Wendy Krueger on Saturday. Furthermore, we enhanced engagement by reinstating the Instrument Yard Sale and collaborating on shared playlists (more details forthcoming on social media).
The conference was meticulously planned and executed by Vice President Mary Reinsch and Vice President-Elect Emily Hawley, with valuable support from Wendy Krueger, Brian Jantz, Kate Beever, Cathy Kang, Meredith Pizzi, Cecilia Burns, LeeAnn Guidry, Brandon Benguaich, Kathlynn Sell-Benguaich, Amanda Reopell, Eve Montague, Lisa El-Lakis, A.J. Gaudreau, and Caryl Beth Thomas. We received overwhelmingly positive feedback from registrants regarding the quality and diversity of course content and the engaging presentations.
For those who were unable to attend, the draft minutes of the General Membership Meeting held on Friday, April 4th, are available for your reference here.
The conference offers valuable insights and takeaways that can inspire, comfort, and educate individuals regardless of their attendance.
NER-AMTAS
NER-AMTAS board members facilitated an exciting and well-organized Opening Session which included a toning exercise, percussion experience, and a song led by trey legall called “Ubuntu” (translation: I Am Because We Are) with approximately 100 participants. The students of our region also elected a new board, many of whom will replace graduating students. We will be updating our website shortly to reflect these changes. We also met with NER-AMTAS board members to discuss ways that the professional Executive Board can help support them individually, as they continue or take on leadership roles. Students from every music therapy program in New England were present (88 students attended)!
NER-AMTAS Student Board:
President: Caera Duffy, Westfield State
President-Elect: Ella Welch, Westfield State
VP of Berklee: Jam Portisch, Berklee
VP of SCSU: Lindsay Brown, SCSU
VP of URI: Allison Campbell, URI
VP of Westfield: Maddy Kolb, Westfield State
VP of Lesley: VACANT
Secretary: Samantha LaGrasse, URI
Treasurer: Ella Hamel, Westfield State
Chair, Advocacy: Jonah Gangi, Berklee
Chair, Public Relations: Joey-Lynn Mills, Westfield State
Parliamentarian: Benny Rosas, Westfield State
KEYNOTE PANEL LUNCHTIME DISCUSSION
This year’s keynote luncheon featured allied health professionals sharing their experiences, expertise, and perspectives with us. We would like to express our sincere gratitude to Margaret Flynn Greelish, OTD, OTR/L; Leanna W. Katz, OT, OTD, OTR; Jessica Heirtzler, MS, CCLS; and Frank W. Harris, MSN, RN, CPN for their valuable time, contributions, and knowledge. The panel engaged in a series of thoughtful discussions, led by Cathy Kang, on various topics related to music therapy from the viewpoint of allied health professionals.
ACCOUNTABILITY PLAN
Last year, we implemented a new initiative to both enforce the conference code of conduct (which attendees were required to acknowledge via Google form at registration) and provide additional emotional support to those in need. The Conference Accountability Plan continued this year, with President Wendy Krueger and I on call from Thursday evening to Saturday afternoon. Additionally, a colleague with mental health counseling credentials volunteered to be available in case their guidance or expertise was required. Fortunately, the mental health volunteer was not required to assist, but the phone number we provided was utilized by attendees for various purposes. We believe this program was a success and will facilitate (and enhance) it again next year.
AWARDS
At the General Membership Meeting on April 4th, a number of awards were given.
Two NER Presidential Service Awards were given:
Jen DeBedout received an award for her leadership in cultivating music therapy in the state of Vermont over the last 30 years through clinical work and education, and serving NER and AMTA in a variety of roles, including on the Ethics committee for a number of years.
Eve Montague received an award for her impact and achievements in service to NER and AMTA by her 25 year commitment to the Association Internship Approval Committee (AIAC), as a past president of NER, and for her 39 year music therapy career working with people across the lifespan, including as a clinical supervisor to students and interns.
A number of students were awarded membership scholarships by AMTA. By school, the students awarded were:
Lesley
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Returning Student: Emma Smith
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Graduating Student: Chelsea Ventura
Berklee
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Returning Student: Jonah Gangi
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Graduating Student: Wendy Feng
Westfield
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Returning Student: Priscilla Oluokun
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Graduating Student: Dustin Stasinos
Southern Connecticut
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Returning Student: Lindsay Brown
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Graduating Student: Alexis Sorrell
Univ. Rhode Island
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Returning Student: Emma Schwab
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Graduating Student: Samuel Giunta
Congratulations!
PLANS FOR NEXT YEAR
We remain committed to enhancing the accessibility of our conferences annually. I would like to highlight that our selection of Portland, Maine, was particularly driven by its accessibility. Approximately 30 attendees utilized public transportation to travel to Maine and participate in the conference. Further, we are actively seeking a suitable conference venue for 2026 that aligns with the size and characteristics of our region, accommodates student participation, and is financially viable.
NER BOARD
During the business meeting held on April 4, AMTA members residing in the region participated in the election of new leadership. I would like to extend my warm welcome to both the new and returning voices that have joined the NER Board. A full list of NER board members and vacancies can be found here. If you are interested in serving on the board, please do not hesitate to contact me.
President Elect: Krystal Demaine, Ph.D., MT-BC, REAT, RYT, CTRS-C
Immediate Past President: Wendy Krueger, MA, MT-BC
Vice President: Emily Hawley, MT-BC
Vice President-Elect: Ali Ilaria, MT-BC
Secretary: KT Bagley, MT-BC
Treasurer: Erika Lowenthal, MT-BC
Assembly Delegates: Wendy Krueger, MA, MT-BC
Eve Montague, MSM, MT-BC
Tim Honig, PhD, MT-BC
Meredith Pizzi, MPA, MT-BC
Incoming Delegates: Shannon Laine, MM, MT-BC
As of 1/1/26 Meredith Pizzi, MPA, MT-BC
Leticia Prieto Alvarez, PhD, MT-BC
Cecilia Burns, MMT, MT-BC
Alternate Delegates: Evy Amato, MS, MT-BC
LeeAnn Guidry, MT-BC, MMT, NMT, LPMT
Sophia Paravalos, MT-BC
Hayley Jang, MA, MT-BC
Sarah Sacala, MT-BC
In conclusion, we extend our heartfelt thanks to everyone who contributed to making this year’s Spring Conference a success. Your participation, whether as an attendee, organizer, or sponsor, played a vital role in creating an enriching and inclusive event. We are proud of the connections and collaborations that emerged, and we hope to continue fostering this vibrant community in the years to come.
Looking ahead, we remain dedicated to enhancing the accessibility and quality of our conferences, ensuring that they serve as a platform for growth, learning, and inspiration. We eagerly anticipate sharing more details about our future endeavors and conference plans for 2026.
Thank you for being an essential part of the NER-AMTA community. We look forward to seeing the positive impact you will continue to make in the field of music therapy.
Warm regards,
Shannon