10/01/2026
University of New England UNE Center to Advance Interprofessional Education and Practice Coordinator Michelle Cote, B.A. attended the 2026 CHANGE AGEnt Summit hosted by Maine Council on Aging (MCOA) Wednesday, Sept. 30 at University of Southern Maine.
Keynote speaker Dr. Somava Saha, President and CEO of Well-Being and Equity on the World (WE in the World) incorporated tremendous focus on collaboration and community throughout her presentation, which set the stage for a day driven by sessions woven together with themes of inclusion, ‘better together than apart’ and public health.
MCOA Board Member and former University of New England Faculty Frank Brooks gave welcome remarks alongside community members who shared profound stories (Did you know that those with age-positive outlooks live an average of 7.5 years longer?)
University of New England College of Osteopathic Medicine faculty Marilyn Gugliucci was recognized as an MCOA Board Member.
A special Trailblazing Award was presented to Regina Phillips, M.S.W. ’17 of Cross Cultural Community Services, who is University of New England alumnae and former faculty, who has presented on numerous interprofessional collaborations at the university.
Stories about intergenerational communities often touched metaphorically upon core IPE competencies, including understanding one another’s values and ethics, roles and responsibilities, with the oft-repeated remark: “How can we do more together than we do alone?” as a call to action about bridging silos for healthier outcomes and communities.
