Keynote Speakers 2024

IMPROVING TODAY CHANGING TOMORROW

BETSY SWEET, Keynote Speaker Friday October 18, 2024

Betsy is the founder and Principal of Moose Ridge Associates, one of Maine’s leading progressive lobbying firms since 1990, specializing in governmental affairs, lobbying and grassroots advocacy. A legislative advocate at the State House for thirty years, Sweet has developed and implemented strategy and legislation for many non-profit social service and environmental clients. She can list hundreds of pieces of successful legislation to her credit. She is also known around the statehouse as one of the most effective advocates and experts on the state budget and funding services for Maine people who need them. Additional benchmarks include founder of the Dirigo Alliance, founding member of the Maine Council on Economic Priorities, founder of the Women’s Legislative Agenda Coalition, and “Maine Can Do Better”. She was the former Director of the Maine Women’s Lobby and the Maine Commission for Women. Betsy managed a successful Congressional campaign in 1990 and has assisted in numerous legislative races and electoral campaigns. She worked as a lobbyist in Washington for national women’s organization from 1978 through 1983. Off session, Sweet serves as a hate crime and sexual harassment prevention trainer, facilitator and organizational development consultant. Recently, she got her Master’s Degree in Spiritual Psychology and Energy Healing at the University of Santa Monica and has a healing practice and consulting business. She is the mother of 3 spectacular adult daughters whom she lives with in Hallowell, Maine.

LOGISTICS and ETHICS OF INDEPENDENT PRACTICE

DAN RICHARDS, Keynote Speaker Thursday October 17, 2024

Dan Richards PhD, LCPC,NCC has been in private practice for over 50 years. His book “Building and Managing Your Private Practice,” was one of the first books published on Private Practice. He wrote for a monthly newsletter on issues of private practice and counseling. He has written more than 50 articles on counseling, and has given over 75 workshops and trainings on a wide variety of mental health and counseling issues throughout the US and Canada. He has also served on several professional boards and was the founder and president of the Maine Mental Health Counselors Association.

Thank you for joining us, Betsy & Dan!