Redefining Memory Loss
We invite you to join us on June 9th, 2026!
The Redefining Memory Loss Conference is an annual event hosted by Memory Cafe of the Red River Valley. This unique and local conference provides attendees the opportunity to learn from leading dementia experts. This conference is for healthcare professionals, care partners, person’s living with mild cognitive impairment or early-stage dementia, and those interested in improving the quality of life for the memory loss community.
Thank you to our speakers from Mayo Clinic (Dr. Stuart McCarter and Angela Lunde, MA) and to all who made our 2025 RML Conference an outstanding success!
Save the date for next year’s conference – June 9th, 2026.
Images courtesy of: Studio Freshly Photography
Redefining Memory Loss Conference
June 3rd, 2025 | 8:00 AM – 4:30 PM | Holiday Inn | Fargo, ND
We invite you to join us on June 3rd for our Redefining Memory Loss Conference. This year’s conference is for community members, individuals living with memory loss, caregivers and professionals. We will have keynote and breakout sessions offered at the conference.
We are thrilled to announce Dr. Stuart McCarter and Angela Lunde, M.A. as our keynote speakers and Nicole Holzworth, OTR/L and Joan Danks, CTRS as additional breakout session speakers.
Meet Our Keynote Speakers
Stuart McCarter, M.D., is an Assistant Professor of Neurology in the Department of Neurology, Division of Behavioral Neurology and Center for Sleep Medicine at Mayo Clinic, Rochester and has been awarded a Top Performer Award for his dedication to patient care. His primary clinical interest focuses on neurodegenerative cognitive disorders and the relationship between sleep and neurodegenerative diseases while treating a wide spectrum of cognitive disorders including dementia with Lewy bodies, Alzheimer’s disease, frontotemporal dementia, progressive supranuclear palsy and corticobasal degeneration. In addition, his research focuses on the development of clinical trials evaluating interventions to stop or slow progressive neurodegenerative disease. Dr. McCarter has authored 70 original peer-reviewed Pub Med articles along with 4 book chapters with his research being recognized both nationally and internationally.
Angela Lunde is an Associate in Neurology and co-investigator in the Mayo Clinic Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center. She has spent her career alongside persons living with dementia and caregivers who have mentored her toward an empathetic understanding of the lived experience of dementia and the role of caregiving. Her numerous scientific contributions focus on care and support research including cognitive rehabilitation and behavioral interventions that can optimize quality of life. She co-authored the Mayo Clinic on Alzheimer’s Disease and other dementias (2020, Mayo Clinic Press) and authored the book, Day to Day Living with Dementia: A Guide for Caregivers (2022, Mayo Clinic Press). Ms. Lunde has training in mindfulness-based therapies including Mindfulness Based Dementia Care (MBDC), grief and loss, wellness coaching, Dignity Therapy ® and yoga. She is a faculty member at The Presence Care Project, offering mindfulness-based programs that aim to promote greater ease, enhanced well-being, and resilience for people caring for those who are living with mild cognitive impairment and dementia.
Meet Our Breakout Speakers
* Special Note – Dr. Stuart McCarter and Angela Lunde, M.A. will also be offering breakout sessions
Nicole Holzworth, OTR/L, grew up in Bismarck, ND. She attended the University of Mary and received a degree in Occupational Therapy in 1999. She worked for 25 years as an Occupational Therapist in a variety of settings including Mayo Health Systems in Rochester, MN, St. Luke’s Duluth, MN, for the past 10 years at Essentia Health Fargo, ND and in the last 2 years she added contract work at Valley Chrisitan Counseling & Wellness to her schedule. She has specialized in cognitive therapy over the years and worked in outpatient acquired brain injury setting for 10 years while at Mayo. She has helped to develop a concussion program at Essentia Health and enjoy learning and speaking about our amazing brains.
Joan Danks, CTRS, serves as the ND Program Director for the Alzheimer’s Association. She holds a BA in Recreational Therapy and is a nationally Certified Therapeutic Recreation Therapist. With over 13 years of experience in direct care and leadership roles within rehabilitation hospitals, residential facilities, and skilled nursing settings, Joan has worked with diverse populations. Her expertise includes individuals living with dementia, mental health diagnoses, and traumatic brain injuries. Throughout her career, Joan has been dedicated to serving those in need, empowering them to find joy, comfort and strength during challenging times.
Agenda
8:00 AM
Registration, light breakfast refreshments, Vendor Fair
9:00 AM
Welcome
9:15 AM
Understanding Dementia in 2025 with Keynote Speaker Dr. Stuart McCarter
10:15 AM
Break and Vendor Fair
10:45 AM
Breakout Session 1
Three Sessions Available:
1. Overview of New Treatments in Alzheimer’s Disease with Dr. Stuart McCarter. (Recommended for Medical Professionals)
2. How Do I Live This? with Nicky Holzworth, OT (Recommended for those living with memory concerns and care partners).
3. Activity Planning for People Living with Dementia with Joan Danks, CTRS (recommended for staff of homecare teams, long term care providers, etc.).
12:00 PM
Lunch and Vendor Fair
12:45 PM
Memory Cafe Video and Testimony
1:00 PM – 2:15 PM
Breakout Session 2
Two Sessions Available:
1. Ask the Doctor with Dr. Stuart McCarter (recommended for care partners and those living with memory concerns).
2. Beyond Medications: Reducing Behaviors that Challenge us in Persons Living with Dementia with Angela Lunde, MA (recommended for Medical Professionals).
2:15 PM
Break and Light Refreshments
2:35 PM
Giveaway Drawings
3:00 PM
The Practice of Self-Kindness with Keynote Speaker Angela Lunde
4:00 PM
Raffle Drawings and Final Thank You
4:30 PM
Adjourn
Conference Pricing
| Cost | Before May 6 | After May 6 |
| Community Members | $55 | $65 |
| Community Group Rate | $45 – fill a table of 6 | |
| Professionals | $75 | $85 |
| Professional Group Rate | $65 – fill a table of 6 |
Education Credits: The conference is approved for up to 4.5 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™, thanks to our generous partner at Essentia Health.
People who are forgetting should not be forgotten.