Recognizing Outstanding Physician Advocacy: 2026 MMA/MOA Legislative Champion

“Through advocacy, you can save a life without ever seeing a patient.”

The Maine Medical Association and Maine Osteopathic Association Legislative Champion Award recognizes physicians who demonstrate an outstanding commitment to advancing the health and well-being of Maine people and communities through advocacy.

This year, we are incredibly proud to recognize Lani Graham, MD, MPH, as the 2026 Legislative Champion.

For Dr. Graham, advocacy has always been closely tied to medicine and public service. Raised in a family deeply engaged in civic life, she learned early on that she had a responsibility to her community that went well beyond making a living or taking care of loved ones.

“I think in some ways, for me, advocacy was almost a family business,” she shared.

Her father served in both the Maine House and Senate, making legislative engagement a familiar part of life. As Dr. Graham pursued careers in both clinical medicine and public health, that early understanding of service evolved into a longstanding commitment to health policy and community leadership.

“One of my greatest honors was being Public Health Director for the state of Maine,” she said. “That role required me to go into the Legislature on a regular basis and advocate for various health issues in support of Maine physicians and people.”

Throughout her career, Dr. Graham has worked on a broad range of issues, including preventive care, public health infrastructure, environmental health, suicide prevention, health equity, and access to care. Her work reflects a longstanding belief that health outcomes are shaped by far more than clinical care alone.

“As clinicians, we understand that health is shaped beyond the walls of hospitals and clinics,” Dr. Graham shared. That philosophy continues to guide her work today.

“If, through legislation, you can persuade the government to make simple screening tests available, lives can be saved,” she said. “If a physician can refer a patient for government-supported medical care, lives can be saved. These are all actions that depend on advocacy.”

Dr. Graham believes physicians bring a unique and important perspective to legislative and policy conversations, one grounded not only in medical expertise, but in the lived experiences of patients and communities. “Personal stories are what make legislation live or die,” she said. “Physicians come with both personal experience and medical knowledge.”

She points to examples physicians encounter every day: patients skipping meals to afford medications, families traveling hours to access care, or children harmed by preventable injuries. “Sharing those stories”, she says, “can influence policy in ways data alone cannot.”

“I do believe it is easier than you might think to make a big difference,” she said. “And you don’t have to go to the Legislature to be an advocate.”

Dr. Graham encourages physicians and healthcare professionals at every stage of their careers to consider ways they can engage, whether through testimony, conversations with legislators, letters to the editor, or participation in organized advocacy efforts through MMA and MOA.

“When I see physicians in practice attending hearings or participating in legislative sessions, I am seeing advocacy heroes,” she said.

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As MMA and MOA recognize Dr. Graham as the 2026 Legislative Champion, her reflections serve as a reminder that physician voices matter not only in hospitals and clinics but in the policies and decisions that shape well-being for communities across the state.

We are grateful to Dr. Graham and to all physicians actively engaged in advocacy efforts, supporting patients, communities, and the future of medicine in Maine.