Jack Mitchell is the 2022-23 president of the National Funeral Directors Association.

Jack is a sixth-generation funeral director with Mitchell-Wiedefeld Funeral Home in Baltimore, Maryland. He has also operated John O. Mitchell IV Funeral Services of Dulaney Valley since 2007, when he and his father became the owners of Dulaney Valley Memorial Gardens.

Jack has extensive experience serving on committees with both the Maryland State Funeral Directors Association (MSFDA) and NFDA. He is a past president of MSFDA and is Maryland’s former representative to the NFDA Policy Board.

Nationally, Jack has served on the NFDA Advocacy Committee, Budget Task Force, Convention Education Task Force, Spokesperson Team and Cemetery Resources Work Group. He previously served as an at-large representative on the NFDA Board of Directors.

Jack graduated from McDonogh School in 1989; he went on to serve as president of the school’s Alumni Association for the 2007-2008 term and served on the Board of Trustees from 2011 to 2019. He graduated from Lehigh University in 1993 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Management, and from Catonsville Community College in 1995 with an Associate in Arts degree in Mortuary Science.

Business Information
Mitchell-Wiedefeld Funeral Home
6500 York Rd.
Baltimore, MD 21212
Phone: 410-377-8300

Dutch Nie is a 2022-23 president-elect to the National Funeral Directors Association Board of Directors.

He is a second-generation funeral director who grew up in the residence above his family’s funeral home, Nie Family Funeral Home & Cremation Service in Ann Arbor, Michigan, and has worked every position in the funeral home – car washer, lawn mower, manager – and now is the owner of the family multi-location funeral business. He has always felt that these experiences not only helped him understand and appreciate how funeral service affects the families he serves, but also the effect on his funeral home family who serve them.

Dutch is a dedicated member of the Michigan Funeral Directors Association serving on many committees as well as all of the offices from district officer to state president. He is very proud of his tenure with the MFDA board, especially his role in establishing a leadership model during his presidency that increased membership, reduced member apathy and boosted member engagement.

On a national level, Dutch has previously served on the NFDA Board of Directors as an at-large representative and secretary. He has also served NFDA as a member of the Disaster Preparedness Task Force, Convention Education Task Force, Advocacy Committee, Audit Task Force, Budget Task Force and Spokesperson Team. 

Dutch is a proud US Air Force veteran and an active member of the American Legion and VFW and has vast experience serving and working on many executive boards, including those of service clubs, non-profits and education organizations in the Ann Arbor-area.

Business Information
Nie Family Funeral Home & Cremation Service
2400 Carpenter Road
Ann Arbor, MI 48108
Phone: 734-971-2345

Christopher Robinson is the 2022-2023 treasurer to the National Funeral Directors Association Board of Directors. He is secretary of NFDA.

Christopher’s roots in funeral service date to a summer job in high school digging graves by hand. After graduating cum laude from Washington and Lee University with a bachelor’s degree in German and European History and a master’s degree in international business from the University of South Carolina, he worked in the international banking industry.

During this time, Christopher’s father continued to expand the family’s funeral business. With no other siblings working alongside his father, Christopher left the banking industry and returned to his grave-digging roots to become a licensed funeral director and embalmer at Robinson Funeral Homes in Easley, South Carolina.

Christopher has been a dedicated member of the South Carolina Funeral Directors Association, serving in the state officer positions. His service to his state association culminated with a term as president.

A devoted member of NFDA, Christopher has represented the state of South Carolina on the Policy Board. Prior to serving as Secretary of NFDA, from 2018-2021, Chris served as an at-large representative on the Board of Directors. 

Chris has also served as a member of the Convention Education Task Force, Spokesperson Team, Headquarters Operations Committee, Audit Task Force, Advocacy Committee and the Associate Membership Committee. In addition, Christopher serves as NFDA’s representative to the Curriculum Committee of the American Board of Funeral Service Committee; he also is the NFDA liaison on the Funeral Service Foundation Board of Trustees where he serves on the Executive Committee, Grants Committee and Board Development Committee.

Business Information
Robinson Funeral Home
PO Box 387
Easley, SC 29641
Phone: 864-859-4001

Randy Anderson is the 2022-23 immediate past-president of the National Funeral Directors Association.

Randy is a first-generation funeral director, is owner of Radney's Funeral Home in Alexander City, Alabama, and Langley Funeral Home in Camp Hill, Alabama.

Randy has served the Alabama Funeral Directors Association (AFDA) in a number of capacities, including as a member of several committees. He was a member of AFDA's board of directors and held the positions of secretary/treasurer, vice president, president-elect and president. Anderson was a member of the Funeral Trust of Alabama Board of Directors.

Nationally, Randy has extensive volunteer experience with NFDA. In addition to service on the Advocacy Committee, Budget Taskforce, Spokesperson Team, Pursuit of Excellence Work Group, Governance Committee and Convention Education Task Force, he was Alabama's representative to the Policy Board. He also served as an at-large representative (2012-2014 and 2015-2017) and secretary on the NFDA Board of Directors. Randy was a member of the work group that developed the NFDA Business Conference and is an active participant in the Pursuit of Excellence Award Program.

Randy enjoys giving back to his community and has volunteered his time with organizations such as Meals on Wheels, the Salvation Army, the United Way and the Horseshoe Bend High School Athletic Club. He previously served as a member and chairman of the Tallapoosa County Board of Education and as a member of the Alexander City Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors.

Business Information
Radney's Funeral Home, Inc.
1326 Dadeville Rd.
Alexander City, Alabama 35010
Phone: 256-234-2511

Dan Ford is the 2022-23 secretary on the NFDA Board of Directors.

Dan comes from a funeral service family and always knew he wanted to be part of the profession. Ford recognizes the importance of being engaged in his chosen profession and has served NFDA and the Connecticut Funeral Directors Association as a volunteer and leader in a number of ways. His service to the association in his home state culminated with his term as president in 2009.

Dan previously served as Connecticut’s representative to the NFDA Policy Board. He has also served on NFDA’s Audit Task Force, Disaster Response Work Group, Convention Education Task Force, Budget Task Force, Spokesperson Team and Headquarters Operations Committee.

Business Information
Alderson-Ford Funeral Homes, Inc.
65 Pound Ridge Road
Cheshire, CT 06410
Phone: 203-272-3069

Chris Christian is a 2021-2023 at-large representative on the NFDA Board of Directors. 

Chris, who is the co-owner of Christian-Sells Funeral Home in Rogersville, Tennessee, is a first-generation funeral director who began working in the profession at age 15. He has been a dedicated leader in the funeral profession, having served in many roles with the Tennessee Funeral Directors Association, including a term as president. 

Chris has also been active with NFDA for many years, having served as the Tennessee representative to the NFDA Policy Board. He has also served a member of the Budget Task Force, Spokesperson Team, and Audit Task Force. 

Business Information:
Christian-Sells Funeral Home
520 E. Main St.
Rogersville, TN
Phone: 423-272-0555

Bea Lewanduski-Lecesse is a 2021-2023 at-large representative on the NFDA Board of Directors. 

Bea has been a funeral director for more than 40 years and currently serves as the manager of D'Andrea Bros. Funeral Home in Copiague, New York.  A passionate funeral service volunteer, Bea has been a dedicatedly involved with her local and state associations having served in all offices through the Presidencies of the Nassau-Suffolk and New York State Funeral Directors Associations and remains an active member of both, serving as Chair of the Constitution and Bylaws Committees.

Nationally, Bea has served NFDA in many ways over the years, including serving as her state’s representative to the Policy Board. She has also served on the NFDA Advocacy Committee, Spokesperson Team, Audit Task Force and Budget Task Force. 

A community volunteer, Bea is a 25-year member of Lions and currently serves as Secretary of the Deer Park Lions Club; a Cantor at Our Lady of Grace R.C. Church in West Babylon and a Director of the Copiague Chamber of Commerce.  She recently completed 10 years of service to Deer Park Girl Scouts.

Business Information:
D'Andrea Brothers Funeral Home Inc.
99 Oak St.
Copiague, NY
Phone: 631-691-5700

Brad Walker is a 2022-2024 at-large representative on the NFDA Board of Directors.

Brad is a third-generation funeral director. He co-owns and operates Walker Funeral Homes in Spanish Fork and Payson, Utah. He loves serving in his community and helping families at their time of need. Brad is passionate about funeral service and helping to elevate the funeral profession.

Education is an important aspect to Brad, and he continually strives to further his education. He has Associate Degrees in Biology and Mortuary Science. He also has a bachelor’s degree in Psychology and a master’s degree in Business Administration. He has utilized opportunities through NFDA to become a Certified Crematory Operator and a Certified Preplanning Consultant. He has also received the designation of a Certified Funeral Service Practitioner. Brad has also tried to give back through educating others and has taught at the Salt Lake Community College Mortuary Science Program as an adjunct professor and is a regular guest lecturer at Brigham Young University.

Brad has been an active volunteer leader with his state and national associations. His service to The Utah Funeral Directors Association (UFDA) includes serving as a District Representative, Secretary-Treasurer, Vice President, President-Elect, and President of the Association's Board of Directors. He also served as chair of the Utah Funeral Directors Association (UFDA) Legislative Committee and is proud of the work he was able to do. He has also served at the national level serving as a member of NFDA's Task Force Committee.

Steve Spann is a 2022- 2024 at-large representative on the NFDA Board of Directors.

Bobby Steven Spann, CFSP, has been a funeral director for more than 40 years and currently owns Spann Funeral Home in Dickson, Tennessee, and Humphreys County Funeral Home in Waverly, Tennessee. Spann has served as President of John A. Gupton College of Mortuary Science since 1994.

Spann is a dedicated volunteer leader in the funeral service profession. He has served in many leadership roles with the Tennessee Funeral Directors Association (TFDA), including as chair of the Education Committee and Chair of the Alkaline Hydrolysis Sub-Committee. His service to TFDA also included serving on the Board of Directors, culminating with a term as the 2016-17 President.

His national service is equally admirable, having served from 2018 to 2021 on the NFDA Convention Education Task Force. He has also been a member of the American Board of Funeral Service Education (ABFSE) since 1994 and has served on the Curriculum Review Committee as chair of the National Board Exam Liaison Committee and as chair of the Committee on Accreditation. Spann is a Past President of the University Mortuary Science Education Association and the current Treasurer of the University Mortuary Science Education Association.