April 28 – 30, 2024 | Savannah, GA
150 dedicated women in funeral service met in Savannah, Georgia for inspiration, learning, and comradery. Special thanks to The Funeral Service Foundation for making the conference even more accessible by offering 22 all-inclusive David C. Baue NFDA Professional Women's Conference Scholarships.
Speakers
Vera Stewart
Vera Stewart is a nationally recognized TV personality, cookbook author and entrepreneur whose career in the food and hospitality industries span nearly four decades. She is an accomplished speaker and covers a wide variety of topics, all of which are motivational. Vera’s philosophy is based on a winning attitude and passion for perfection. She currently has the cooking and lifestyle show The VeryVera Show, the VeryVera Cookbook Series, and VeryVera Cooking Camp, and VERA, a catering, concierge, and hospitality service for patrons of the Master tournament in Augusta, Georgia.
Lesley Witter
Lesley Witter, MPA, CAE, is NFDA’s Senior Vice President, Advocacy. In her role as NFDA’s federal lobbyist she oversees all government relations efforts, political action committee activities, legislative and regulatory programs, the work performed by law firms and outside lobbyists on behalf of the association and its members. Lesley is a Certified Association Executive and has a bachelor’s degree in government and international relations and a master’s degree in public administration from George Mason University. She has been with NFDA since 2007.
Dr. Ruth Bedell
Dr. Ruth Bedell earned her Ph.D. in industrial and organizational psychology from Keiser University in Ft. Lauderdale, FL. Her doctoral research explored the relationship between emotional and intelligence and workplace bullying. She is the founder and lead consultant of Bedell Consulting, LLC. “Providing enterprises with exceptional people solutions.” She currently works for the Association of Independent Funeral Directors of Florida as the Associate Director for Outreach.
Dr. Sara Murphy
Dr. Sara Murphy, PhD, FT is a death educator, Certified Thanatologist and Fellow in Thanatology (Association for Death Education and Counseling), and suicidologist with eighteen years of scholarly, pedagogical, and professional experience in the field. She is a faculty member at the University of Rhode Island and affiliate faculty in the Thanatology Graduate Program at Marian University. Publicly, Dr. Murphy conducts diverse and dynamic professional development and educational workshops and seminars on specialized topics of death, dying, and bereavement nationwide for businesses, schools, and professional organizations. Dr. Murphy is also a suicide and bereavement consultant, an expert witness on disenfranchised grief and on suicide, and a contributing writer for the National Funeral Directors Association.
Autumn Cooper
Autumn Cooper is a Michigan native who currently resides in Rhode Island. She serves as sales representative with The Dodge Company, covering Connecticut and Western Massachusetts alongside her role as part time chemist for the company, a position she has held since 2020. Autumn holds both a Bachelor of Science Degree in Mortuary Science, as well as a Bachelor of Science Degree in Biomedical Sciences. She also serves as an Instructional Assistant for the Mortuary Science Program at Wayne State University. She is a licensed funeral director and embalmer in the State of Michigan and Rhode Island. When she’s not on the road visiting funeral homes or spending time in the lab, she enjoys collecting house plants, playing volleyball, practicing yoga, and cooking.
Amy Cunningham
Amy Cunningham is a licensed funeral director and celebrant in Brooklyn who specializes in green burials in cemeteries certified by the Green Burial Council, simple burials within the NYC Metropolitan area, delayed transfers and home funerals, and cremation services in Green-Wood Cemetery’s crematory chapels. Filled with kind advice on how to make funerals more affordable and sustainable, Amy was profiled by the New York Times in 2014, Tricycle Magazine in 2017, and named one of nine top funeral innovators by FuneralOne, a leading voice for change in the funeral industry. In February 2018, Women’s Health Magazine gave Amy the unique moniker “Death Ritual Disrupter,” in a piece about how daily death contemplation and awareness can enrich our lives and keep us healthier. She has been a reliable resource to news reporters throughout the novel coronavirus crisis. Amy was a magazine journalist and blogger for thirty years before her Dad’s funeral in 2009 which peaked her interest in legacy work and earth-friendly dispositions! .
Nelson Thulin
Nelson Thulin’s experience spans the course of over 35 years and includes independent ownership as well as corporate leadership roles. His management experience ranges from a single location serving approximately 100 families a year to multi-location markets serving over 3500 families annually as Director of Business Consulting Services at Johnson Consulting. Nelson has overseen the development of JCG’s Leadership and Management Academy, led nationally recognized JCG Customer Experience Workshops, and has facilitated internationally Strategical Planning Programs and conducts JCG’s highly rated Business Assessment Program.
Jasmine Brett Stringer
Jasmine Brett Stringer is a keynote speaker, award-winning author of Seize Your Life: How to Carpe Diem Every Day, on-air TV personality, and host of the podcast and lifestyle blog Carpe Diem with Jasmine. Jasmine is on a mission to help people live empowered and authentic lives. Through her Seize Your Life keynotes, workshops, and customized coaching sessions, Jasmine guides clients and audiences through a simple process to identify their goals and achieve their personal definition of success. She graduated from American University’s Kogod School of Business in Washington D.C. She was named a Minnesotan to Know in 2021 by Twin Cities Business, Twin Cities Fearless Woman in 2017, and a Woman of Promise by the Girl Scouts in 2012. Additionally, she was awarded Distinguished Alumna of American University. Ebony Magazine featured her as one of its “30 Future Leaders Under the Age of 30 in America.” Jasmine is based in Minneapolis but can often be found two hours south of the city working with her husband at the family farm.
Kelly Kohut
Kelly Kohut’s talent for business growth blends perfectly with her passion for helping funeral homes connect with more families through preneed. With a degree in marketing and an MBA, Kelly honed her sales and marketing skills in the healthcare industry before deciding to pursue a career with a purpose-driven company. She serves as Regional Vice President in Partnership Development at Precoa, where her incredible leadership and skill at cross-functional problem solving make her a key member of every team she is a part of..
Jenny McClanahan
Jenny McClanahan launched her creative marketing career with 20+ years at Cox Media, where she cultivated an unyielding passion for crafting compelling narratives and strategic campaigns. After transitioning into the agency landscape, she applied that passion to her work with funeral homes and became a driving force for fresh, creative perspectives in the profession. Jenny now serves as Creative Director of @need Marketing, fostering a vibrant culture of continuous learning and growth for herself, her team, and @need’s partners across the nation.
Agenda
Sunday, April 28
4:30 – 5:15 p.m.
Registration
5:30 – 7:30 p.m.
Welcome Event – Soho South - 12 W Liberty St, Savannah, GA 31401
Enjoy engaging conversation, appetizers and drinks against the backdrop of elegant music performed by a local harp and violin duo.
Sponsored by NGL
Monday, April 29
7:30 – 8:00 a.m.
Registration / Breakfast
Sponsored by NOMIS
8:00 – 8:30 a.m.
Welcome / Opening Remarks
8:30 – 9:30 a.m.
Leading with Excellence and Compassion
Vera Stewart
Sponsored by Precoa
Vera will take you on a captivating journey, starting from the formative years of child development that hinted at her entrepreneurial spirit. Her life story illustrates how setbacks can morph into significant milestones in one's professional journey, underscoring the pivotal role mentors play as guiding beacons along the way. Leveraging her background in education, Vera seamlessly integrates teaching principles into the logistical management of the company, inspiring and empowering staff to pursue both short-term objectives and long-term aspirations.
9:30 – 9:45 a.m.
Break
9:45 – 10:15 a.m.
Inspiration Award & Scholarship Recognition
Inspiration Award sponsored by NGL
10:15 – 11:30 a.m.
Master the Art of Advocacy
Lesley Witter, MPA, CAE
Lesley Witter is a seasoned veteran and professional federal advocate for the best interests of funeral service on Capitol Hill every day. Her presentation will focus on the unique role women play in funeral service, within the national association and within Congress. Lesley’s practical advice and motivational guidance will empower you to not only follow your passions but also to turn them into a force for positive change. Don’t miss this opportunity to learn how to make a lasting impact on the causes that matter most to you! Lesley will provide examples of how funeral service professionals can become more involved in advocacy and will offer opportunities to learn about federal legislations that impacts funeral service. Attendees will learn the importance of every voice and what each person can do to help their profession.
11:30 – 12:30 p.m.
Lunch
Sponsored by Homesteaders
12:30 – 1:30 p.m.
Advocating for Yourself: Assertiveness Training
Dr. Ruth Bedell
Sponsored by Lisa Baue
In this assertiveness training workshop, Dr. Bedell will share best practices for developing and honoring assertiveness skills for women funeral service professionals that they can use professionally and personally. Workshop attendees will have the opportunity to practice their assertiveness training through role playing. Being assertive in any situation does not always guarantee that the individual will get everything they want from the other person. Rather, being assertive allows the individual to stand up for themselves by communicating clearly, directly, and confidently what they need and want from the other person, while respecting that person’s needs, wants, and rights. Being assertive allows the individual to be open to negotiation.
1:30 – 1:45 p.m.
Break
1:45 – 3:45 p.m.
Recognizing and Responding to Suicide Risk
Dr. Sara Murphy
Sponsored by Homesteaders/For Grief
In recent years, phrases such as “compassion fatigue,” “burnout,” work-life balance,” and “self-care” have been used increasingly, both within the public at large and amongst funeral service professionals. However, these concepts are often misunderstood or misappropriated; moreover, little to no public discussion or education has specifically addressed the risk of suicide for professionals working within the deathcare professions. There may be no cause of death more silenced, stigmatized, and misunderstood than a death of suicide. Particularly within the deathcare professions, suicidality is often hidden in plain sight within both private and business spaces. Given the unique nature of the high-stress work undertaken by deathcare professionals as well as the historic silence around suicide within the profession, it is crucial that professionals are able to both give and receive the supports they are and their colleagues need to recognize suicide risk and employ prevention and intervention practices within their business and professional communities.
3:45 – 4:00 p.m.
Closing Remarks
Tuesday, April 30
7:30 – 8:00 a.m.
Breakfast
Sponsored by SCI
8:00 – 9:00 a.m.
Your Move: A Workshop on Consumer Change and How it Will Transform Funeral Planning and Purchasing
Kelly Kohut and Jenny McClanahan
In the next 10 years, massive demographic shifts will entirely change the makeup of some communities, meaning a growing number of families may not know their local funeral homes. Not only that, but Gen X consumers will begin aging into the profession’s target market with an entirely new and much savvier set of behaviors and preferences. In this workshop, discover the most effective ways to reach families with the right messages at the right times so that your firm always stays at the forefront of change.
9:00 – 9:10 a.m.
Break
9:10 – 10:00 a.m.
Breakout Session A: Awakening Your Colleagues, Community and Cemetery to the Beauty of Green Burial
Amy Cunningham
Sponsored by Kelco
Green burials are a great way to showcase our love of old-fashioned funeral ceremonies and give modern families the physical funeral involvement they’re craving. Learn how to add natural burial to your firm’s menu of funeral options with earth-friendly New York funeral director Amy Cunningham. She’ll share how to motivate local cemeteries, educate suppliers, inspire your team and local community, and gain terrific publicity for your firm. As laws defining disposition change, Baby Boom families are entering the arrangements conference with new expectations and questions. Our job is to stay nimble, calm, and up on the latest trends. If more of your families are requesting chemical-free preparation, hands-on participation, earth-friendly caskets, shrouds, and urns, this is the workshop for you.
Breakout Session B: Funeral Service: The Next Ten Years of Change
Nelson Thulin
Explore the evolving landscape of funeral services over the next decade as organic growth in death rates, coupled with a rising demand for authentic leadership, reshapes the industry. With a simultaneous decline in revenue for traditional funeral services, the future promises a profound transformation. Embrace this change as an opportunity for those who are prepared to navigate and innovate within the shifting dynamics of the funeral service sector. The coming years will undoubtedly bring new challenges, but they also present a chance for forward-thinking individuals to make a meaningful impact.
Breakout Session C: It Means More Than You Know, Giving the Family A Last Chance to Say Goodbye
Autumn Cooper
In this presentation we will explore what embalmers must deal with when faced with responding to major disasters. Since our time is really limited, we will talk briefly about the agencies involved, the process involved, and the stresses that arise in such events. Thereafter, we will explore what families who wish to view their loved ones following a traumatic event must realistically anticipate upfront and to help the embalmer better understand how to best cover burns and deep contusions to the face, as well as discolorations. Airbrushing, waxing techniques, and restoration of missing tissues will be discussed, as well as odor-eliminating techniques. Despite the fact that the death is the result of a traumatic event, the family needs to have closure and to be able to see their loved one if a traditional open-casketed visitation is to be held or whether an intimate time where the family can hold the hand of the deceased, or at a minimum, see the shape of their body.
10:00 – 10:10 a.m.
Break
10:10 – 11:00 a.m.
Breakout Session A: Awakening Your Colleagues, Community and Cemetery to the Beauty of Green Burial
Amy Cunningham
Sponsored by Kelco
Green burials are a great way to showcase our love of old-fashioned funeral ceremonies and give modern families the physical funeral involvement they’re craving. Learn how to add natural burial to your firm’s menu of funeral options with earth-friendly New York funeral director Amy Cunningham. She’ll share how to motivate local cemeteries, educate suppliers, inspire your team and local community, and gain terrific publicity for your firm. As laws defining disposition change, Baby Boom families are entering the arrangements conference with new expectations and questions. Our job is to stay nimble, calm, and up on the latest trends. If more of your families are requesting chemical-free preparation, hands-on participation, earth-friendly caskets, shrouds, and urns, this is the workshop for you.
Breakout Session B: Funeral Service: The Next Ten Years of Change
Nelson Thulin
Explore the evolving landscape of funeral services over the next decade as organic growth in death rates, coupled with a rising demand for authentic leadership, reshapes the industry. With a simultaneous decline in revenue for traditional funeral services, the future promises a profound transformation. Embrace this change as an opportunity for those who are prepared to navigate and innovate within the shifting dynamics of the funeral service sector. The coming years will undoubtedly bring new challenges, but they also present a chance for forward-thinking individuals to make a meaningful impact.
Breakout Session C: It Means More Than You Know, Giving the Family A Last Chance to Say Goodbye
Autumn Cooper
In this presentation we will explore what embalmers must deal with when faced with responding to major disasters. Since our time is really limited, we will talk briefly about the agencies involved, the process involved, and the stresses that arise in such events. Thereafter, we will explore what families who wish to view their loved ones following a traumatic event must realistically anticipate upfront and to help the embalmer better understand how to best cover burns and deep contusions to the face, as well as discolorations. Airbrushing, waxing techniques, and restoration of missing tissues will be discussed, as well as odor-eliminating techniques. Despite the fact that the death is the result of a traumatic event, the family needs to have closure and to be able to see their loved one if a traditional open-casketed visitation is to be held or whether an intimate time where the family can hold the hand of the deceased, or at a minimum, see the shape of their body.
11:00 – 12:00 p.m.
Seize Your Life: A Vision-Driven Life
Jasmine Brett Stringer
Sponsored by Carriage
Tired of seeing others advance while you stay in the same rut? The truth is, personal success only comes when we start to bet on ourselves. In this inspirational program, Jasmine guides audiences on the journey to carpe diem by leading a vision-driving life. She identified how to unlock the barriers that keep us from fulfilling the life we are intended to have while establishing a personalized vision to take life to the next level.
12:00 – 12:15 p.m.
Wrap-up / Closing Remarks