Agenda

Wednesday, May 6

5:30 – 7:00 p.m.  
Welcome Reception - Details Coming Soon!
Sponsored by NGL

Thursday, May 7

7:30 – 8:30 a.m.
Breakfast & Badge Pick Up

8:30 – 10:00 a.m. 
Opening Keynote: Communicate with Clarity, Confidence and Impact
Keith Scott & Rebecca Klein – TALLsmall Productions

Boost the odds that the message communicated matches the one received by clearing out cluttered wording, becoming body-language fluent, and tuning into tone. Participants will learn how small communication shifts create big ROI — saving time, building relationships, preventing misunderstandings, closing more sales, and projecting stronger confidence. Through a series of interactive challenges led by Rebecca Klein and Keith Scott of TALLsmall Productions, attendees will sharpen how they communicate and are perceived.

Join Rebecca and Keith at 10:30 a.m. for a casual meet and greet.  

Sponsored by Precoa

10:00 - 10:30 a.m.
Inspiration Award Presentation and Funeral Service Foundation Scholarship Recognition
Inspiration Award sponsored by NGL


10:30 – 11:00 a.m.
Break – Activity Details Coming Soon!

Breakout Sessions: To maximize your experience, each breakout session will be presented twice, in both the morning and afternoon, with identical content. This approach gives you the opportunity to attend two of the three sessions that interest you most. 

11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Morning Breakout Session Option 1 – Self Talk: Use Your Self-Talk to Soar Instead of to Sabotage 
Keith Scott & Rebecca Klein 

Our self-talk is always speaking. It shapes confidence and presence long before anyone hears our words. In this interactive session, participants learn how to recognize and interrupt the internal dialogue that quietly undermines authority, leadership presence, and impact. 

Participants leave with practical tools to transform self-talk from a silent saboteur into a powerful ally especially in high-pressure moments. 

11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Morning Breakout Session Option 2 – Embalming Isn’t Dead: Why Our Skills Still Matter in the Rapidly Evolving Death Care Landscape
Autumn Cooper  

This presentation explores the continued relevance of embalming and restorative art in a rapidly evolving death care landscape. As disposition options expand, preparation and presentation remain essential to viewing, identification, and meaningful farewell experiences. This session examines how traditional embalming skills can be thoughtfully adapted to support alternative disposition, including limited or targeted embalming techniques and restorative considerations. Participants will explore non-traditional presentations, highlighting the anatomical knowledge, creativity, and professionalism required in these cases. Through real-world examples and practical discussion, attendees will gain confidence in applying their skills beyond conventional burial and recognize the enduring professional value embalmers bring to modern funeral service.

Sponsored by Dodge

11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Morning Breakout Session Option 3 – The Story Lab: Hands-On Tools for Personalizing Services
Gail Marquardt & Lanae Strovers 

Step into The Story Lab, an interactive workshop where funeral professionals learn to turn conversations into meaningful, personalized services. Using the Remembering A Life Conversation Cards, you’ll practice hands-on techniques to uncover family stories, highlight what matters most, and translate memories into tributes that truly honor a life. 

Through interactive presentations and small-group exercises, you’ll gain confidence in:

• Integrating personal stories into preneed, at-need, and aftercare interactions
• Empowering families to express what matters most, even when they are hesitant 
• Using storytelling tools to uncover personal stories, values and preferences to create truly meaningful services that will create lasting memories 
• Making the most of storytelling and engagement tools to keep your funeral home top of mind and boost your bottom line 
• Using conversation cards as staff training tools to build confidence, consistency, and communication skills across the funeral home through team exercises, role-playing, and ongoing professional development activities

Walk away with practical tools, a ready-to-use workbook, a full set of Remembering A Life Conversation Cards and the confidence to make every conversation meaningful. Fun, interactive, and immediately applicable, this is the workshop that helps you create services families will never forget. 

Bonus Takeaway: Learn how conversation cards can help you build meaningful, collaborative relationships with other professionals in the end-of-life space such as hospice workers and end-of-life doulas. 

 
12:00 – 1:00 p.m.
Lunch Buffet

Sponsored by Homesteaders

1:00 – 2:00 p.m.
Afternoon Breakout Session Option 1 – Self Talk: Use Your Self-Talk to Soar Instead of to Sabotage 
Keith Scott & Rebecca Klein 

1:00 – 2:00 p.m.  
Afternoon Breakout Session Option 2 – Embalming Isn’t Dead: Why Our Skills Still Matter in the Rapidly Evolving Death Care Landscape 
Autumn Cooper

1:00 – 2:00 p.m. 
Afternoon Breakout Session Option 3 – The Story Lab: Hands-On Tools for Personalizing Services 
Gail Marquardt & Lanae Strovers 

2:00 – 2:15 p.m. 
Break 

2:15 – 3:30 p.m. 
Educational Session: Trust in Motion: How Purpose Fuels Agility, Creativity and Innovation 
Tara Poujade and Anaili Hernandez

In moments of change, complexity, or uncertainty, trust becomes the difference between organizations that stall and those that thrive. In this session, attendees will explore how a culture built around shared values creates the psychological safety needed for cross-functional teamwork and continuous innovation. Through research and practical examples, we’ll examine how trust enables you to stay nimble and fully aligned in decision-making and communication. You’ll leave with tangible strategies for keeping people connected, confident, and ready to move forward together. 

Sponsored by Precoa 

The Gift Card Drawing will take place following the session. Participants must be present to win.
 
Sponsored by The Messenger Co.

Friday, May 8

This presentation will provide a comprehensive overview of the process of a full cranial reconstruction for viewing, utilizing the real-life case of Marketta, an eight-year-old girl who tragically passed away with severe facial and head trauma in front of her family and siblings. The focus will not only be on the technical aspects of cranial reconstruction, but also on the crucial interpersonal dynamics with the funeral home as a trade reconstructionist and with the family during the arrangements. We will delve into effective communication strategies and explanations of the restorative process for families, along with practical guidance for supporting the family during their initial viewing after such a traumatic experience. Additionally, we will highlight how this service adopted a "child-centric" approach, as Marketta's parents aimed to shape the perception of death for the children in their family and community through their decisions for Marketta's funeral service.

In the spirit of generosity, Marketta's parents advocate for sharing her reconstruction to provide other families with the opportunity to view their loved ones when it might otherwise seem impossible. 

Sponsored by NextGen Legacy Planning


9:45 – 10:45 a.m.
Educational Session: Held in Love: Honoring Pregnancy & Infant Loss 
Kristin James & Kiley Hanish 

In response to the growing request for pregnancy and infant loss services, this session builds on the When a Child Dies initiative by deepening skills specific to perinatal loss. Participants will explore meaningful ways to honor even the tiniest of lives while responding to the evolving needs of families and communities. This session provides compassionate communication strategies and practical skills to foster connection.  

Attendees will gain insight into family experiences when loss occurs on their path to parenthood and how funeral professionals can walk alongside them with confidence and compassion. Emphasis is placed on family-centered care that honors choice, provides guidance, and helps create meaningful rituals and legacies. Recognizing that women funeral directors often bring their whole selves into this work, space will be intentionally held to acknowledge our losses, honor lived experience, and reflect on tending to ourselves as helpers, leaders, and witnesses to grief supporting professional excellence  and sustainability in both our professional and personal lives. 

 Sponsored by Security National Life 

11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Panel Discussion: Survival Skills, Not Superpowers: Real-Life Tools Women Use to Thrive in Funeral Service 
Moderator: Ellen Wynn McBrayer. Panelists: Jasmine Berrios, Jenni Bryant, Camelia Clarke, Mandy Stafford 

Women in funeral service often develop powerful survival skills to navigate the demands of the profession – balancing —balancing family responsibilities, managing emotional labor, addressing workplace bias and sustaining their own well-being. In this candid panel discussion, experienced funeral directors share the practical tools they rely on to thrive in the profession. 

Through real stories and actionable strategies, panelists will discuss setting boundaries, navigating motherhood and caregiving responsibilities, regulating stress in emotionally intense moments,  and building supportive professional networks. Attendees will leave with practical ideas, scripts and strategies they can implement immediately to support both their professional success and personal well-being. 

Sponsored by Funeral Women Lead

12:00 – 1:00 p.m.
Lunch Buffet

1:00 – 2:00 p.m.
Educational Session Part 1: When Words Matter: Using Consumer Language Insights to Strengthen Arrangements, Built Trust and Create More Meaningful Services 
Jessica Koth

Families often come to you during one of the most vulnerable moments of their lives and the words we use can either build trust or create confusion. Drawing on NFDA’s 2025 national consumer research, this session reveals how families across generations interpret common funeral service terminology, often in ways that differ significantly from professional intent. Terms like funeral, memorial service, celebration of life, viewing and direct cremation may feel clear to us, but for many families, they are anything but. Through real consumer quotes, surprising data points and a few moments of audience reflection, you’ll gain a deeper understanding of: where communication breakdowns most often occur; how generational differences shape expectations and language preferences; and why even experienced families may misunderstand key terms. This session will challenge assumptions, spark new thinking and set the stage for more intentional, empathetic communication.

2:00 – 3:00 p.m.
Educational Session Part 2: (Weather Permitting – Outside) When Words Matter: Using Consumer Language Insights to Strengthen Arrangements, Built Trust and Create More Meaningful Services 
Jessica Koth & Lanae Strovers 

Now that you’ve seen the gaps, what can you do about them? 

In this highly interactive session, you’ll roll up your sleeves and put insights into action through small-group exercises and guided discussion. Working at your tables, you’ll work with your fellow conference attendees to practice translating industry terminology into clear, compassionate language that resonates with today’s families. You’ll leave with: ready-to-use conversation starters; practical language swaps you can implement immediately; and a simple framework to evaluate and improve communication across your funeral home This session is designed to move beyond awareness and into action, giving you the tools and confidence to meet families where they are and communicate with clarity, compassion and purpose. 

Saturday, May 9

Funeral service leaders operate in an environment where emotional pressure is constant, supporting grieving families, navigating conflict, managing staff, and making high-stakes decisions in moments of loss. These demands can create an internal “vacuum” that drains clarity, energy, and confidence, making leadership feel overwhelming. Leadership Sucks, But You Don’t Have To! introduces A VACUUM, a practical leadership tool developed by Dr. Antoinette Allen to help professionals remain steady when the work becomes emotionally heavy. 

This session explores how leadership challenges in funeral service are often less about technical skill and more about emotional regulation, presence, and response. The A VACUUM Leadership Model outlines seven traits: Awareness, Vulnerable, Accountable, Confident, Understanding, Unifying, and Malleable that support leaders in stabilizing difficult moments, guiding conversations with families and staff, and maintaining composure under pressure. Through relatable industry examples and applied strategies, participants learn how to recognize emotional “suction,” manage their internal reactions, and lead with clarity and intention. 

Attendees will leave with a simple, memorable framework they can use immediately to navigate emotionally charged situations, strengthen their leadership presence, and sustain effectiveness in a profession where the weight of responsibility is ever-present. 

Sponsored by Tukios

9:30 – 11:45 a.m.
Closing Keynote: How Are You? (No, Really) 
Nora McInerny 

Why do we ask, “How are you?” when we don’t want to know the real answer? And why do we always say, “Fine,” even when the truth is that things are anything but? What are the three words to avoid if you want to connect with someone, or more importantly, with yourself? There’s an ongoing mental health crisis, and stigma and judgment don't make it any easier to be honest when life is hard. This talk will cover:  

• The effects of trauma on the brain 
• Strategies for connected conversations 
• Tools for self-evaluation and emotional management  

At the end of her session, Nora will be offering a book signing.

Sponsored by Carriage