Dr. Jody Carrington
Psychologist. Speaker. Author. Game Changer.
Dr. Jody Carrington is a renowned psychologist sought after for her expertise, energy and approach to helping people solve their most complex human-centered challenges. Jody focuses much of her work around reconnection – the key to healthy relationships and productive teams. A speaker, author, and leader of Carrington & Company, she uses all she has been taught in her twenty-year career as a psychologist to empower everyone with whom she connects. Jody has worked with kids, families, business leaders, first responders, teachers, farmers and has spoken in church basements and world-class stages; the message remains the same: our power lies in our ability to acknowledge each other first.
Annette R. March-Grier, RN, CFSP
Co-Founder and President of Roberta’s House
Annette R. March-Grier, RN, CFSP, is a native of Baltimore and vice president of a family business, March Funeral Homes, located in Maryland, Washington, DC and Virginia. She is an RN, a mortician and the visionary of Roberta’s House Inc., a non-profit Family Grief Support Center founded in 2007 by the March family. Annette is the president and has led the way for grief education and support for grieving children and families in Baltimore for more than 37 years. She was selected by CNN, the world leader in news, as one of the Top Ten CNN heroes, 2014 for changing the world.
Marguerite Ham
CEO (Chief Energizing Officer) and Founder of Igniting Success
Marguerite Ham owns and operates Igniting Success, a training and coaching service company focusing on professional development for organizations, entrepreneurs, CEOs and executive management teams who are looking to grow and develop their people and businesses. Marguerite has 30+ years of experience in training, coaching, leadership development, conferences, and professional retreats with organizations nationwide. In addition, she develops and customizes leadership programs for organizations. She combines the importance of individual well-being coaching and training to help create healthy cultures.
Betsy Hawley, MA
Executive Director, Pediatric Palliative Care Coalition
Betsy has 25 years of experience in nonprofit management in both healthcare and community development. Betsy speaks extensively across Pennsylvania and nationally on coalition building and pediatric palliative care. She works collaboratively with other state-based pediatric palliative care coalitions to meet the needs of families and medical professionals caring for medically-complex children. Betsy serves on the NHPCO Pediatric Leadership team, the PA Task Force for Palliative Care and the Patient Quality of Life Coalition.
Kristin James, LCPC
Executive Director, Greater Illinois Pediatric Palliative Care Coalition and Missing Pieces Child Loss Network
Kristin currently coordinates the Greater Illinois Pediatric Palliative Care Coalition (GIPPCC) and Missing Pieces Child Loss Network. She has specialized in working with families coping with illness, trauma and loss for over 25 years. Kristin has provided clinical consultation and extensive training, advocacy and education to medical teams, community agencies, and school systems throughout the Chicagoland area. She is an experienced clinician and has provided individual, family, and group counseling. Kristin is nationally recognized as an expert in grieving children and bereaved parents. She developed a benchmarked program for Pediatric Bereavement Care at Lurie Children's Hospital/Children's Memorial Hospital and currently serves on the National Coalition for Hospice and Palliative Care Pediatric Task Force. She has also participated in and published numerous research studies. Ms. James received her Masters in counseling from Loyola University.
Kelly Kohut
Sr. Director of Field Project Development – Selected Services, Precoa
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, she honed her sales and marketing skills in the healthcare industry before deciding to pursue a career with a purpose-driven company. She served as Regional Development Director for the Outlook Group, and she now serves as Senior Director of Field Project Development at Precoa, where she helps build and support lasting partnerships with leading funeral homes.
Melissa Posey Loose, MA, LFD
Training and Development Manager, NFDA
Melissa Posey Loose now serves as the Training and Development Manager for NFDA, bringing over twenty years’ experience as a writer, editor, communications consultant, educator, and deathcare industry professional. A fourth-generation funeral director, she has found particular purpose in connecting with grieving families, assessing their unique needs, and providing them with award-winning care extending beyond the final goodbyes. Melissa also enjoys partnering with hospice and community organizations to provide notable deathcare collaborations including grief support resources, annual memorial events, educator in-service programs, and a camp for children who have experienced the death of a primary caregiver. Throughout these experiences, she has found joy in building trust, assessing needs, and shifting culture for achievement.
Jenny McClanahan
Creative Director of At-Need Marketing, Precoa
Jenny McClanahan’s design expertise can be attributed to natural talent as well as 20+ years at Cox Media managing operations, creatives, and art direction. Now the creative force of at-need marketing, she is constantly driving new initiatives and leading the design team with finesse and dedication. She possesses an intuitive sense of how to refine and strengthen a brand, and her work helps forward-thinking funeral homes make a lasting impact in their communities.
Jenn Parvin
Vice President of Marketing and Technology, Batesville
Jenn joined Batesville in 2008 and has distinguished herself as a sales professional, a leader, and a champion for funeral professionals. As a member of Batesville’s executive management team, she has responsibility for the development and marketing of innovative products and solutions that meet and exceed the expectations of today’s funeral professionals and provide value to today’s consumers.
Lincoln Plain
Dodge Representative, Eastern North Dakota & Minnesota
Lincoln Plain firmly believes that “the viewing” should be held in high regard for a healthy, grieving process and should be preserved in our society. A licensed funeral director and embalmer with over 30 years of experience in the preparation room, Lincoln has been a Sales Representative with The Dodge Company in Eastern North Dakota and Minnesota since 2018. He holds two Bachelor’s Degrees from the University of Minnesota, having majored in both Mortuary Science and Business and Marketing and minoring in English and Speech. When not working, Lincoln enjoys spending time with his wife and children, riding his motorcycle, and being on the lake. More recently he finds himself very busy with a new puppy that joined the family in November, despite the cat’s disapproval.