Chrissy May

Chrissy is a dynamic keynote speaker, personal development specialist, and transformational therapist with a passion for helping others overcome adversity and live a life they truly love. With a rich background as a former competitive figure-skater and fitness champion, Chrissy has navigated her own challenges by embarking on a deep spiritual journey. Over 25 years in the health and wellness industry and more than a decade as a real estate advisor have refined her unique insights, which she now shares as a guide for both personal and professional evolution. As the host of the Aligned + Alive Podcast, Chrissy empowers her audience to explore life’s meaning and purpose. Each week, she offers practical tools and strategies to elevate your life, supported by real-life testimonies and authentic stories from herself and her inspiring guests. Her work is a guidebook for navigating life’s complexities, offering wisdom on healing, mental health, and manifesting new realities. Chrissy’s expertise and engaging presence have made her a sought-after speaker, known for her ability to inspire action and facilitate alignment in every aspect of life. Whether through her podcast, speaking engagements, or social media presence, Chrissy May is dedicated to helping you connect, align, and thrive. Follow her journey on Instagram @TheChrissyMay for daily inspiration and deeper connection.

Dawn D. Tryba, MBA, CPMBC, CMC, PMP

Dawn is a dynamic, ambitious, and accomplished leader who builds trust and consensus to implement lasting change while maintaining a contagious, positive attitude, and unwavering work ethic. Mrs. Tryba has become a genuine expert, with a wealth of business knowledge and extensive professional experience spanning over three decades. Dawn and her team have served a wide variety of industries, delivering superior performance with consistent, concrete, and successful results. As a life-long learner, she is recognized as a thought leader, in-demand motivational speaker, and author of numerous books, articles, and whitepapers.

Lanae Strovers

Lanae serves as the Trainer for NFDA and delivers the NFDA Arranger Training suite of education opportunities. She is a first-generation funeral director and strives to help families personalize services honoring their loved one. She was called to funeral service after the death of a close friend whose “cookie-cutter” funeral didn’t tell his story. She knew there was a better way. Lanae graduated from Des Moines Area Community College with honors in 2012 and has served at Hamilton’s Funeral Home since then. During her time at Hamilton’s, she initiated a program for unclaimed remains, gaining national attention. Lanae is also known for her personalized touch for each family she serves – turning the funeral home into a baseball field, a gaming room, or a classy runway show with a pianist…Lanae will do whatever she can do to help make that service unique and special, reflecting who that person was in life!

Tina Paulus–Krause

Tina is a visionary leader and catalyst for change with over 30 years of experience empowering individuals and teams to unlock their full potential. From navigating the corporate world to embracing entrepreneurship, Tina blends strategic thinking with a deep understanding of human behavior to help others thrive. Her transformative workshops, coaching, and speaking engagements guide participants on a journey of self-discovery, personal growth, and collective success. Tina’s mission is simple: transformation begins within, and by nurturing the individual, we build stronger teams, healthier organizations, and connected families.

Jamie M. Hasty

Jamie is a Vice President with SESCO Management Consultants. Jamie is a Generalist consultant in all areas of human resource management with specialties in affirmative action, policy development, wage and hour accounting, employment regulation compliance, training and development, compensation and performance management systems, employee satisfaction assessments, executive screening and placement, and general human resources consulting. She regularly conducts management training for clients and serves as guest speaker for state and national associations. Jamie is a certified trainer for Vital Learning Corporation, John Maxwell and SESCO Leadership Institute.

Autumn Cooper

Autumn 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 states 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.

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.

Leili McMurrough   

Leili is the President of Worsham College of Mortuary Science, leading one of the nation's top mortuary science programs. A licensed funeral director, embalmer, and attorney, she combines legal expertise with hands-on industry experience. Leili holds degrees from Lehigh University, Syracuse University College of Law, and the Simmons Institute of Funeral Service. She has served as Chair of the Committee on Accreditation for the American Board of Funeral Service Education and is a Trustee of the Funeral Service Foundation. Leili is also co-owner of McMurrough Funeral Chapel in Libertyville, Illinois, and a sought-after speaker on funeral service topics.

Carolina Panoff

Carolina is a life coach and founder of Be You Disco, a team-building company that integrates music, movement, and mindfulness to foster authenticity and well-being. Drawing from The Five Dysfunctions of a Team and Brene Brown's work on vulnerability, she helps transform company cultures by promoting connection, empathy, and belonging. Recognized by Meetings Today as a top team-building activity, Be You Disco creates tailored experiences that inspire collaboration and personal growth. Carolina's mission is to help individuals and teams thrive, working with Fortune 500 companies to redefine corporate wellness and engagement.

Anna Nesbit

Anna is a licensed funeral director and owner at Soxman Funeral Homes, Ltd., east of Pittsburgh, PA. After earning her bachelor's degree in business administration from Slippery Rock University, Anna attended the Pittsburgh Institute of Mortuary Science form which she graduated in 2007. Since then, Anna continued her professional development by earning CFSP, CPC, Licensed Insurance Producer, and Celebrant certifications. She serves on the Board of Directors for the local Chamber of Commerce and leads the preneed and aftercare programs at her funeral home as well as hosting speaking events featuring Lilo, the bereavement care dog.

Emily K. Howard

Emily is the Executive Director of Economic Forum, an association of influential leaders committed to elevating the economic vitality of Albuquerque. She is also Founder/President of Cheetah Strategy, providing strategic planning and brand consulting services. Previously, she led brand and business strategy for Visit Albuquerque, the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center, McKee Wallwork, Esparza, and DDB Worldwide. Passionate about bringing ideas to life and fostering collaboration, Emily is a driving force in the Albuquerque community. She co-founded the “Start Bragging” movement, co-hosts the “Positive Not Perfect” radio show, and serves on various boards. She is a TCU alum/letterwinner and enjoys spending time with her family and staying active.

Nectar L. Ramirez

Nectar was born and raised in Puerto Rico. She earned a BS in Industrial Engineering from Purdue University in 1990. She attained an MBA from the Kellogg School of Management, Northwestern University in 1996 and a Master’s in Human Resource Development at Xavier University in 2019. Nectar worked as a consultant identifying and teaching best practices to Fortune 500 companies. She joined Batesville Casket Company in 2002. While in Batesville she was the Manager of Market Research, Sales Director Northeast, Sales Director of Cremation, and finally the National Director of Funeral Home Training. She has worked closely with hundreds of funeral homes, helping them turnaround their cremation and burial business. Many of the funeral homes saw an improvement of over 30% in their cremation revenue. In April 2020, she became the Senior Vice President for Pre-Need at Forest Lawn Memorial Parks and Mortuaries in Los Angeles, CA. She has published several articles in industry publications and other associations. She has been presenting Education programs at state and national levels for 22 years.