CURRICULUM VITAE
Speaking Engagements
May 2021 | “Flatten Your Flowers and Press Your Plants” | 2 Hour Workshop | Lloyd Library & Museum | Cincinnati, OH
April 2021 | Compassionate Bereavement Approaches: “Contemporary Approaches to Thanatology and Grief Support” | Elisabeth Kübler-Ross Foundation | Virtual
March 2021 | “Thanatology And Death Companioning; Contemporary Approaches” | Fundação Elisabeth Kübler-Ross Brasil | Virtual
February 2021 | “Thanabotany: The Intersection of Death and Plants” | Guest Lecturer | Medical Botany | University of Cincinnati | Cincinnati, OH
February 2020 | “Shadowloss” | Private Corporate Client
February 2020 | “Thanabotany: the intersection of death and plants | Guest Lecturer | Medical Botany | University of Cincinnati | Cincinnati, OH
January 2020 | “Shadowloss” | TEDx Wartburg College | Waverly, IA
October 2019 | “Death Companioning” | Kenton County Public Library | Erlanger, KY
October 2019 | “Grief Gardens” | Kenton County Public Library | Independence, KY
September 2019 | “Shadowloss” | Vermont Death & Dying Symposium | VT, USA
June 2019 | “Podcasting 101” | National Society of Newspaper Columnists Annual Conference | Buffalo, NY
June 2019 | “Local Cemeteries” | Covington Rotary | Independence, KY
May 2019 | “Grief Gardens” | Lloyd Library and Museum | Cincinnati, OH
May 2019 | “Shadowloss” | Private Client
April 2019 | “Thanabotany” | Lloyd Library and Museum | Cincinnati, OH
April 2019 | “Death Companioning” | Northern District Kentucky Funeral Director’s Association | Covington, KY
December 2018 | ICCFA Cremation Arranger Certification Program "First Call Crash Course" and "The Modern Consumer" | Chicago, IL
9 November 2018 | TED Talk | “Shadowloss” Cincinnati, OH
24 October 2018 | Two Spiritied Women: An Evening with Cole Imperi and Molly Wellmann Tickets Here
29 June 2018 | Mortal, Death Positive Film Series, Cincinnati, OHJune 2018 | Private Corporate Training, Atlanta, GA
June 2018 | Private Corporate Training, Dallas, TX
6 June 2018 | Green Burial Panel, Cincinnati Edition, WVXU, Cincinnati, OH
2 May 2018 | Deathcare WakeUp Call, 2-Hour Keynote Presentation with Dead Ringers, British Columbia Funeral Association, Vancouver, BC, Canada
20 April 2018 | Mort-Marketing: the Rebirth of Hospitality & Nostalgia in a Dying World, Mid-America College of Funeral Service, Louisville, KY
31 March 2018 | Green Burial Panel, Heritage Unitarian Universalist Church, Cincinnati, OH
22 February 2018 | Divine Dining, a Lecture + Dinner event (Urban Farm Foods, Feastly Portland) Portland, OR
11 December 2017 | ICCFA Cremation Arranger Certification Program "First Call Crash Course" and "The Modern Consumer" Chicago, IL + Online Webcast
17 November 2017 | Creative Mornings "Five Things I've Learned from Death", 1 hour plus Q&A Mercantile Library, Cincinnati, OH
10 October 2017 | Private Corporate Training Event, 5 Hours Charlotte, NC
12 September 2017 | ICCFA Cremation Arranger Certification Program "First Call Crash Course" and "The Modern Consumer" Des Moines, IA
18 July 2017 | ICCFA Cremation Arranger Certification Program "First Call Crash Course" and "The Modern Consumer" Cincinnati, OH
11 July 2017 | ICCFA Cremation Arranger Certification Program "First Call Crash Course" and "The Modern Consumer" Dallas, TX
7 June 2017 | ICCFA Cremation Arranger Certification Program "First Call Crash Course" and "The Modern Consumer" Atlanta, GA
20 May 2017 | The Sensibly Speaking Podcast, Episode 90: Living with Death featuring Cole Imperi
8 April 2017 | ICCFA Annual Convention, "Anatomy of a First Call" Nashville, TN
5 April 2017 | Tri-State Freethinkers, Keynote: "It's Your Funeral! Death, Dying and What To Expect" Newport, KY
28 February 2017 | ICCFA Cremation Arranger Certification Program "First Call Crash Course" and "The Modern Consumer" Louisville, KY
17 February 2017 | ICCFA Cremation Arranger Certification Program "First Call Crash Course" and "The Modern Consumer" Orlando, FL
10 November 2016 | Symposio Multicultural De Cementerios y Funerarias, "Multi-Generational Families and the Psychology of Sales" Antigua, Guatemala
11 November 2016 | Symposio Multicultural De Cementerios y Funerarias, "Branding Sells" Antigua, Guatemala
23 September 2016 | Commencement Speech, Mid-America College of Funeral Service, Class of 2016, Louisville, KY
24 August 2016 | ICCFA Cremation Arranger Certification Program "Intelligent Marketing" and "The Modern Consumer" Atlanta, GA
21 July 2016 | NewCo Cincinnati: "Bridging the Bridges", Cincinnati, OH
15 June 2016 | 2016 Texas Funeral Directors Annual Convention, Keynote Speaker, "Generational Marketing and the Psychology of Sales" Corpus Christie, TX
26 May 2016 | ICCFA Cremation Arranger Certification Program "Intelligent Marketing" and "The Modern Consumer" Dallas, TX
19 April 2016 | ICCFA Cremation Arranger Certification Program "Intelligent Marketing" and "The Modern Consumer" Atlanta, GA
24 February 2016 | ICCFA Cremation Arranger Certification Program "Intelligent Marketing" and "The Modern Consumer" Louisville, KY
18 November 2015 | ICCFA Cremation Arranger Certification Program "Intelligent Marketing" and "The Modern Consumer" Columbus, OH
9 September 2015 | ICCFA Cremation Arranger Certification Program "Intelligent Marketing" and "The Modern Consumer" Dallas, TX
22 April 2015 | ICCFA Cremation Arranger Certification Program "Intelligent Marketing" and "The Modern Consumer" Atlanta, GA
17 April 2015 | ICCFA Cremation Arranger Certification Program "Intelligent Marketing" and "The Modern Consumer" North Little Rock Funeral Home, Little Rock, Arkansas
27 March 2015 | TEDxUCincinnati: Rise & Reimagine "Lifted By Little Deaths" Cincinnati, OH •Watch it here.
18 March 2015 | ICCFA Cremation Arranger Certification Program with Cremation Association of North America "Intelligent Marketing" and "The Modern Consumer" Fairfax, VA
11 March 2015 | ICCFA Cremation Arranger Certification Program "Intelligent Marketing" and "The Modern Consumer" Dallas, TX
18 February 2015 | ICCFA Cremation Arranger Certification Program with Cremation Association of North America "Intelligent Marketing" and "The Modern Consumer" Jeffersonville, IN
4 February 2015 | CANA & NFDA Cremation Symposium: Cremation: Going Beyond the Box. "Pricing Is Not About Price: How to Price and Package to Serve Your Families Better" 90 minutes, Las Vegas, NV
November 2014 | ICCFA Cremation Arranger Certification Program with Cremation Association of North America "Intelligent Marketing" and "The Modern Consumer" Phoenix, AZ
October 2014 | ICCFA Cremation Arranger Certification Program with Ohio Funeral Directors Association "Intelligent Marketing" and "The Modern Consumer" Columbus, OH
September 2014 | ICCFA Cremation Arranger Certification Program "Intelligent Marketing" and "The Modern Consumer" Dallas, TX
June 2014 | ICCFA Cremation Arranger Certification Program with Cremation Association of North America "Intelligent Marketing" and "The Modern Consumer" Charlotte, NC
May 2014 | Pet Deathcare Professionals Invitation-Only Think Tank "Modern Consumers, Modern Marketing"
April 2014 | ICCFA Cremation Arranger Certification Program "Intelligent Marketing", "The Modern Consumer" and "The Modern Resume" Gupton-Jones College of Funeral Service, Atlanta, GA
March 2014 | ICCFA Cremation Arranger Certification Program "Intelligent Marketing", "The Modern Consumer" and "The Modern Resume" Dallas Institute of Funeral Service, Dallas, TX
February 2014 | ICCFA Cremation Arranger Certification Program "Intelligent Marketing: How to Sell More Than Just a Cremation" and "The Modern Consumer" and "The Modern Resume"Mid-America College of Funeral Service, Louisville, KY
November 2013 | ICCFA Cremation Arranger Certification Program "Intelligent Marketing: How To Sell More Than Just a Cremation" and "The Modern Consumer"
June 2013 | Pet Deathcare Professionals Invitation-Only Think Tank
"Consumer Buying Habits and Generational Differences"
June 2013 | Pet Deathcare Professionals Invitation-Only Think Tank
"Overcoming Caregiver Burnout and Demystifying Compassion Fatigue"
May 2013 | Ohio Funeral Director's Association, Annual Convention
"12 Things to Know About Consumer Behavior and the Psychology of Advertising"
April 2013 | Private, 2-Day Seminar.
"Engaging Content Summit"
Covered new media, digital publishing, branding & identity, typography and consumer behavior.
November 2012 | Ohio Funeral Director's Association
"15 Things To Know About Advertising, Marketing, Branding and Design"
Professional Education
Diploma de Tanatología, in progress, expected graduation June 2021
Eco-Friendly Treatments for Unembalmed Remains, NXT Generation Mortuary Support, 2 Hours, 17 June 2021
Clinical Pastoral Education with Supervision, 1 Unit, February 2020
Certified in Thanatology: Death, Dying and Bereavement, Association for Death Education and Counseling, 2016
Integrative Thanatology Certification, The New York Open Center/Association for Death Education and Counseling, New York City, 2016
Kenton County Government Academy, 2016
Certified Crematory Operator, 2015
Script Lettering, Ken Barber, New York City, 2013
Post-Graduate Typeface Design Certification, The Cooper Union, NYC, 2012
200-Hour Yoga Teacher Training, Yoga Alliance Recognized, Cincinnati, OH, USA, 2011
BA Journalism (Magazine), Judaic Studies, The University of Cincinnati, Marshall University, 2007
ALTERNATIVE WELLNESS MANAGEMENT TRAININGS | 2006–2015 | Ayurveda, Traditional Chinese Medicine, Reiki, Homeopathy, Sanskrit, Tai Chi, Ayurvedic Tongue Diagnosis, Ayurvedic Pulse Diagnosis, Jyotish, Marma Point System, Tibetan Medicine, Yoga (Kundalini, Laughter Yoga, Intelligent Sequencing, Yoga for Diabetes, Maternity Yoga, Yoga for Runners, Yoga for PCOS, Yoga for PTSD, Yoga for Trauma, Yoga Nidra, Chanting, Enneagram, Native American Medicine, Shamanism, 200Hour RYT, Yoga Teaching, Meditation, Appalachian Herbalism)
[I have had more than 300 hours of training and 200+ hours of experience in these areas. For the sake of brevity, I have chosen to list subject-area on this page. 2006–2012.]
LIFECYCLE RELATED STUDY | 2009–Present | Tibetan Perspectives on Death and Dying, Buddhist Perspectives on Death and Dying, Jewish Perspectives on Death and Dying, Abrahamic Faith (Christianity, Judaism, Islam) Perspectives on Death and Dying, Consciousness, Hospice Issues, Palliative Care Issues, The Clash of Religion and Hospice Volunteers, Vigil Doula/Death Doula/Death Midwife Trainings, Cadaver Lab (8 Hours), Secular Perspectives on Death and Dying, Appalachian Cultural Viewpoints on Lifecycle Milestones, Professional Shadowing at Funeral Homes/Cemeteries/Crematories/Suppliers, Hospice Training.
Additional Education
Compassionate Bereavement Approaches 11-Week Education Series | March–May 2021
with Liese Groot-Alberts, Smriti Rana, Dr. Katie Eastman, Larry Lincoln, M. D., Wilka Roig, Yvonne Heath, Dianne Gray, Dr. Ira Byock, Dr. William Worden
Ancestral Journeys: End-of-Life Wisdom in Torah and Midrash | February–March 2021
with Simcha Paull Raphael
The Making of a Gender-Inclusive Hevra Kadisha | March 2021
with Keshet
Working with the Dying: Doula Tools and Techniques
with Henry Fersko Weiss LCSW
The Call to Hospice and Palliative Care
with Rachel Naomi Remen, MD
Psycho-Spiritual and Existential Distress at the End of Life
with Anthony Bossis, PhD; NYU School of Medicine
Death, Bereavement and Spirituality: Walking the Mourner’s Path
with Simcha Raphael, PhD
Introduction to the Energetics of Living and Dying
with Jeanne Denney
Mapping the Journey: Re-envisioning Decisions About the End of Life | Transforming Medical Education and Patient Care
with Leslie Blackhall, MD
The Inspired Funeral
with Amy Cunningham
Presence to Self/Presence to Other While Working with the Dying
with Jeanne Denney
Opening to the Mystery: Psycho-Spiritual Transformation in Death and Dying
with Frank Ostaseski, founder, Metta Institute & Zen Hospice Project
Permaculture Course, Introduction to Permaculture
Oregon State University, May 2019
Awards & Recognition
July 2015 | Legacy Leadership, Next Generation Leadership Award,Finalist in Entrepreneurship Category
April 2015 | American Funeral Director Magazine, 2015 Mover & Shaker
November 2014 | Center for Great Neighborhoods, Community Leader Award | Covington, KY
23 October–17 November 2012 | The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art, Types We Can Make
January 2010 | Society of American Military Engineers, Cincinnati Post, Tudor Medal
January 2010 | Society of American Military Engineers, Cincinnati Post, National SAME Tudor Medal Nominee
August 2009 | Business Courier of Cincinnati Forty Under 40 Finalist, Class of 2009
July 2009 | Business Courier of Cincinnati Forty Under 40 Nominee, Class of 2009
May 2009 | Society of American Military Engineers, Regional Vice President’s Coin
August 2008 | Society of American Military Engineers, Regional Vice President’s Medal
March 2006 | National Broadcasting Society, Grand Prize, Audio Comedy Program or Segment, Robot Dad
March 2005 | National Broadcasting Society, Grand Prize, Audio Comedy Program or Segment, EPT: The Evil Perceiving Test
March 2005 | National Broadcasting Society, Honorable Mention, Audio Music Variety SpecialProgram or Segment, Word Up
March 2004 | National Broadcasting Society, Honorable Mention, Audio Comedy Program or Segment, Everybody Loves Nigel
March 2004 | National Broadcasting Society, Honorable Mention, Audio Comedy Program or Segment, Unsolved Mysteries
March 2004 | National Broadcasting Society, Honorable Mention, Audio Music Variety Special Program or Segment, The Rat and the Duck
Associations & Board Memberships
Board of Overseers of Linden Grove Cemetery, 2016–Present
Heritage Acres Memorial Sanctuary Board, 2018–2019
International Association of Yoga Therapists, Member, 2016—Present
Advisory Board, Art of Dying Institute, 2016–Present
Metropolitan Club Roebling YP Society, Chair, 2016
Make Goebel Great Co-Chair, 2014–2016
MainStrasse Village Foundation Board of Direction, 2014–2017
Dignity & Death Board of Direction, Marketing Chair, 2013-Present
Project Yoga Vice-Chair and Secretary, Marketing Director, 2011-2012
LEAD 2011-2012 Member
Yoga Mosaic | An Association of Jewish Yoga Teachers Member Visit
Society of American Military Engineers Member, Member of Board of Directors and Communications Director, 2007-2010 Visit
B'nai Tikvah Reconstructionist Synagogue Board Member, 2009-2011
Big Brothers, Big Sisters Member, Visit
Type Design & Related Work
The Society of Typographic Aficionados, Font Aid VI: Aster Affects | Submission of an asterisk included | 2013
Mausoleum | Typeface Developed in the Type@Cooper Condensed Program | 2012