Past & Present Presenters
Allyse R. Worland, CFSP
Allyse R. Worland, CFSP is a licensed funeral director and embalmer in the states of Indiana and Kentucky. She is proud to be a first-generation funeral service professional and is dedicated to the enrichment of funeral service and to the presentation of continuing education requirements to her colleagues. Her greatest joy is being a part of funeral service and devoting her time to contributing to the advancement of the profession.
Joe’l Simone Maldonado
My name is Joe’l Simone Maldonado. I am a licensed death care professional and sacred grief practitioner. I empower death care professionals to hone into individual gifts, passions, and purpose to confidently serve their communities.
John Hill
Certified Funeral Service Practitioner, Licensed Funeral Director & Embalmer NC, SC, TX, DC;
Restorative Art Specialist, Member of the British Institute of Embalming, Certified Crematory Operator, Trade Embalmer.
Mortician at James Funeral Home, Huntersville, NC.
Funeral Service Education Instructor at Fayetteville Technical Community College at Fayetteville, NC.
Find John on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/JohnTravisHill
Edith C. Churchman, Ph.D., CFSP
Edith C. Churchman, Ph.D., CFSP is a licensed funeral director and embalmer in New Jersey, and is manager at her family funeral home, The James E. Churchman, Jr. Funeral Home in Newark, NJ. She is the 4th generation licensed funeral service professional in her family business which was founded by her great grandfather, Rev. James E. Churchman in 1899.
A member of many state, national, and local funeral service organizations including the National Funeral Directors Association, the National Funeral Directors and Morticians Association, Garden State Funeral Directors Association, New Jersey State Funeral Directors Association and the Academy of Professional Funeral Service Practice, Edith has been published in many funeral service publications. She has also lectured extensively on funeral service topics in the United States and internationally, in addition to being a sought-after Continuing Education provider for funeral service professionals. Edith serves as the International Ambassador for NFD&MA.
Kari Northey
I have been a licensed funeral director for 19 years and have worked in the funeral business for 27 years. It is truly a passion for me. In my 19 years, I have freelanced at multiple locations and have been the on-site director at three funeral homes. I have gained a unique perspective of the business through my work in several communities and through these different businesses. Funeral homes use varying levels of technology, personalization, and social media. I have seen so many ways to maneuver through the funeral process, from removals, embalming practices, paperwork, prep work, arrangements, staffing, and aftercare.
I want to help funeral directors give a better customer experience to the families they serve. I want to help educate consumers about the different areas of the funeral business. I want to help those with a passion for the business get pointed in the right direction towards working in the business or to mortuary school. I acquired a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology and a Bachelor’s Degree in Mortuary Science. I am licensed as a funeral director and embalmer in the state of Michigan.
Angelique Simpson
The personal and professional development journey is just that, A JOURNEY, not a destination; so let’s enjoy the ride and soar together!
Angelique has been a much sought after speaker, trainer and personal development coach for individuals, teams and corporations for the past 25 years. Angelique is well known for her high energy and dynamic training programs that express learning in an exciting way.
Angelique’s journey as a Trainer started in the healthcare industry, but through the years she has supported training for the real estate industry, the medical field, funeral service and legal firms to name a few.
Angelique happily joined the Matthews Aurora team in 2016, where she gets to share her positive energy and true passion for Professional Development.
Angelique is a UCLA graduate and she lives in Seal Beach, California with her husband Michael and her daughter Bethany.
Christi Moon Robbins
Christi began attending John A. Gupton Mortuary College in Nashville, TN in August of 2007 and graduated in December of 2008. After mortuary college, Christi left her home in West Tennessee and move to East Tennessee to begin serving her apprenticeship and start her funeral career.
She has been working as a dually licensed funeral director/embalmer in Knoxville, TN for the last 13 years. She worked previously for Stewart Enterprises, SCI and family-owned firms and has experience in funeral home/cemetery management and monument/marker sales.
In 2018 she was hired by The Independent Funeral Group and East Tennessee Cremation Company as a crematory operator and became a Certified Crematory Operator at that time. Christi has performed more than 7,000 cremations during her time there, while also working as the Members Relations Liasson for The Independent Funeral Group.
Christi is now transitioning into her role at East Tennessee Cremation Company as the Family Cremation Coordinator at the Family Cremation Center where she will be performing cremations for families that wish to witness the cremation of their loved one.
“As a deathcare professional, I thought I knew enough about cremation to speak with families about it. It wasn’t until I became a practicing cremationist did I realize I knew very little about the entire process. I’m hoping through the experience I’ve gained, together with the experience of our team here at East Tennessee Cremation Company, to be able to better explain the “whys” of the trade of cremation to our fellow deathcare colleagues, so when presented with a question from a cremation family, they are better able to answer it.”
Timothy J. Copeland, MS
Tim is a licensed funeral director with three decades of experience in the profession. He hails from Hudson Valley, NY, and obtained a degree in Mortuary Science from SUNY Hudson Valley Community College in 1991. He went on to earn a bachelor’s and a Master’s degree in Thanatology. Tim worked alongside his father for ten years before taking over the family funeral home in New Paltz after his father’s passing in 2001. After running the business for 19 years, Tim transitioned to a career as a Funeral Service Consultant and professor at both SUNY Canton and SUNY Hudson Valley Community College. Tim highly values his work in the industry and considers it an honor to serve individuals during their most challenging moments
Amanda Marie Eilis King
Amanda Marie Eilis King, CFSP & MBIT, is an Embalmer and Funeral Director holding licensure in multiple states, as well as honorary membership to the Belgium Institute of Thanatopraxie. She completed her embalming apprenticeship under Vernie R. Fountain, as well as extensive training in postmortem reconstructive work. In addition to her AAS in Mortuary Science from ACC in Colorado, Amanda holds a B.S. from Skidmore College for Studio Art and Biology, and a Post-Baccalaureate degree from the Maryland Institute College of Art. Her approach to Funeral Service is from an artistic standpoint. She is also an educator who specializes in and teaches reconstructive work and cosmetic application. Her contributions in the field outside of the funeral home include articles, illustrations, and photography for trade journals. Currently she is a Funeral Director and Embalmer for Bailey Family Funeral Homes in CT, and also does freelance work as AMEK Graphics, as well as being an embalming specialist with Frigid Fluid Company.
Brad Kuchnicki
In 2010, Brad decided to pursue a Master of Science Degree in Safety, Security & Emergency Management from Eastern Kentucky University. Throughout this process, Brad harbored continued interest in the creation of affordable compliance solutions for nationwide funeral homes. With that goal in mind, Brad, along with a closely tied educational curriculum, became a Certified Occupational Safety Specialist and an OSHA Outreach Trainer completing both OSHA’s 10- and 30-hour General Industry and OSHA’s 501 and 511 certification curriculums.
In addition, Brad has received extensive mentoring from Environmental Safety & Health Directors who currently serve numerous supervisory roles for such companies as Nike Corporation, Amazon, Princeton University, Pfizer, FEMA, Department of Homeland Security, and various state legislatures. Brad is fortunate to have continued and unlimited consultation from those very resources.
The safety industry is rapidly expanding due to continued regulation and government growth. Knowing this, Brad completed his Ed.D. in Interdisciplinary Studies from Creighton University. It is the goal of Funeral Compliance LLC to guide the funeral industry through an ever changing, highly regulated business environment.
In 2011, Brad opened Funeral Compliance LLC. His vision was to create an affordable compliance solution that could be implemented and enforced by any funeral home-regardless of size. Realizing that no one knows a business like the owner themselves, Brad developed a toolbox that will empower today’s funeral home into becoming a competent health, safety, and OSHA representative.
Brad is a 27-year veteran of the funeral industry, being a both a licensed funeral director and embalmer in the state of Tennessee and a certified crematory operator.