Seminars
and Speakers

Amanda Marie Eilis King, CFSP, MBIT, MPS, is an embalmer and funeral director, holding licensure in multiple states in the U.S., as well as honorary membership to the Belgium Institute of Thanatopraxie. She completed her embalming apprenticeship under Vernie R. Fountain and has extensive training in postmortem reconstructive work.

In addition to her Associate of Science Degree in Mortuary Science from ACC in Colorado, Amanda holds a Bachelor’s of Science Degree from Skidmore College for Studio Art and Biology, and a post-baccalaureate degree from the Maryland Institute College of Art. Currently, she is a funeral director and embalmer for Bailey Family Funeral Homes in Connecticut and also does freelance work as AMEKgraphics, as well as being an embalming specialist with Frigid Fluid Company.

This presentation explores the specialized care, techniques and ethical considerations involved in preparing organ and tissue donor cases for viewing and funeral services. It emphasizes the importance of restorative art as a foundational skill in everyday embalming while addressing the unique challenges presented by donor cases, including delayed release, anatomical disruption and family expectations.

Isabel Knight, founder and CEO of The Death Designer, is an avid Ultimate Frisbee player and podcaster. She received her certification as a Human-Centered Design Practitioner from the Luma Institute in 2018 and trained as an end-of-life doula with INELDA. She currently serves as the president on the board of directors at the National Home Funeral Alliance. 

Isabel operates a unique business focused on end-of-life planning. She employs principles of human-centered design to assist individuals in navigating the complexities of death care. This approach involves co-creating systems and products with users to ensure they meet their needs effectively.

Right now, funeral director associations across the country are considering whether to incorporate death doulas into the funeral home. This seminar will take attendees through a journey mapping exercise to see how death doulas can help bridge the gap between those who provide support before someone dies and the funeral directors who support after death.

Dr. Jennifer Lares, CFSP, has been a licensed funeral director and embalmer in Florida since 1998 and holds an active dual license in Texas (2017) and Colorado (2025). She served in the U.S. Navy as an active-duty hospital corpsman specializing in mortuary affairs from 2007 to 2012, graduated in 2019 with her Doctor of Business Administration and served as a mortuary officer (civilian) at the U.S. Army Regional Mortuary, specializing in returning fallen service members and other eligible persons to their homes, from December 2021 to July 2024.  

In May 2024, Jennifer founded her company, Mulling Mortician LLC; a creation committed to providing applicable training options that funeral service professionals can access virtually or on-site. She recently joined the Kates-Boylston Publications team and is the editor of Funeral Service Insider.

Lares will introduce participants to the U.S. Navy’s Burial at Sea Program, a disposition option for eligible military personnel from all branches of service. Discussion will include locations, preparation of casket or urn, and the overall process for arranging this service for a client's family.

Lanae Strovers graduated with honors from Des Moines Area Community College in 2012 and has served families at Hamilton's Funeral Home since. She initiated a program for unclaimed remains that gained national attention and was featured on the front page of major publications including USA Today, The New York Times, and The Washington Post.

Lanae serves as a trainer for the National Funeral Directors Association, delivering the NFDA Arranger Training suite of educational opportunities. A first-generation funeral director, Lanae is passionate about helping families create personalized services that honor the lives of their loved ones. Whether turning the funeral home into a baseball field, a gaming room or a runway show accompanied by a pianist, Lanae is dedicated to creating meaningful experiences that reflect each individual’s life and passions.

This course explores common sources of conflict during funeral planning and provides practical strategies funeral professionals can use to guide families through difficult conversations. Participants will examine family dynamics, learn techniques for empathetic communication and discuss approaches for addressing financial concerns with transparency and respect.

Allyse R. Worland, CFSP, is a licensed funeral director and embalmer in the states of Indiana and Kentucky. She was born and raised in Greensburg, IN, and is proud to be a first-generation funeral service professional. She is also committed to assisting with the funeral director shortage the profession is facing by offering full-service trade work. 

Allyse offers consulting opportunities, leveraging her nearly two decades of experience to assist funeral homes with topics such as team building and care center improvements. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Funeral Service Management, is an Insight Certified Celebrant and holds a certificate in thanatology for end-of-life professionals. 

This course examines the workforce and recruitment challenges that the industry faces because of the culture created within a funeral home and how they can foster an environment where funeral directors can thrive and funeral homes can retain talented staff.

Panelists include:

Richard Benton, co-founder of Earth Funeral located in Washington.

Micah Truman, CEO of Return Home located in Washington.

Seth Viddal, co-owner and COO of The Natural Funeral located in Colorado.

Pablo Metz, co-founder of Mein Erde located in Germany.

Natural Organic Reduction was recently legalized in the State of New Jersey. Attendees of this course will have the opportunity to hear firsthand from operators currently offering natural organic reduction. Representatives from Earth Funeral, Return Home, The Natural Funeral and Mein Erde offer their experience and expertise to help prepare New Jersey funeral homes for the implementation of natural organic reduction, to better understand the step-by-step process of NOR and provide details on how your funeral home can offer natural organic reduction to the families you serve.