Who We Are
We are a group of integrative death professionals who serve our community in a variety of ways. We are end of life doulas, home funeral and vigil guides, celebrants, green burial advocates, body workers, and much more. We work together to provide integrative death care opportunities to those who are dying, their families, and their support network. Our goal is to educate and inform professionals within the state of MN as well as the public, and to help those in need find appropriate services. To be listed on our directory, simply become a member and we'll get you listed!
The Collaborative's Leadership
We have formed a leadership circle to initiate the collaborative. We welcome your thoughts and ideas!
Anne Murphy, Events Coordinator, is a Celebrant, Home Vigil Guide and Death Educator, and owner of A Thousand Hands. She is trained in the art of supporting individuals and families through the season of death and dying through heart-centered, compassionate and meaningful conversations, rituals and ceremonies. Go to A Thousand Hands at: https://athousandhands.com
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Emily Stacken, Communications Director, is a trained End-of Life / Death Doula, and gained her certification through Going With Grace. Emily serves as a Hospice Volunteer for Sholom Hospice, and also provides grief support and resources for organ donor families at LifeSource. She attended United Theological Seminary and received a Masters of Arts in Leadership. Her capstone project, the Radical Death Series, prioritized issues of racial equity, collective grief, and what it means to embrace death as inseparable from life.
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Wendy Brown, Membership Coordinator, is a trained End of Life Doula through the International End of Life Doula Association (INELDA) as well as trained in Healing Touch. She has gained insightful perspective through her work with clients in the Twin Cities, as well as through local hospice programs. Wendy spent many years as a blog writer, creating awareness of the importance of the written word—a foundation for her passion towards Legacy Projects. Her role as an End of Life Doula is one she holds with honor and humility. Go to Chemin at: www.mychemin.com
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Kate Wolfe, Secretary, is a trained End of Life Doula (INELDA & ILDM), a Certified Life Planning Specialist, a volunteer with Kindred Hospice, and owner of Whispers of Life Doula. As an event planner who sees nature as her sanctuary, she is dedicated to creating opportunities for self care—as a personal practice and for the community around her. Death has been a close companion of Kate’s life, and as one dear friend described this threshold, “Those who have seen the darkness know best how to seize the moment and find the light.” It is a mantra Kate holds close within her heart.
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Janet Brown, Member At Large, is a trained End of Life Doula through the International End of Life Doula Association (INELDA), Zen Buddhist practitioner, and founder of Good Death Doula. While some define a “good death” as one that is free from avoidable distress and suffering. Janet views a good death as one where people feel comfortable talking about death in a way that creates agency, intention, and closure while incorporating wellness and peace on life's ending. Janet works with individuals and their families through hospice, vigil, and the grieving process with compassion, love, support, and understanding that this time is sacred, precious, and beautiful.
Corey Siewert, Member at Large, is a trained End of Life Doula through the International End of Life Doula Association (INELDA), member of Compassion and Choices and INELDA, serves as a volunteer with North Memorial Hospice and volunteer doula with Providence Place. As the caregiver during his mother’s death, he found a clarity of purpose, helping individuals and families navigate their end-of-life journey. He believes death should be talked about and planned for. As a lifelong planner his mantra is, “none of us are making it out of here alive, so let’s make sure we plan for it and have a good death.” He feels everyone should leave this world for the next unburdened from the stresses of life, surrounded by laughter, compassion and love.
Amanda Luke, Member at Large, is the Community Programs Manager at Lakewood Cemetery in Minneapolis. She is incredibly passionate about cemeteries as community spaces and is actively involved in connecting cemetery educators and advocates across the country with resources to increase programming and community engagement. In addition to her love of cemeteries, she enjoys finding new ways to encourage community conversations around death and dying, whether through community memorialization opportunities, or small workshops and informational classes.
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Michelle Kolling, Finance Director, is an INELDA trained end of life doula and founder of HELD. While serving as a caregiver to her husband during the end of his life, she came to understand the transformational possibilities that exist when being deeply present in the dying experience. Michelle serves as a hospice volunteer and a board member at Rein in Sarcoma and is a member of INELDA and NEDA. She is also pursuing certification as an NLP and hypnotherapy practitioner through IntraAwareness. To learn more about how Michelle practices the art of death midwifery go to www.heldoula.com.
Abigail Pribbenow, Membership Director, is a memorial celebrant with training through Insight Books. Her passion is working with families to create and facilitate a fitting memorial service. In a eulogy, she weaves together stories from family, friends, colleagues, and others to offer those who gather a glimpse of the arc of a life, what mattered, and what we learn as we go forward. She is a good listener and a strong advocate for bringing community together to mark important passages.
Amy Kuronen, Finance Director, is an attorney in Duluth, Minnesota. Her practice focuses on estate planning and elder law, so she is often speaking with clients about important end of life issues. Amy finds it so rewarding when clients express their sense of peace at getting their personal affairs in order. Having experienced the sudden and unexpected death of her husband while raising two teenage daughters, Amy understands the value of being prepared to address the practical realities that arise following the loss of a loved one. Please see www.amykuronenlaw.com if you would like to know more about Amy's approach to estate planning.
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Sage Circle - Retired Board Members
Jane Whitlock, Founding Member, Community Outreach - 2018 to August 2021
Jean Budge, Founding Member, Finance Director - 2018 to September 2021
Nina Guertin, Founding Member, Secretary - 2018 to September 2021
Susan Lawrence, Founding Member, Communications Director - 2018 to September 2021
Cheryl Larson, Founding Member, Website Manager - 2018 to August 2022
Jean Budge, Founding Member, Finance Director - 2018 to September 2021
Nina Guertin, Founding Member, Secretary - 2018 to September 2021
Susan Lawrence, Founding Member, Communications Director - 2018 to September 2021
Cheryl Larson, Founding Member, Website Manager - 2018 to August 2022
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Newsletters
Sign up to receive our monthly newsletter to learn about events in our area, tips for managing end of life, links to resources and so much more! |
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