Brian D. Smith is a Certified Grief Educator, Positive Intelligence Coach, and Life Purpose Coach, dedicated to helping people rediscover their true nature and purpose. After the passing of his daughter, Shayna, at the age of 15, in 2015, Brian deepened his study of death and the afterlife, which he had been exploring for nearly two decades. Since Shayna's passing, he has made it his mission to support others dealing with loss, and to help people rediscover who they are and why they are here. Brian is also the host of the Grief 2 Growth podcast, author of Grief2Growth: Planted, Not Buried, and of his new book, GEMS of Healing, and actively serves on the board of Helping Parents Heal, a non-profit organization dedicated to assisting parents whose children have passed. Through his work, Brian aims to create a world where everyone can find meaning, purpose, and fulfillment, even in the face of grief.

Dr. Monica Krishnan is a clinical pharmacist with over 25 years of experience and a dedicated advocate for grief and mental health. After losing her husband in 2011, she experienced high-functioning depression. Then, 2018 marked a turning point of healing and the commencement of her advocacy work. Since then, she has shared her journey and spread awareness through public speaking, writing, and most recently, as author of her first children’s book, Finding Pockets of Sunshine, which aims to help children understand grief and mental health from an early age.

Eileen Kielty (she/her) is a queer multi-disciplinary artist, teacher, performer, clairsentient intuitive, and movement alchemist. Founder of Kaia Evolutions, a tribute to her sister, Katie, who died by suicide in 2019, Eileen holds degrees in dance and psychology, plus extensive training in somatic integration, embodiment, and intimacy practices.  Passionate about consent-driven, socially just spaces, she has nearly two decades of experience working with bodies in arts, fitness, wellness, and education, presenting both in-person and virtually.  Eileen believes in illuminating the darker aspects of human experience through authentic sharing, recognizing we're not meant to struggle alone. She champions creative expression, believing the body holds unspoken truths, and movement connects us to our deepest selves.  kaiaevolutions.com | @kaia.evolutions | @ekielty

Erin Blechman is an author, speaker, and certified Grief Educator whose mission is to elevate the conversation around grief and loss, mental illness, and suicide.

Her book, My Unexpected Journey: Reflections After Losing My Son to Suicide, chronicles the eighteen months following the devastating loss of her own beloved son, Max to suicide after his long battle with mental illness.

She offers grief support to bereaved parents through online groups and community talks that seek to build greater understanding of mental illness, suicide, and loss and grief.

Erin lives part-time in both Pittsburgh, PA and Naples, FL with her husband, Bill and Max’s former dog, Emmylou. Their son, Sam, and his wife, Julia, reside in Pittsburgh. My Unexpected Journey is her first book.

Lisa Keefauver is a grief activist, author, TEDx speaker, and sought-after speaker known for her compassionate insights and advocacy. With a background as a social worker and narrative therapist since 2004, Lisa’s work is shaped by both her professional expertise and personal experiences, including the loss of her husband, Eric, in 2011. She founded Reimagining Grief to challenge harmful narratives about grief and support those navigating loss. As host of the acclaimed Grief is a Sneaky Bitch podcast and a teacher at the University of Texas at Austin, Lisa combines warmth, wisdom, and humor to foster meaningful conversations on grief.

 Matt Gilhooly is creator, producer, and host of The Life Shift Podcast, which was named the #1 Indie Podcast of 2023 by Ear Worthy.

Matt brings a unique blend of communication and storytelling skills to his work, exploring the pivotal moments that shape our lives, helping listeners find common ground in shared experiences. 

At the tender age of eight, Matt unexpectedly lost his mother in a car accident. This life-altering event shifted life as he knew it. Most recently, he also experienced the loss of his grandmother, and beloved dog, Mikey.

In this episode, he sits with Nina Rodriguez to talk all things grief, loss, life and hope on the Grief and Light Podcast.

Matt Jacobson Jr., founder of LifeBooks, transformed personal grief into a mission to preserve legacies. The sudden loss of his father, a cornerstone of their family and business, spurred Matt to create a platform that transcends traditional memorialization. While abroad, Matt received the devastating news of his father’s passing, leading to a profound sense of loss and a fear that his father’s memory would fade.

Driven by this fear, Matt envisioned LifeBooks, a space to encapsulate entire lifetimes through collaborative, beautifully crafted memorial books. More than just capturing moments, LifeBooks is about preserving stories and experiences for future generations. It’s a heartfelt journey born from personal grief and a desire to honor loved ones in a lasting, meaningful way. Matt’s vision ensures that memories endure, creating a legacy that resonates across time.

Co-Founder/Podcast Host

Loss survivor of murder-suicide and advocate.

Who we are

We are a group of family members profoundly affected by the tragedy of murder-suicide. 

In response to the lack of resources for this complex type of loss, we have united to form a safe haven for survivors to connect. 

We empathize. We recognize that these individuals are defined by much more than their final act. 

It is our hope that you discover supportive resources here and that we can offer solace during these dark times.

Nico Slate is a historian, professor, and author whose work explores the intersections of race, identity, and social justice. He teaches history at Carnegie Mellon University, where his research focuses on global movements for equality. His memoir, Brothers: A Memoir of Love, Loss, and Race, offers a deeply personal account of his relationship with his late brother Peter and examines the complexities of growing up in a multi-racial family. Through his writing and teaching, Nico invites others to reflect on the ways love, grief, and identity shape our lives and our understanding of one another.

Paula Sager is a writer and teacher of embodied contemplative practices. Her book, The Watch: Time to Witness the Beauty of It All, explores her evolving relationship with her father—through his illness, dying, and the mystery of connection after death. Paula studied with Janet Adler, pioneer of embodied witness consciousness and founder of the Discipline of Authentic Movement. She co-edited Intimacy in Emptiness: An Evolution of Embodied Consciousness and is on the faculty of Circles of Four, a teacher training program for Authentic Movement. Paula has worked with the Center for Contemplative Mind in Society and the Mariposa Center, a social justice initiative for early childhood education. Her work explores themes of time, timelessness, grief, love, and the unfolding nature of life.

Rebecca Feinglos (pronounced fine-gloss) is a certified grief support specialist and founder of Grieve Leave. Rebecca founded Grieve Leave in 2021 as a way to document her experience on a year-long grief sabbatical, as a way to process her own grief and loss— she lost her mother in her teens, her father in 2020, and her marriage in a drawn-out divorce. Grieve Leave has grown into a community of 25,000 that provides tangible takeaways, resources, and a healthy dose of humor, creating an entire movement around taking intentional time to grieve. Rebecca has been featured in LA Times, Fortune, TIME, HuffPost, Slate, and ELLE for her raw and revolutionary voice, inspiring a more grief-informed world.

Rosemerry Wahtola Trommer is a poet and author who has been sharing a poem a day since 2006, a practice that deeply supported her after the loss of her teenage son, Flynn, in 2021. Her latest collection, The Unfolding, explores themes of grief, love, and the natural world.
Rosemerry co-hosts multiple creative podcasts, including Emerging Form, and serves as the first poet laureate for Evermore, helping others explore grief and wonder through poetry. Her poetry has been featured in O Magazine, PBS NewsHour, on Carnegie Hall stage, and on river rocks she leaves in her community.
Known for themes of grief, love, and daily life, she continues exploring creativity through workshops, retreats, and performances, embodying her mantra: “I’m still learning.”

Sign up to receive her daily poems (free).

Shea Wingate, The Grief Girlie, is a licensed therapist and grief coach committed to companioning clients in their grief journey. Having faced her own significant loss of both her parents and her older sister, Shea understands how rough grief can be. In her virtual private practice, Shea helps grievers make space for their grief and learn how to grow around their loss. In addition to individual work, Shea offers a self-paced online course, monthly grief videos, and support groups. You can find more information on her website, or by sending Shea a DM on Instagram.

Co-Founder/Podcast Host, Impacted Survivors of Murder Suicide

Loss survivor of murder-suicide and advocate.

Who we are:

We are a group of family members profoundly affected by the tragedy of murder-suicide. 

In response to the lack of resources for this complex type of loss, we have united to form a safe haven for survivors to connect. 

We empathize. We recognize that these individuals are defined by much more than their final act. 

It is our hope that you discover supportive resources here and that we can offer solace during these dark times.

Tina Fornwald is a retired Chief Warrant Officer, empowerment life coach, and ordained minister who has faced profound loss. After a miscarriage, breast cancer diagnosis, and the sudden passing of her beloved husband, Mark, Tina found strength through faith, family, and community. Today, she hosts Widowhood Real Talk with Tina—a podcast, registered 501(c)(3), and supportive space for those navigating life after loss. Tina’s journey of resilience and purpose offers hope to widows, widowers, and grievers seeking to rebuild their lives.