STERLING, VA (December 19, 2024) – The International Cemetery, Cremation, and Funeral Association’s (ICCFA) Educational Foundation is proud to announce 54 scholarship recipients for DEAD Talks 2025, the premier sales-focused conference in the deathcare profession. This year’s scholarships exemplify the Foundation’s mission to foster professional development and educational growth in the profession.
“I’m absolutely thrilled that the ICCFA Educational Foundation is empowering so many dedicated deathcare professionals to attend DEAD Talks through our scholarship program,” said Gino Merendino, President of the ICCFA Educational Foundation. “This conference is more than just an event—it’s a launchpad for building sales expertise, sparking innovative ideas, and forging lifelong connections. Thanks to the remarkable generosity of our donors, these scholarships aren’t just changing careers; they’re transforming the way recipients serve their
communities.”
DEAD Talks 2025, taking place February 4-6 at the Park MGM Las Vegas, will deliver two and a half days of innovative programming designed to empower sales professionals and family counselors. Scholarship recipients will receive complimentary registration to attend dynamic sessions focused on leveraging data, technology, and artificial intelligence to improve performance and drive success in the deathcare profession.
The following ICCFA members have been granted the opportunity to attend the 2025 ICCFA DEAD Talks on scholarship:
- Joann Abbott, Mt. Elliott Cemetery Association, Clinton Twp, MI
- Nancy Aguilar, Cherokee Memorial Park & Funeral Home, Lodi, CA
- Luis Barton, Archdiocese of Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA
- Bradley Bell, Heritage Family Funeral Service, Kalamazoo, MI
- Kimberly Callaway, Funeral Directors Life Insurance Company, Abilene, TX
- Mario Carder, Calvary Cemetery – Archdiocese of Cincinnati, Springfield, OH
- Noel Cruz, Archdiocese of Los Angeles, Rosemead, CA
- Blanca Cueva, Inglewood Park Cemetery, Inglewood, CA
- Becky Davis, Stork-Morley Funerals and Cremation, Lakewood, CO
- Joshua Dellinges, City of Hobbs, Hobbs, NM
- Mac Dempsey, Leaf Cremation, Acworth, GA
- Terri DiFiore, White Haven Memorial Park, Pittsford, NY
- Tonya Dunmore, Heritage Family LLC, Blountville, TN
- Yolanda Galaviz, Park Lawn Cemetery, Commerce, CA
- Marisela Garcia, Archdiocese of Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA
- April Gaudioso, Heritage Family, Blountville, TN
- Carol Gest, Mt. Elliott Cemetery Association – Resurrection Cemetery, Clinton Township, MI
- Mark Gutierrez, Golden Considerations Inc., York, PA
- Cole Held, West Hills Memorial Park, Yakima, WA
- Tyler Huffer, Titus Funeral Home / Cairn Partners, Warsaw, IN
- Marcus Julian, Mt. Elliott Cemetery Association, Clinton Twp, MI
- Eleni Karahalios, Memorial Mortuaries and Cemeteries, Murray, UT
- Cheryl Kelly, Gate of Heaven Cemetery, Cincinnati, OH
- Macy Lewis, Funeral Directors Life Insurance Company, Abilene, TX Leo Adam Lopez, Cherokee Memorial Park & Funeral Home, Lodi, CA
- Brittany Lyon, Titus Funeral Home / Cairn Partners, Warsaw, IN
- Lou Maldonado, City of Hobbs Parks and Open Space Department, Hobbs, NM
- Wendy Mann, Mt. Elliott Cemetery Association, Rochester, MI
- Alexis Mast, Baue Funeral Homes, St. Charles, MO
- Laura McLatcher, Funeral Directors Life, Fremont, IN
- Kevin McPherson, Envision Strategic Partners, Midvale, UT
- Mindy Mohlenbrok, Cairn Partners, Woodland, WA
- Yolanda Montenegro, Roosevelt Memorial Park Cemetery, Gardena, CA
- Isabelle Morris, Lindquist Mortuaries and Cemeteries, Ogden, UT
- Rhiannon Myers, Fairfax Memorial Park/Carriage Services, Fairfax, VA
- Brittany Neunuebel, Baue Funeral Homes, St. Charles, MO
- Alberto Nieto, Envision Strategic Partners, Midvale, UT
- Frank Oldani, Mt. Elliott Cemetery Association, Clinton Township, MI
- Jarrod Patzer, Lindquist Mortuary, Layton, UT
- Eric Pope, Lindquist Mortuaries and Cemeteries, Ogden, UT
- Nick Rainone, Diocese of Providence RI Catholic Cemeteries, Cranston, RI
- Jimmy Richardson, Rollings and Pinnacle Funeral Service, Lexington, SC
- Martha Rodriguez, Inglewood Park Cemetery, Inglewood, CA
- Sara Ruemker, Baue Funeral Home and St. Charles Memorial Gardens, St. Charles, MO
- Ezequiel David Sandoval, Archdiocese of Los Angeles – Catholic Cemeteries and Mortuaries, Los Angeles, CA
- Jamie Sarche, Feldman Mortuary, Denver, CO
- Brett Simon, Swan Law Funeral Directors, Colorado Springs, CO
- Erika Skipper, Forest Lawn Cemetery Group, Buffalo, NY
- Julie Smith, Metcalf Mortuary, St. George, UT
- Melissa Sutter, Forest Lawn Cemetery, Buffalo, NY
- Brian Tocts, Envision Strategic Partners, Midvale, UT
- Antonio Velasco, All Souls Catholic Mortuary, Long Beach, CA
- Jaime Nimra Velazquez, Catholic Cemeteries and Mortuaries, Los Angeles, CA
- Cathy Younkin, Fairfax Memorial Funeral Home, Fairfax, VA
For more information and to register for DEAD Talks 2025, please visit www.iccfa.com/sales. DEAD Talks Scholarship applications to attend the 2026 ICCFA DEAD Talks sales conference will be available in Fall 2025 at www.iccfa.com/sales. Additional information about the ICCFA Educational Foundation can be found at www.iccfa.com/educational-foundation.
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The ICCFA Educational Foundation is a 501(c)(3) entity, established to make education accessible to future leaders in the deathcare profession and thereby raise the standards of professionalism within the industry. To learn more about the work of the Foundation and upcoming educational opportunities, please visit iccfa.com/educational-foundation.
Founded in 1887, the International Cemetery, Cremation and Funeral Association is the only international trade association representing all segments of the cemetery, cremation, funeral and memorialization profession. Its membership is composed of more than 9,100 rooftop locations and 18,000 professionals in the cemetery, funeral home and crematory industries, as well as supplier and related businesses worldwide.
