STERLING, VA (January 16, 2024) – The International Cemetery, Cremation and Funeral Association (ICCFA) Educational Foundation is proud to award 61 scholarships to the ICCFA’s annual sales conference, DEAD Talks. These scholarships are made possible thanks to generous donors, who support the principle that the Educational Foundation was founded upon – that education is critical to the well-being and future of the deathcare profession.
“I’m so pleased that the ICCFA Educational Foundation was able to provide so many scholarships for deathcare professionals to attend DEAD Talks,” said Gino Merendino, President of the ICCFA Educational Foundation. “This sales conference is an invaluable opportunity for those in our profession to hone their sales skills and create connections with other attendees. I know DEAD Talks will make a lasting impact on all the scholarship recipients’ careers. As always, I’d like to thank the Educational Foundation’s donors who made it possible for us to provide this many scholarships to ICCFA members. Your incredible generosity is greatly appreciated.”
DEAD Talks 2024 will take place January 16-18, at Park MGM Las Vegas. Scholarship recipients will receive a complimentary registration to the event, which features two and a half days of learning and networking. Sessions will focus on enhancing and refining the skills of sales professionals and family counselors within deathcare. Below are the 2024 DEAD Talks scholarship recipients:
- Guadalupe Aleman
Inglewood Park Cemetery
Inglewood, CA - Liza Altenburg
Everstory Partners
Bensalem, PA - Krystle Ballance
Cropo Funeral Chapel
Winnipeg Canada - Nancy Bellard
Albany Diocesan Cemeteries
Menands, NY - Jill Boyer
City of Boise
Boise, ID - Lorraine Brogan
Envision Strategic Partners
Salt Lake City, UT - Meredith Byrne
Westchester Hills Cemetery
Granite Springs, NY - Lilia Capetillo
Park Lawn Cemetery
Commerce, CA - Victoria Chamoun
Knollwood Cemetery Corporation, Sharon Memorial Park
Sharon, MA - Sam Clark
McDougal Funeral Home
Taylorsville, UT - Michael Conti
Albany Diocesan Cemeteries
Albany, NY - Joshua Crank
Gate of Heaven Cemetery
Cincinnati, OH - Katrina de Rivera
Funeraria Del Angel Trevino Funeral Home
Houston, TX - Kacie Derby
Baue St Charles Memorial Gardens
Saint Charles, MO - David Emery
Envision Strategic Partners
Salt Lake City, UT - David Gardner
New Tacoma Cemeteries and Funeral Home
University Place, WA - Christopher Gehrke
Cooperative Funeral Fund Inc.
Madison, CT - Jennifer Gesek
Holy Land Wood and Stone
Ambler, PA - Adam Graff
Envision Strategic Partners
Salt Lake City, UT - Joshua Grant
Albany Diocesan Cemeteries
Menands, NY - Diana Greenspan
Golden Considerations
Dallastown, PA - Kevin Greisiger
Loyal Christian Benefit Association
Erie, PA - Todd Hanson
Cooperative Funeral Fund Inc.
Madison, CT - Wendy Harris
Cooperative Funeral Fund Inc.
Madison, CT - Carissa Henson
McDougal Funeral Home
Taylorsville, UT - Debra Hernik
Forest Lawn Cemetery and Crematory Group
Buffalo, NY - Thomas Holland
Atlantic Coast Life
Charleston, SC - Anaruth Jarquin
Inglewood Park Cemetery
Inglewood CA - Jose Jimenez
Inglewood Park Cemetery
Inglewood CA - Luana Jimenez
Inglewood Park Cemetery
Inglewood CA - Thomas Johnson
Knollwood Memorial Park
Canton, MA - Cindy Kaplan
Envision Strategic Partners
Salt Lake City, UT - Lee Knaub
Golden Considerations
Dallastown, PA - Macy Lewis
Funeral Directors Life
Abilene, TX - Kyle Mannix
Cooperative Funeral Fund Inc.
Madison, CT - Hannah Mason
Cadence
Saskatoon Canada - Alexis Mast
Baue Funeral Home
St. Charles, MO - Kevin McPherson
Envision Strategic Partners
Salt Lake City, UT - Jake Miller
Return Home
Auburn, WA - Ryan Milley
Forest Hills Cemetery
Jamaica Plain, MA - Brittany Neunuebel
Baue St Charles Memorial Gardens
Saint Charles, MO - Erik Nevarez
Inglewood Park Cemetery
Inglewood, CA - Kimberly O’Madden
F.C. Daehler Mortuary Co.
Portsmouth, OH - Frank Oldani
Mt. Elliott Cemetery Association
Clinton Twp., MI - Jeanette Orantes
Roosevelt Memorial Park
Gardena, CA - Ana Palencia
Señoriales Corporación de Servico
Guatemala - Jarrod Patzer
Lindquist Mortuary
Ogden, UT - Michael Rios
Lindquist Mortuary
Ogden, UT - Sara Ruemker
Baue Funeral Home
St. Charles, MO - Matthew Sarmiento
Cairn Partners
Woodland, WA - Jane Shapiro
Envision Strategic Partners
Salt Lake City, UT - Harrison Shuh
GNight Fetcher
New York, NY - Brett Simon
Swan Law Funeral Directors
Colorado Springs, CO - Jennifer Smith
Forest Lawn Cemetery and Crematory Group
Buffalo, NY - Karina Sorensen
Lindquist Mortuary
Ogden, UT - Heidi Swett
Chapel of the Pines
Auburn, CA - Lisa Tedesco
Albany Diocesan Cemeteries
Menands, NY - Tracie Tweet
Chapel of the Hills
Auburn, CA - Tacye Vogel
Cadence
Saskatoon Canada - Tyler Waud
Cairn Partners
Woodland, WA - Breanna Williams
Cadence
Saskatoon Canada
Scholarship applications to attend the 2025 ICCFA DEAD Talks sales conference will be available in Fall 2024 at iccfa.com/sales. Additional information about the ICCFA Educational Foundation can be found at iccfa.com/educational-foundation.
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The ICCFA Educational Foundation, founded in 2005, seeks to make education accessible to the future leaders of the deathcare profession. It does this by awarding scholarships to the educational programs of the International Cemetery, Cremation and Funeral Association, as well as advancing initiatives designed to promote the profession and support the individuals who answer the call of service.
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. The association is comprised of more than 10,000 members in the cemetery, funeral home and crematory industries, as well as supplier and related businesses worldwide.
