STERLING, VA (June 4, 2025) – The International Cemetery, Cremation, & Funeral Association’s (ICCFA) Educational Foundation proudly announces the award of 97 scholarships, thanks to the generosity of donors who value educational opportunities for deathcare professionals. These scholarships will enable recipients to attend the 2025 ICCFA University at the Emory University Conference Center Hotel in Atlanta, Georgia, from July 18-23. Scholarship recipients, representing ICCFA members from 25 U.S. states and Puerto Rico, as well as Canada, China, Ecuador, El Salvador, and Jamaica, will have the opportunity to learn from deathcare innovators and experts.  

The following ICCFA members will be attending the 2025 ICCFA University on scholarship thanks to the generous contributions of our supporting donors: 

  1. John Blevins, Williams Funeral Home | Columbia, TN 
  2. Mark Bodicky, Global Atlantic Financial Group | Batesville, IN 
  3. Angela Bowling, Woodland Cemetery | Dayton, OH 
  4. Sharael Bowman, Vine On Angel Wings Crematory LLC | Dayton, OH 
  5. Anthony Bracy, Bracy Funeral Service Group/Collins Funeral Home | Camden, SC 
  6. Cassandra Bracy, Bracy Funeral Service Group/Collins Funeral Home | Camden, SC 
  7. Gydell Brooks, Kilpatrick’s Rose-Neath Cemetery | Bossier City, LA 
  8. Virginia “Jenni” Bryant, Smith Funeral & Cremation Service | Maryville, TN 
  9. James Burton, Cincinnati College of Mortuary Science/Webb Noonan Kidd SCI | Cincinnati, OH 
  10. Elizabeth Capetillo, Inglewood Park Cemetery | Inglewood, CA 
  11. Sandra Carlin, Cape Cod Community College | Plymouth, MA 
  12. Anthony Carpinello, R.I. Catholic Cemeteries Diocese of Providence | Cranston, RI 
  13. Nancy Chapa, Serenity Fields | Mission, TX 
  14. Denise Childress, Curlew Hills Memory Gardens | Palm Harbor, FL 
  15. Lauren Christakos, Arlington Memorial Gardens and Funeral Home | Cincinnati, OH 
  16. Gordon Chuck, Sam Isaacs & Son Funeral Home | Kingston, Jamaica 
  17. Carlos Culqui, Inglewood Park Cemetery | Inglewood, CA 
  18. Michelle D’Aquin, Garden of Memories Funeral Home and Cemetery | Metairie, LA 
  19. Brittany Davis, Funerals by T.S. Warden | Jacksonville, FL 
  20. Sarah Dawber | Buchanan Group Inc. | Indianapolis, IN 
  21. Mac Dempsey, Leaf Cremation | Kennesaw, GA 
  22. Tyler Dinkins, Leaf Cremation | Columbus, OH 
  23. Christina Fournier, John A Gentleman & Heritage Family | Omaha, NE 
  24. Jessica Fulford, Fountainhead Funeral Home – SCI | Palm Bay, FL 
  25. Lorena Garcia, Inglewood Park Cemetery | Inglewood, CA 
  26. Tony Gilmer, Ott & Lee Funeral Home/Lakeland Place Memorial Park | Brandon, MS 
  27. Sandra Goldman, Hebrew Cemetery Association of Greater Charlotte | Charlotte, NC 
  28. Daniel Gonzalez, Mt. Elliott Cemetery Association | Clinton Twp, MI 
  29. Jacquelin Grauert, Gethsemane Cemetery | Reading, PA 
  30. Michael Greene, Chapel of the Chimes Westland | Westland, MI 
  31. Gwen Gustafson, Forest Hills Cemetery | Boston, MA 
  32. David Gutierrez, Parques y Jardines de Cuscatlan | San Salvador, El Salvador 
  33. Larry Hawkins, Kilpatrick’s Rose-Neath Cemetery | Bossier City, LA 
  34. Cole Held, West Hills Memorial Park | Yakima, WA 
  35. Bailee Helton, Mt. Elliott Cemetery Association | Clinton Twp, MI 
  36. Brookle Hicks, Leaf Cremation | Kennesaw, GA 
  37. Shane Hinds, Carraige Services | Houston, TX 
  38. Shantelle Holts Joseph, Tidewater Community College/ Sid Roberts Funeral Home | Nacogdoches, TX 
  39. Aesha Humphrey, Marcom-Harvey Funeral Care | Kansas City, MO 
  40. Peter Johnson, Jefferson Memorial Cemetery and Funeral Home | Pittsburgh, PA 
  41. Benjamin Jones, Vineyard City | Vineyard City, UT 
  42. Marcus Julian, Mt. Elliott Cemetery Association | Clinton Twp, MI 
  43. Joelle Kerfoot, Heady-Radcliffe Funeral Home & Cremation Services | LaGrange, KY 
  44. Dan Kientzel, Service Corporation International / Dignity Memorial | Houston, TX 
  45. Jonathan Kind, Gethsemane Cemetery | Clinton Twp, MI 
  46. Ryan Kinder, AS Turner & Sons | Decatur, GA 
  47. Jun Li, Fu Shou Yuan International Group | Shanghai, China 
  48. Ashlie Lobeck, City of Hobbs | Hobbs, NM 
  49. Kevin Lowery, Greenlawn Funeral Homes, Crematory, and Monument Center | Springfield, MO 
  50. Lou Maldonado, City of Hobbs Parks and Open Space Department | Hobbs, NM 
  51. Lynn McClain, Harpeth Hills Memory Gardens, Funeral Home & Cremation Center | Nashville, TN 
  52. Andrew McIntosh, Mission Hills Memorial Chapel, Crematory and Gardens | Dowagiac, MI 
  53. Alexander Mcintosh, Mission Hills | Niles, MI 
  54. Marcelo Minatel, Gethsemane Cemetery | Curitiba, Puerto Rico 
  55. Victoria Monforte, Cherokee Memorial Park and Funeral Home | Lodi, CA 
  56. Alanna Navin, Restland Funeral Home & Memorial Park | Dallas, TX 
  57. Craig Nichols, Mountain View Cemetery | Rapid City, SD 
  58. Jonathan Nixon, R.I. Catholic Cemeteries Diocese of Providence | Cranston, RI 
  59. Aubrey O’Byrne, Compassionate Planning LLC | Reading, PA 
  60. Robert O’Gara, R.I. Catholic Cemeteries Diocese of Providence | Cranston, RI 
  61. Arlette O’Rourke, Sacred Grove | Saint Stephen, SC 
  62. Tamala Randolph, Last Responder Solutions LLC | Wellford, SC 
  63. Jennifer Rebollar, Roosevelt Memorial Park Cemetery | Gardena, CA 
  64. Melinda Redding, Baue Funeral Homes/St. Charles Memorial Gardens | St. Charles, TX 
  65. Jerri Reed-Taylor, Malcolm X College Mortuary Science Program | Chicago, IL 
  66. Chanin Ricketts, Garden of Memories Funeral Home & Cemetery & Myrtle Hill Memorial Park | Tampa, FL 
  67. Joe Romero, North Texas Funeral Homes | Hurst, TX 
  68. Ton SaeChao, Cherokee Memorial Park and Funeral Home | Lodi, CA 
  69. George Schramm, Vineyard City | Vineyard, UT 
  70. Taylor Scott, Leaf Cremation Georgia | Kennesaw, GA 
  71. Karen Scott, Malcolm X College/Wallace Broadview Funeral Home | Chicago, IL 
  72. Branden Seid, Resurrection Cemetery | Oklahoma City, OK 
  73. John Sennhenn Jr., Spring Grove, | Cincinnati, OH 
  74. Susan Short, Baue Funeral Homes | Saint Charles, MO 
  75. Ashlyn Smith, Greenlawn Funeral Home | Springfield, MO 
  76. Kemberly Soria, Gethsemane Cemetery | Reading, PA 
  77. Kadi Strednak, Jefferson Memorial Funeral Home, Inc. | Pittsburgh, PA 
  78. Gail Stuart, The McDougald Funeral Home | Anderson, SC 
  79. Lindsey Stuffle, Cole and Garrett Funeral Home | Goodlettsville, TN 
  80. Arian Teran, Jardines De Manabí | Portoviejo, Manabi, Ecuador 
  81. Gabriela Teran, Jardines De Manabí | Durán, Guayas, Ecuador 
  82. Maria Lourdes Teran, Jardines de Manabí | Portoviejo, Manabí, Ecuador 
  83. Jamie Thomas, Thomas Consulting | Mooresville, IN 
  84. Brent Thomas, Thomas Consulting Group/Dead Ringers | Mooresville, IN 
  85. Veronica Van Hof, Baltimore Humane Society Memorial Park | Reisterstown, MD 
  86. MyEtta Vance, Eden Terrace Memorials, LLC | Jackson, MS 
  87. Vercell Vance, Eden Terrace Memorials, LLC | Jackson, MS 
  88. Heather Vandegejuchte, Roberts of Ocala | Ocala, FL 
  89. Jared Vincent, R.I. Catholic Cemeteries Diocese of Providence | Cranston, RI 
  90. Tyler Waud, Cairn Partners | Tualatin, OR 
  91. Kathi Wells, Global Atlantic Financial Group | Maitland, FL 
  92. Michael Welsh, Gary Diocesan Cemeteries | Hammond, IN 
  93. Tim Weston, Greenlawn Funeral Home North | Springfield, MO 
  94. Sarah Whitaker, webCemeteries | Kutztown, PA 
  95. Spencer Wilson, Biondan | Toronto, Ontario, Canada 
  96. Calvin Witcher, Inglewood Park Cemetery | Inglewood, CA 
  97. Jenna Wolfgang, Williams Funeral Home | Columbia, TN 

“Each year, it’s inspiring to witness the passion and potential of those entering and advancing within the deathcare profession,” said Gino Merendino, President of the ICCFA Educational Foundation. “These scholarships are more than financial support — they are an investment in people who are dedicated to compassion, service, and continuous growth. We’re proud to help open doors to education and leadership development through ICCFA University, and we’re deeply grateful to the donors who make it all possible.” 

### 

The ICCFA Educational Foundation, founded in 2005, seeks to make education accessible to 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 suppliers and related businesses worldwide.