Breaking Barriers in Funeral Service: NFDA’s 2024 Professional Women’s Conference Set to Inspire and Connect

Brookfield, Wis. – The National Funeral Directors Association (NFDA) will bring the profession        together for the 2024 Professional Women’s Conference, April 28 through 30 in picturesque Savannah, Georgia. During this conference attendees representing all facets of the funeral service profession will be empowered to not only sit at the table but lead at the table. Registration is now open.

During this inspiring and uplifting conference, attendees will hear from exceptional speakers covering a wide range of topics:

• Vera Stewart, host of Very Vera, a cooking show about Southern cuisine, will speak about entrepreneurship.
• NFDA Senior Vice President of Advocacy Lesley Witter will show attendees how to use their voice as a force for good that can create change.
• Attendees will learn about suicide risk within the death care profession from Dr. Sara Murphy.
• Dr. Ruth Bedell, an industrial and organizational psychologist, will help attendees understand how they can be more assertive.
• Death educator and Certified Thanatologist Dr. Sara Murphy will discuss how to recognize and respond to suicide risk in the funeral service profession
• Kelly Kohut and Jenny McClanahan from Precoa will discuss the demographic shifts will transform funeral planning and purchasing.
• Award-winning author Jasmine Brett Stringer will explore how attendees can “carpe diem” (seize the day) by unlocking the barriers that keep them from living the life they are intended to have while establishing a personal vision to take them to the next level.
• New York funeral director Amy Cunningham will draw from her experiences serving families in the state of New York and share best practices for helping families plan meaningful green funeral and burial ceremonies.
• Nelson Thulin from Johnson Consulting will share strategies to help attendees navigate and innovate within the shifting dynamics of the funeral service sector.
• Autumn Cooper from The Dodge Company will help attendees refresh their prep room skills.
• And more!

Engaging Discussions and Networking

Professional Women’s Conference attendees will kick off their time together with a Welcome Party that captures the spirit of Savannah. While enjoying complimentary food and drink, guests will experience a fun-filled evening of lively conversation and building bonds with colleagues.

Beyond the Welcome Party, there are countless other opportunities to build relationships with fellow funeral service professionals during the Professional Women’s Conference. “These ladies were wonderful,” said one 2023 conference attendee. “They all touched on things that were very relatable and inspired me to really reflect on the topics afterward. I really felt like they were speaking directly to me.”

Another 2023 attendee noted, “There were so many takeaways. I also liked opportunity to meet other women in our profession, connect with them and learn and be inspired by them.”

Inspiration Award

During the 2024 Professional Women’s Conference, the association will confer the second annual NFDA Inspiration Award. This award will recognize an exceptional individual who has made noteworthy professional contributions to funeral service or a related field.

Nominations for the NFDA Inspiration Award were accepted online from January 15 through February 16, 2024. The ideal nominee is an enterprising individual who consistently takes the initiative to elevate the funeral service profession. They serve as a mentor to colleagues. Their energy and independent spirit serve as an example to others. Their efforts result in significant accomplishments at the local, national and/or international level.

Complete details are available at www.nfda.org/InspirationAward. NFDA is grateful to National Guardian Life Insurance Company for sponsoring the Inspiration Award.

Registration Today

Registration for the 2024 NFDA Professional Women’s Conference opens February 28. Attendees can save when they register by the early-bird deadline of March 28, 2024. Attendees must register for the 2024 NFDA Professional Women’s Conference by April 19.

NFDA has selected a luxurious historic hotel in the heart of Savannah to host the 2024 Professional Women’s Conference. NFDA has secured a limited number of rooms for a discounted rate of $229 plus tax per night. Upon registration for the conference, attendees will receive a confirmation email with details about the hotel and an exclusive reservation link. Room reservations must be made by March 30.

Complete details about the 2024 NFDA Professional Women’s Conference will be available soon at www.nfda.org/pwc, or by calling 800-228-6332 (262-789-1880).

NFDA thanks the 2024 Professional Women’s Conference Sponsors: ASD – Answering Service for Directors; Batesville; Carriage Services; The Dodge Company; Homesteaders Life Company, Kelco; Lisa Baue – Your Funeral Coach; The Messenger Company; National Guardian Life (NGL); Nomis Publications, Inc.; Premier Preneed Marketing; Precoa; Dignity Memorial; Tribute Technology

About NFDA

NFDA is the world’s leading and largest funeral service association, serving more than 20,000 individual members who represent nearly 11,000 funeral homes in the United States and 49 countries around the world. NFDA is the trusted leader, beacon for ethics and the strongest advocate for the profession. NFDA is the association of choice because it offers funeral professionals comprehensive educational resources, tools to manage successful businesses, guidance to become pillars in their communities and the expertise to foster future generations of funeral professionals. NFDA is headquartered in Brookfield, Wis., and has an office in Washington, D.C. For more information, visit www.nfda.org.