NFDA Welcomes New Class of National Emerging Leaders Program Participants
Year-long leadership development program prepares rising stars for future leadership roles in funeral service and their communities
Brookfield, Wis. — The National Funeral Directors Association (NFDA) has selected 12 funeral service professionals from across the United States to participate in the 2026-27 National Emerging Leaders Program, a year-long leadership development experience designed to prepare the next generation of funeral service leaders.
Each year, a select group of emerging professionals is chosen to take part in the collaborative learning experience, which combines in-person training, virtual education sessions and mentorship opportunities. Created to support talented early-career professionals, the National Emerging Leaders Program equips participants with the leadership skills, professional connections and strategic insights needed to thrive in today’s evolving funeral service landscape.
The 2026-27 program will begin with a kick-off retreat at NFDA headquarters in Brookfield, Wisconsin, June 21-23, 2026, and conclude with graduation during the 2027 NFDA Leadership Conference.
Throughout the year, participants will take part in approximately seven virtual learning sessions featuring both funeral service experts and leadership professionals from outside the industry. Program topics include mentorship and professional development, ethical leadership, employee relations, collaborative decision-making, strategic planning, servant leadership, communication skills and small business ownership.
“The National Emerging Leaders Program continues to identify and develop talented professionals who are passionate about the future of funeral service,” said Sara Moss, MS, FT, LFD, associate director of Education. “These individuals represent the next generation of leaders who will help guide our profession forward through innovation, service and engagement.”
Participants in the 2026-27 National Emerging Leaders Program are:
- Katherine Arriola, Forest Lawn Memorial Parks, Long Beach, California
- Myiesha Fields, Mansfield Funeral Home & Cremations, Mansfield, Texas
- Stephanie Klisz, Phaneuf Funeral Homes & Crematorium, Manchester, New Hampshire
- Corey Marshall, Dunn Funeral Home & Cremation Services Inc., Burgaw, North Carolina
- Brittany Moton, Mansfield Funeral Home & Cremations, Mansfield, Texas
- Maranda Price, Good Shepherd Funeral Home, Omaha, Nebraska
- Stephen Rios, Altmeyer Funeral Home, Virginia Beach, Virginia
- Kandice Saulsberry, Dale-Riggs Funeral Home Inc., Toledo, Ohio
- Willie Shelby, Hudson Funeral Service, Greenville, Alabama
- Kelly Marie Walker, Gardner Funeral Home, Cascade Locks, Oregon
- Steven Wilkes, Kiser Funeral Home, Cheraw, South Carolina
- Jaloni Williams, Willie A. Watkins Funeral Home, Atlanta, Georgia
Participants were selected through a competitive application process that considered leadership potential, professional involvement, community engagement and commitment to advancing the funeral service profession.
Since its launch, the program has helped develop dozens of emerging leaders who now serve as leaders in their funeral homes, communities and professional associations.
NFDA extends its appreciation to the Funeral Service Foundation for its continued support of the National Emerging Leaders Program.
NFDA is the world’s leading and largest funeral service association, serving 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 NFDA.org.
