Cremation Society of Minnesota Colleagues Launch Nationwide Quarterly Online Meetups
ORLANDO, Fla. (April 29, 2026) — Recognizing the challenges faced by new professionals entering funeral service, Foundation Partners Group funeral directors Allison Craft, general manager at the Cremation Society of Minnesota, and Allison Henz, community engagement lead, have launched Mortuary Mentor, a national online support network designed to support mortuary students, interns and new licensees during their critical first years in the profession.
The pay-it-forward program grew from a series of speaking engagements at mortuary schools in the Minneapolis–St. Paul metro area, where Craft and Henz have been sharing their passion for the profession for many years. Mortuary Mentor expands those efforts nationwide by offering quarterly online meetups, paired with a year‑round email connection that allows participants to seek guidance, share experiences and receive real‑time support from seasoned professionals.
With the support of Foundation Partners, Craft and Henz held their first Mortuary Mentor virtual meetup in February, with a second event planned for May 6. More than 50 students and early-career professionals attended the inaugural session, and the program has generated interest from more than 90 mortuary science schools nationwide.
Craft, a licensed funeral director with 15 years of experience, began her career in an unsupportive environment that led her to leave the profession briefly. Her return to funeral service—this time within a culture committed to mentorship and professional development—shaped her leadership philosophy and fueled a decade-long commitment to guiding new directors and building collaborative, stable teams.
“It’s well documented that nearly three-quarters of new funeral directors leave the profession within their first year,” said Craft. “The demands of funeral service, including long hours and emotional exhaustion, can be overwhelming without strong mentorship and community. Mortuary Mentor is about helping young professionals build confidence, resilience and long‑term career success.”
Henz entered funeral service as a second career in 2019 and experienced a markedly different introduction to the profession, benefiting from structured mentorship, psychological safety and consistent support throughout her education and internship. Together, their contrasting career paths highlight the importance of thoughtful onboarding and sustained encouragement for the next generation of funeral service professionals.
“Any time we have the opportunity to talk openly about funeral service and the realities that aren’t always covered in the mortuary school classroom, it’s a win for students,” Henz said. “Connecting with someone in funeral service who isn’t an instructor or preceptor can be especially valuable for students seeking honest conversations about support, burnout and work-life balance. We’ve had hundreds of emails from mentees seeking guidance and assistance looking for positions and direction as they navigate the funeral industry in their early days of their careers.”
Unlike more formal mentorship programs offered through professional associations, the Mortuary Mentor emphasizes connection through active listening, encouragement and mutual trust. Craft and Henz share their own career journeys—including both challenges and successes—and often find the experience as rewarding for themselves as it is for participants.
“It’s all about people helping people,” Craft said. “Funeral director is a title, but there’s a person behind it. If you’re not paying attention to that, burnout is inevitable. New professionals will make mistakes, and we remind mentees that mistakes only become failures if you don’t learn from them.”
Topics for the Spring Mortuary Mentor meeting on May 6 will include crafting a winning resume and preparing for the National Board Examination (NBE), administered by the International Conference of Funeral Service Examining Boards. Meetings are open to all funeral service professionals. To register, email mortuarymentor@foundationpartners.com.
Craft and Henz also will be featured speakers at the Cremation Association of North America’s (CANA) 108th Cremation Innovation Convention, taking place August 12–14 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. On August 13, they will present a session titled “From Mortuary School to Service: Why Mentorship Matters.”
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About Foundation Partners Group
Orlando, Florida-based Foundation Partners Group is one of the funeral industry’s most innovative providers and the second-largest funeral home operator in the country based on families served. The company owns and operates more than 225 funeral homes, cremation centers and cemeteries across 21 states. Through The FPG Way—grounded in serving with purpose, growing together and delivering with discipline— Foundation Partners is committed to developing exceptional leaders and teams while providing compassionate, high-quality care to the families and communities it serves For more information, visit www.foundationpartners.com.
