STERLING, VA, (December 8, 2026) – The International Cemetery, Cremation & Funeral Association’s (ICCFA) Educational Foundation is proud to announce 50 scholarship recipients for DEAD Talks 2026, the premier sales-focused conference in the deathcare profession. These scholarships continue the Foundation’s mission to expand access to professional development and cultivate the next generation of sales leaders across the deathcare profession.
DEAD Talks 2026, taking place January 13–15 at the Park MGM Las Vegas, will bring together deathcare sales professionals for high-energy learning, leadership development, and real-world skill building. This year’s program features a keynote from David Priemer, along with focused education delivered across four specialized DEAD Talks topic areas: educating the consumer, building confidence through knowledge and passion, generating more leads, managing sales effectively, and participating in hands-on workshops. These workshops include the Wheel of Objections, as well as the interactive Seminar Success Workshop, offering attendees actionable tools they can implement immediately.
Scholarship recipients will receive complimentary registration to attend the event and participate fully in each learning opportunity, including sessions aimed at strengthening communication, improving consumer education, elevating sales leadership, and accelerating long-term success.
The following ICCFA members have been granted the opportunity to attend the 2026 ICCFA DEAD Talks on scholarship:
- Tanisha-Lynn Ayotte, First Memorial Funeral Services Riverview Chapel, Alberta, Canada
- Zane Belyea, Jewish Funerals USA, Dallas, TX
- Scott Burdette, Parsell Funeral Homes & Crematorium, Lewes, DE
- Lisa Cammy, Watson Funeral Home & Crematorium, Millsboro, DE
- Christopher Castro, Cairn Partners, Portland, OR
- Patrick Crawford, Sacred Grove/ DBA Sacred Waters, Stephen, SC
- Noel Cruz, Archdiocese of Los Angeles, Resurrection Catholic Cemetery, Rosemead, CA
- Kacie Derby, Park Lawn Corporation, St. Charles, MO
- Veronica Diaz, The PLAN Agency, Montebello, CA
- Robert Esau Jr., Forest Lawn Cemetery Group, Buffalo, NY
- Daniel Friedman, Jewish Cemetery Association of Massachusetts, Inc, Needham, MA
- Andrea Frydenlund, Hawthorne Funeral Home, Mount Vernon, WA
- Melissa Galati, Mount Calvary Cemetery, Cheektowaga, NY
- Marisela Garcia, Archdiocese of Los Angeles, Culver City, CA
- Jennifer Gomez, Archdiocese of Los Angeles (All Souls Mortuary), Long Beach, CA
- Diana Greenspan, Golden Considerations, York, PA
- Mark Gutierrez, Golden Considerations Inc, York, PA
- Brandon Jackson, Dallas Institute of Funeral Services, Dallas, TX
- Kari Jennings Arnold, Funeral Directors Life, Abilene, TX
- Justin Keiper, Cantelmi Long Funeral Homes, Bethlehem, PA
- Cheryl Kelly, Gate of Heaven Cemetery, Cincinnati, OH
- Lee Knaub, Golden Considerations, Dallastown, PA
- Shara Layton, Lindquist, Ogden, UT
- Will Lopez, Homecoming Memorial Inc., Tempe, AZ
- Michelle Maddage, Raleigh Memorial Park and Mitchell Funeral Home (Dignity Memorial), Raleigh, NC
- Lou Maldonado, City of Hobbs Parks and Open Space Department, Hobbs, NM
- Janna Markland, McDougal Funeral Home, Taylorsville, UT
- Alexis Mast, Baue Funeral Homes, St. Charles, MO
- Brittany Neunuebel, Baue Funeral Homes, St. Charles, MO
- Aubrey O’Byrne, Compassionate Planning LLC, Bethlehem, PA
- Arlette O’Rourke, Sacred Grove, Stephen, SC
- Desiree Paananen, Max Sass Funeral Home – Cairn Partners, Franklin, WI
- Gregg Prince, Elmlawn Memorial Park, Kenmore, NY
- Nick Rainone, Catholic Cemeteries, Cranston, RI
- Micah Rappaport, Jewish Funerals USA, Plano, TX
- Kelli Raub, Trinity Memorial Gardens & Mausoleum, Waldorf, MD
- Stasha Sprouse, Trinity Memorial Gardens & Mausoleums, Waldorf, MD
- Laura Ross, LCBA, Erie, PA
- Lindsey Rowden, Cairn Partners, Woodland, WA
- Sara Ruemker, Baue Funeral Home and St Charles Memorial Gardens, St. Charles, MO
- Ezequiel David Sandoval, Archdiocese of Los Angeles, Mission Hills, CA
- Shelley Roemeling, Hills of Rest Cemetery, Sioux Falls, SD
- Jennifer Marie Smith, Mount Calvary Cemetery INC, Cheektowaga, NY
- Karina Sorensen, Lindquist Mortuaries Cremations Cemeteries, Layton, UT
- Dana Stern, Homecoming Inc, Tempe, AZ
- Bobbie Thompson, Gate of Heaven Cemetery, Cincinnati, OH
- Vanessa Valdez, Roosevelt Memorial Park Cemetery, Gardena, CA
- Shelly Van Noy, Lindquist Mortuaries and Cemeteries, Ogden, UT
- Jaime Nimra Velazquez, Archdiocese of Los Angeles Funeral & Mortuary Services Corp, Los Angeles, CA
- Andrea Williams, Elmlawn Memorial Park, Kenmore, NY
“We’re honored to support this year’s scholarship recipients as they take the next step in their professional growth,” said Gino Merendino, President of the ICCFA Educational Foundation. “DEAD Talks is where sales professionals discover new skills, strengthen their confidence, and return home equipped to make a greater impact. Our donors make this opportunity possible, and their generosity is helping shape stronger teams and stronger communities.”
For more information and to register for DEAD Talks 2026 by the early bird deadline on December 19, 2025, please visit www.iccfa.com/sales. DEAD Talks Scholarship applications to attend the 2027 ICCFA DEAD Talks sales conference will be available in Fall 2026.
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The ICCFA Educational Foundation is a 501(c)(3) entity, established to make education accessible to future leaders in the deathcare profession and thereby raise the standards of professionalism within the industry. To learn more about the work of the Foundation and upcoming educational opportunities, please visit iccfa.com/educational-foundation.
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. Its membership is composed of more than 9,100 rooftop locations and 18,000 professionals in the cemetery, funeral home and crematory industries, as well as supplier and related businesses worldwide.
