Heather Stang, MA, C-IAYT is the author of Mindfulness & Grief, now in its second edition, and the host of the Mindfulness & Grief Podcast. She has a Master’s Degree in Thanatology (death, dying and bereavement) and is a certified yoga therapist and meditation instructor. Her own journey of love, loss and posttraumatic growth fuels her passion for teaching bereaved families and grief professionals how to use mindfulness-based techniques to cope with grief, cultivate resilience, and prevent burnout. Heather is on the Advisory Board for the highly regarded military family survivor organization Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS), and has appeared on the award winning television show about grief, Open to Hope. In addition to her own publications, Heather has contributed to Techniques of Grief Therapy: Assessment & Intervention, edited by Dr. Robert A. Neimeyer. She is the founder of the Frederick Meditation Center in Maryland as well as the Mindfulness & Greif Training Institute, and volunteers with the Hospice of Washington County and the Hospice of Frederick County.

I have been a school counselor in the Omaha Public Schools for five years. I have worked with a diverse population of students in trauma, violence, sexual assault, suicide, and poverty. I have immersed myself in social emotional learning and mindfulness to help teach students how to self-regulate and find healthy coping skills for their daily lives.

Dr. Susan Stuntzner PhD, LPC, CRC, NCC, BC-TMH is the Director of Accessibility Services at Southwestern Oregon Community College and is a part-time lecturer for University of Texas Rio Grande Valley’s Rehabilitation Services and Counseling program. She works directly with individuals with disabilities to provide and arrange academic accommodations, and counsels and advises students at the college. Her research interests include: coping with a disability, resiliency, self-compassion, forgiveness and spirituality, and development of intervention techniques. She has written three books. They are entitled, Living with a Disability: Finding Peace Amidst the Storm, Reflections from the Past: Life Lessons for Better Living, and Resiliency and Coping: The Family After. Dr. Stuntzner has researched and written articles on self-compassion, forgiveness, and resilience and their potential relationship to the needs of individuals with disabilities. She has also developed two interventions for persons with disabilities to assist them in their coping process. These works are entitled, “Stuntzner and Hartley’s Life Enhancement Intervention: Developing Resiliency Skills Following Disability” and “Stuntzner’s Forgiveness Intervention: Learning to Forgive Yourself and Others.

Julia Hebenstreit is the Executive Director of The Kim Foundation. She received her J.D. from Creighton University in 2005, and her BS in Journalism from the University of Nebraska Omaha in 2002. She has been with The Kim Foundation since December of 2011, and prior to that focused on development, strategic planning, communications and advancement in non-profit organizations. She has a passion for helping people and improving lives, and currently serves as the Past President for the Nebraska Association of Behavioral Health Organizations, as the National Council for Behavioral Health’s Hill Day State Captain since 2015, and as an active member of the Nebraska Suicide Prevention Coalition, Metro Area Suicide Coalition, Connections Advisory Committee, RESPECT Advisory Board, and BHECN’s Advisory Committee.

Misty is a Mental Health Practitioner; has been working in the field for over 20 yrs. Has experience working with many populations in the community. Has a heart for healing, journeying and encouraging. Misty is a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker, specialized training for trauma and grief work.

Ashton J. Page is a Masters in Social Work student at UNO and holds a Masters of Fine Arts in Community Art. For three years he was the Artistic Director at Roberta's House in Baltimore, MD and was able to incorporate intentional art making into most of the groups at the center. As a Social Worker he hopes to incorporate creativity into many of the interventions he does with clients. Ashton is also a textile artist and teaches natural dyes throughout the city.

Jacob is the Director of the Office of Healthcare Ethics for Nebraska Medicine, a non-profit healthcare system in Omaha, NE. He is an instructor and Associate at the Center for Health Policy and Ethics at Creighton University. Jacob is a local community expert in POLST, and a member of the American Society for Bioethics and Humanities. Jacob's primary interests in bioethics include: clinical ethics consultation; multi-facility ethics committees; and reproductive, LGBT issues, and end-of-life issues in healthcare. Jacob's work includes time as a paternist and high school biology and visual arts teacher, traversing from Seattle, WA, to Burlington, VT, and a number of places in between. Jacob lives in Omaha with his spouse and two children.

Brenda Kastens has worked in the field of Death, Dying, and Bereavement for over 20 years. Her love for this field began as a Hospice Volunteer in 1999.  She has her Master’s Degree in Counseling and is a Licensed Mental Health Practitioner.  Brenda operated a private counseling center with a focus on Grief and Transition, worked as a Hospice Counselor, earned a Fellowship in Thanatology, and taught for 14 years at Doane College. 

Dr. Kristin Erickson is an Assistant Professor in Clinical Counseling at Bellevue University. She holds a Ph.D. in Counselor Education and Supervision from University of Wyoming, and is currently a Licensed Independent Mental Health Practitioner in Nebraska where she is also holds a certification as a Professional Counselor. Kristin is a National Certified Counselor, an Approved Clinical Supervisor, and Board Certified in Biofeedback. Dr. Erickson has a special interest in sociocultural challenges of disenfranchised grief.

Rebecca Nichols is a Licensed Mental Health Practitioner with over 9 years of experience working with children and families. She is trained in Play Therapy and works primarily with children that have had some form of trauma.

Kathie has been a school counselor for 20 years and also enjoys working in private practice at Arbor Family Counseling. She has supported both adults and children in their times of grief. Personal losses and strong professional interest led her to learning more about companioning the bereaved through involvement with Grief's Journey and training at the Center for Loss and Life Transition in Ft. Collins, CO. She achieved certification in Death and Grief Studies through the Center in 2018. Outside of work, she enjoys an active lifestyle with her husband and three children.

Cheryl is a contributing writer for Stepparent Magazine, Thrive Global and Medium. She has worked in healthcare for over 20 years and currently works as an RN, BSN in an operating room.

Michael A. Harsh, M.A., PTSTA-P, is a psychotherapist in Omaha, Nebraska, U.S.A. Michael’s background includes a Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy, a Juris Doctorate, a Master of Arts in Christian Spirituality, and a Master of Arts in Counseling.
Michael is certified as a Transactional Analysis Advanced Practitioner and as a Transactional Analysis Practitioner Instructor through the United States of America Transactional Analysis Association (USATAA). He is a Certified Transactional Analyst and is provisionally qualified in Teaching and Supervising Transactional Analyst by the International Transactional Analysis Association (ITAA), and holds a certificate in
Redecision Therapy from the Southeast Institute for Group and Family Therapy. Michael is currently the North American representative to the ITAA Board of Trustees and a board member of USATAA.

Daniel Vining, father of four, partner to an educator. Life long learner of well being practices to live whole hearted, come fully alive, and rising from struggle. Yoga teacher, mindfulness teacher, meditation teacher, peak performance mentor. United States Marine Corps veteran.

Katie Zimmerman is the Project Coordinator at The Kim Foundation. She received her Bachelor’s Degree in Communication Studies and Sociology from Central College in 2018. She has been with The Kim Foundation since June of 2019, and prior to that focused on project organization and implementation as a Social Media Recruiter. She has always had a passion for helping others, volunteering whenever she can and is currently is a member of the Metro Area Suicide Prevention Coalition and the Nebraska Suicide Prevention Coalition. She also is the facilitator for The Kim Foundation’s Youth Advisory Council.