Angie Hanson

Speaker

Angie Hanson is an author, grief educator, and the founder of Butterflies + Halos, a grief-focused stationery company that helps people navigate loss with empathy and connection. After losing her son, husband, and brother within 2.5 years, she transformed her pain into purpose, sharing her journey in Chapters of a Resilient Heart and co-authoring Resilient A.F.: Stories of Resilience Vol. 2. As a certified grief coach, podcast guest, and speaker, she helps others find resilience through loss with grace, courage, and compassion. Through her writing, coaching, and heartfelt greeting cards, Angie ensures no one feels unseen in their grief.

Sidney Savoie

Speaker

Born and raised in Lafayette, LA, Sidney Savoie has spent much of his 43 years being a jack of all trades and going on adventures. In his post college years, he spent time in the seminary and traveling the world as a foreign missionary. For the past 10 years he has been working in the food manufacturing industry and He has spent the past two years married to the love of his life Claire and they have two beautiful young sons. While his sister Dottie passed away more than four years ago, she continues to be an integral part of his life journey through the stories he shares and the advice he gives.

Corine Tavarez

Nanny

Hey there, my name is Corine Tavarez and I lost my brother Cody in October 2021 at the age of 27. His passing was sudden and a very tragic death. I have two older sisters, then myself and Cody was the only boy and baby. He was my best friend and his death shattered my world in so many ways. I am married and a mother to two amazing children and live in NC. I love to travel, read, and be immersed in nature and I rely on my faith most days. I'm also fluent in Spanish which I’m very passionate about.

Chelsey McHale

Advocate & Facilitator

Chelsey McHale was born and raised in Arizona and grew up with her older brother Clint and mom who worked as a single mother. She graduated from Northern Arizona University (NAU) with her degree in English Education where she worked as a teacher until her career path changed. Passionate about making a difference, Chelsey has dedicated her career to the nonprofit sector, working with organizations like Make-A-Wish Foundation, American Heart Association, and March of Dimes. After losing her brother, Clint, in a mountain climbing accident on Camelback Mountain in Phoenix in 2011, she became an advocate for safe hiking and founded Arizona’s first sibling loss support group. Chelsey is the spokesperson for Arizona when it comes to safety on Phoenix trails. As a creator, she strives to identify gaps and drive meaningful change. In her free time, Chelsey enjoys reading, listening to a variety of podcasts, escaping the summer heat up north, watching movies and binge-worthy shows, attending concerts and comedy shows, writing, and hiking.

Laura Weisse

Teacher

My name is Laura and I live in New York State with my husband, teenage son, and tweenage daughter. I've been a public school educator for 20 years. I was blessed to be chosen to appear on The Surviving Siblings Podcast season 4. After losing my brother in 2021 to a genetic disorder, grief/trauma therapy and sharing our story with Maya has helped incredibly on our healing journey.

Dr. Dawn DiRaimondo

Speaker

Dr. Dawn DiRaimondo is a clinical psychologist in Sacramento, California where she lives with her husband and two children. With over twenty five years of experience, Dr Dawn sees adolescents, young adults and adults in her private practice. Her specialities include grief and loss, ADHD, depression and anxiety disorders. In 2004, Dr. Dawn lost her 22 year old younger brother, Michael while he was serving as an Army flight medic in Iraq. This not only unraveled her family but changed the course of her career. Over time, helping her clients navigate their own experiences with loss became a deeply meaningful and significant part of her practice. Due to the limited resources available for sibling loss, Dr. Dawn wrote her first book, "Surviving Sibling Loss: The Invisible Thread That Connects Us Through Life and Death" in 2020. She shares her own story as well as excerpts from the fourteen other surviving siblings she interviewed for the book. Her book is available on Amazon, Audible, Kindle and more. Dr. Dawn has been on both seasons two and four of The Surviving Siblings podcast, and was one of the keynotes speakers in last year's Surviving Siblings Summit. Dr. Dawn wants to be a part of changing the narrative and experience around grief in our society, and believes significant loss is something we learn to live with, instead of something we feel pressured and encouraged to leave behind us.

Laing Rikkers

Speaker

Laing Rikkers is an Executive Coach specializing in Crisis and Grief Management. She was formerly a leader in the field of Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA), an often hidden - and potentially fatal - medical condition. After her sister died of undiagnosed OSA, Rikkers sought solace from nature and creativity and wrote Morning Leaves: Reflections on Loss, Grief, and Connection, a book of poetry to help others navigate grief, loss, and self-discovery.

Lenny Hunt

Speaker

Lenny Hunt is a Grief Coach, Verified Content Creator (over a quarter million followers across all social media), author, and TEDx speaker from Boise, Idaho. As a Grief Coach, Lenny offers a unique blend of empathy, healing, humor, and a practical understanding of grief through simple object lessons, art projects, and even science experiments. His experience in helping individuals navigate the complexities of loss equips him to connect with audiences on a deeply emotional level. He provides comfort and actionable tools to help others process their grief and envision a future filled with hope. His compassionate approach can inspire, uplift, and empower those on their healing journey, making a lasting impact on their lives.

Chelsea McGrath

Speaker

Chelsea McGrath grew up in Massachusetts and moved New York City at 18 years old to live with her sister Brittany. On August 28, 2014, Chelsea's father and sister were killed by an impaired driver who was high on heroin. He nodded out behind the wheel, swerved into the oncoming lane, and hit them head on. After that unimaginable loss, Chelsea has been devoted to connecting with other people experiencing grief. She volunteers with two organizations that support grieving families. She has worked in the nonprofit sector since 2010 and is currently the Director of Operations & Finance at a nonprofit in Springfield, MA. She resides in Massachusetts with her dog Rocco.

Claire Thomson

Speaker

Claire is currently in her final year of her doctorate degree in Counseling Psychology at Alaska Pacific University. As a surviving sibling, she has dedicated her doctoral work to exploring the experience of sibling loss in emerging adulthood, how young adults cope with their loss, and how they reconstruct meaning in their lives following the loss of their sibling(s). Her passion for studying sibling loss stems from her personal experience of losing her only brother, the lack of support that was available to her as a grieving sister, and the similarities she began to notice between other surviving siblings’ experiences and her own.

Lori Luna

Speaker

Lori is a bereaved sibling who experienced the tragic loss of her brother, Brian, a victim of homicide on May 26, 2022. After a year of profound grief, she made the decision to take classes to become a certified victims' advocate. During this time, Lori actively participated in sibling grief groups as she navigated the challenges of her experience. Now that she has established some solid ground, she is committed to serving as a personal advocate and resource for grieving families. On a professional level, Lori is a small business owner in the event production industry.

Diana Hunter

Speaker

Diana Hunter is a wife and a mother to six adult children, as well as a grandmother to four. Fourteen years ago, she lost her 27-year-old brother to an asthma attack, and that unexpected loss changed her life forever. For many years, she focused on learning how to cope with complicated grief. Through that journey, she developed a newfound passion for helping others who have experienced similar types of loss.

Samantha Pinca

Speaker

Samantha Pinca is a dedicated teacher from New Jersey with a passion for science and education. She holds a BS in Science and a Masters of Science in Molecular Biology. When she’s not teaching, Samantha enjoys reading, bike riding, traveling, and spending time at water parks. As the middle child in her family, Samantha has experienced the deep loss of her older brother, who passed away from esophageal cancer on January 22, 2022. This loss has sparked her passion for sharing her grief journey, and she is committed to helping others navigate the complexities of sibling loss.

Kourtney Barnum

Speaker

Kourtney Barnum is sister to Kristi who lived with Rett Syndrome for 51 years. Rett is a neurological genetic disorder that affects all parts of the body. Kristi was unable to speak verbally or control most of her body. Kourtney was 10 years younger than Kristi and learned about anticipatory grief at a very young age as all she heard the doctors say was that Kristi was not going to live past her 20th birthday. In the journey of Rett, you live with anticipatory grief in every moment of your life and now learning to live with the grief of life without her sister, Kourtney is learning how to navigate without her sister.

Jackson Stotlar

Brother & Panelist

Jackson Stotlar (he/him) lost his younger sister Lauren in 2000 in a bus accident. He is an advocate for the power of coming home to yourself and loving fiercely in a hard world. He enjoys playing games of all kinds, painting miniature models, watching football, grilling meats, and drinking tea in the company of old trees.

Katie Jones

Speaker

Katie Jones lives in Visalia, California, and considers the Central Valley her home. She works at the Visalia Police Department as a Records Specialist and also owns a small business where she creates permanent jewelry. Katie enjoys participating in vendor events in her town. She has a sweet fur angel named Brooklyn Grace Jones, who played a pivotal role in her life during a difficult time. Katie serves on the Board of a nonprofit organization called Gloves for Grief, which offers a mind-body-soul experience aimed at helping others confront and release their pain. Her goal is to help individuals find purpose in their suffering and ensure that no one feels alone. Having lost her baby brother five years ago, Katie made a promise to him in Heaven to live life fully and be his voice as she works to find her own.

Sarah Sullivan

Volunteer and Sibling

Sarah lost her older sister, Jenni, in July 2020 to an acute fentanyl overdose. As someone who lost her sister to addiction, she understands the profound and complex grief that comes with such a loss. Through storytelling and open dialogue she hopes to foster connection, honor her sister’s memory, and help other’s find resilience in their own survival.

Paula Bloom Hill

Speaker

Paula Hill is a devoted wife of 23 years to a veteran and a proud mother to three children, one of whom is now an angel. Paula's life was forever changed when her middle son, Austin, 25, tragically lost his life in a brutal motorcycle accident. Although the heartbreak of this loss seemed insurmountable, Paula found a way to transform her grief into purpose. She founded Austin's Sunshine Foundation, a local initiative dedicated to honoring her son's memory and supporting others in the community. Additionally, Paula created the Fingerprints of Grief Community Group, an online space offering support and solidarity to grieving parents worldwide. In her journey through grief, Paula became a certified grief and life coach, as well as a grief advocate, with a mission to help educate society on how to walk alongside grievers with grace and compassion. Through her work, she empowers others to navigate the complex emotions of loss while providing a space for healing and growth. For nearly three years, Paula has been walking through grief herself, and now she is committed to being a beacon of light for those navigating their own darkest moments. Paula’s strength, empathy, and dedication continue to inspire, as she helps others find their way through grief with love and understanding.

Michelle Tobin

Speaker

Michelle Tobin, author of Home for the Bewildered, is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker who works with adults from all walks of life. After earning a degree in history from the University of Michigan, Michelle moved to Chicago where she earned a master’s in pastoral studies before entering the School of Social Work at Loyola University Chicago. Michelle trained as a chef at the internationally acclaimed Ballymaloe Cookery School in Ireland. Most recently she earned certification in Integrative Medicine and Nutrition for Mental Health. Her clinical work includes cooking and nutritional counseling as part of the treatment protocol. In addition to writing, she is an avid lap swimmer, dog walker, reader, fabric artist, and volunteer reader of manuscripts. Michelle is married and raised three children. Like one of her characters in Home for the Bewildered, Michelle is one of twelve children. While in Ireland, I wrote a blog about my adventures in cooking at noleftovers.wordpress.com. You can learn more about me at www.michelle-tobin.com, on Instagram @mtobin57or michelle57writes, TikTok @michelletobin7 and on LinkedIn or Facebook at Michelle Tobin.

T Fillipone

Speaker

Toni Filipone is a grief educator who works with clients around the globe, helping them navigate loss with honesty and compassion. An Editor’s Choice author, speaker, and personal coach, Toni has been in the grief space for 34 years. 28 months ago, they endured the tragic and sudden loss of their partner, and in 2015, they also experienced the devastating loss of their stepsister. These losses, along with decades of experience, have shaped Toni’s mission: to help people grieve with more love and less pain. Through their work, they provide deep insight, support, and real conversations that empower others to move through grief in a way that honors both their loss and their life.

Julia Fill

LCSW

Julia Fill is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker who currently works as a therapist with adults diagnosed with chronic mental illness. She grew up in Northern Virginia with her two sisters & comes from a divorced home. She lost her younger sister Rianna to a drug overdose in 2015. She continues to be a strong advocate for harm reduction & reducing the stigma of addiction to eradicate the overdose epidemic. Julia is married to her husband Dan & they have 2 daughters, a dog, a hamster, 2 leopard geckos, & a snake.

Corrie Fentress

Speaker

TBA

Stacy Winsett

Speaker

Stacy (she/her) is a 48-year-old native of Mississippi who grew up in Texas and has lived in New York for the last 2 years. Stacy’s youngest sister, Katie Jo, was taken in an act of domestic violence homicide on her 34th birthday in October of 2021. Stacy’s story and history include dealing with family violence, child abuse, domestic violence, divorce, and family dissolution and finding peace. As a person of childhood faith now in the secular realm, Stacy has a special place for understanding people of different beliefs, values, coping mechanisms, and paths to healing and peace. Stacy works in international military fiberoptic communications, loves to read and crochet, and actively supports many organizations specializing in domestic violence education and support, emergent family situations, veteran support, and community theatre.

Hope Reger

Speaker

Hope Reger is a grief advocate, published author, and inspirational speaker who lives in Xenia, Ohio, with her husband, Mike. She has two sons: Brian, who is 35, and Justin, who will forever be 19. Hope also has a daughter-in-law, Mollie, and three beautiful grandchildren: Haylynn, Adalynn, and Brilie. After 27 years in a corporate role, Hope recently retired to focus primarily on her nonprofit organization, Grief 2 Hope, which she founded in 2020 following the tragic murder of her son in 2016. Grief 2 Hope serves as a peer grief support group, providing a safe space for anyone who is grieving, along with support, hope, compassion, and inspiration during their healing journey. One of Hope's favorite quotes, which she shares at the end of each session, is: "Grief changes your entire world; it can also inspire you to change the world."

Parul Dua Makkar

Speaker

Dr. Parul Dua Makkar is a dentist, speaker, author, and advocate for oral cancer awareness. After earning her DDS from the University of Oklahoma, she practiced in Calgary before moving to New York, where she completed GPR training and is now in private practice in Long Island. Following the loss of her brother, Dr. Manu Dua, to oral cancer, she has dedicated herself to educating healthcare professionals and the public on early diagnosis and prevention. She has lectured across North America, keynoted the first ADA Oral Cancer Summit, and co-authored Life Interrupted, Dr. Dua’s Survival Guide. She also chairs Long Island’s first Oral Cancer Awareness Walk with the Nassau County Dental Society. As the creator of the Dua Good Job Symposium and a grief coach for healthcare professionals, she continues to advocate for oral health. She is a Fellow of the American College of Dentists and has served as ADA Wellness Ambassador. Recently, she was a keynote presenter at ADA’s First Oral Cancer Summit. She can be reached at [email protected] or on Instagram @duagoodjob.

Myesha Stokes

Speaker

Myesha Stokes was born and raised in Washington, DC. Educated in the DC public school system, she then graduated from college with a degree in Child Development and went on to become a teacher. Myesha lost her only sibling in 2002 to gun violence. While enduring the significant loss, she also played a big part in raising her niece, who was born just 4 months before her brother was murdered. In 2017, Myesha went on to become the Founder of Siblings Against Violent Encounters with Death (S.A.V.E.D.), Inc. The motivation for founding this organization stemmed from witnessing the overwhelming support for her mother in losing a child, but not so much so for herself losing a sibling. The mission of the organization is to support anyone who lost a sibling to violence in various ways. One of the main events for the organization is Love Notes to Heaven, which takes place at least once a year. Myesha also hand makes homicide awareness wreaths and shares the gift with fellow grieving siblings.