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PRODID:-//NFDA//Event Calendar//EN
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X-WR-CALNAME:NFDA Events
X-WR-CALDESC:NFDA Events Calendar
BEGIN:VEVENT
UID:nfda-event-3cacc221-f6a6-f111-b8de-7ced8d20a3e1@www.nfda.org
DTSTAMP:20261016T015623Z
DTSTART:20261111T190000Z
DTEND:20261111T203000Z
SUMMARY:Webinar:Survival Skills\, Not Superpowers: Real-Life Tools Women Use to Thr
 ive in Funeral Service 2.0
DESCRIPTION:NFDA Webinar (1 CE Hour)Free for MembersWomen in funeral service often deve
 lop powerful survival skills to navigate the demands of the profession—bala
 ncing family responsibilities\, managing emotional labor\, addressing workp
 lace bias and sustaining their own well-being. In this candid panel discuss
 ion\, experienced funeral directors share the practical tools they rely on 
 to thrive in the profession.Through real stories and actionable strategies\
 , panelists will discuss setting boundaries\, navigating motherhood and car
 egiving responsibilities\, regulating stress in emotionally intense moments
  and building supportive professional networks. Attendees will leave with p
 ractical ideas\, scripts and strategies they can implement immediately to s
 upport both their professional success and personal well-being.Back by popu
 lar demand\, this 2.0 conversation builds on the panel from the Professiona
 l Women’s Conference with fresh perspectives\, new stories and additional p
 ractical strategies for thriving in funeral service. Whether you joined us 
 at the Professional Women’s Conference or are hearing the conversation for 
 the first time\, you’ll walk away with new ideas\, tools and takeaways to s
 upport your career and well-being.Key TakeawaysUpon completion of program\,
  participants will be better able to:      Identify practical strategies wo
 men use to balance professional responsibilities with family and personal l
 ife.      Apply simple techniques to regulate stress and maintain emotional
  resilience during challenging moments in funeral service.      Recognize w
 ays to navigate workplace dynamics\, including setting boundaries and addre
 ssing gender-related expectations.     Develop strategies for building supp
 ortive professional networks that promote long-term career sustainability. 
 Moderator:Ellen Wynn McBrayer:Ellen Wynn McBrayer is the 2025-2026 Secretar
 y on the NFDA Board of Directors.McBrayer is a third-generation funeral dir
 ector at her family’s firm\, Jones-Wynn Funeral Homes & Crematory\, with lo
 cations in Villa Rica and Douglasville\, Georgia. Her father died suddenly 
 while she was attending Auburn University and that pivotal moment was what 
 called her to become a funeral director. Service to her profession and comm
 unity are an integral part of McBrayer’s life. She has served as cochair an
 d chair of the Georgia Funeral Directors Association (GFDA) Northwest Distr
 ict. She is also a current member of the Georgia Cemetery Association Board
  of Directors. She has also given back to her alma mater\, Gupton-Jones Col
 lege of Funeral Service\, by serving as a member of the Advisory Boardand O
 pen House Team. Nationally\, McBrayer has served on the Convention Educatio
 n Task Force\, Audit Task Force\, Budget Task Force\, NFDA Spokesperson Tea
 m and Pursuit of Excellence Task Force. She is also serving as a liaison fr
 om NFDA to the American Board of Funeral Service Education.Panelists: Laure
 n Blevins: Lauren Blevins\, MBA is a Licensed Funeral Director\, Licensed I
 nsurance Agent\, Former Owner and leads a team that manages over 100 funera
 l homes\, cemeteries\, crematories\, and pet facilities.Jenni Bryant: Jenni
  F. Bryant\, CFSP\, CCO\, is a native of East Tennessee and is the General 
 Manager of Smith Life & Legacy in Maryville\, TN. A Licensed Funeral Direct
 or & Embalmer\, Jenni is a graduate of Gupton-Jones College of Mortuary Sci
 ence in Atlanta. She is a member of the Academy of Professional Funeral Ser
 vice Practice and is the immediate Past President. Jenni has previously ser
 ved on the NFDA Convention Education Task Force Committee\, The Internation
 al Conference of Funeral Service 2026 NFDA CE Request for Approval Informat
 ion Examining Boards National Board Exam Committee and is a Certified Crema
 tory Operator. She and her husband David have one son\, Logan who recently 
 graduated John A. Gupton College of Funeral Service in Nashville.Camelia Cl
 arke: Camelia brings over 30 years of service in the funeral industry as a 
 licensed funeral director. She is also a licensed insuranc e intermediary f
 or the state of Wisconsin. She is an active member of the National Funeral 
 Directors Association (NFDA) and Selected Independent Funeral Homes. She is
  the Past President of the Milwaukee Waukesha County Funeral Directors (MWC
 FDA) the Immediate Past President of the Wisconsin Funeral Directors Associ
 ation (WFDA).Camelia L. Clarke graduated from Worsham College of Mortuary S
 cience\, Cardinal Stritch University (BSBA)\, Marquette University (EMBA)\,
  and the University-Wisconsin Whitewater with a Doctorate of Business Admin
 istration.She has served on other boards including the MATC Funeral Service
  Advisory Board\, Prince Hall Masonic Foundation\, Zonta International Club
  of Milwaukee\, Outreach Community Health Care Center\, and the Greater Mil
 waukee Chamber of Commerce.She is an active member of Unity Grand Chapter O
 .E.S.\, Sarah’s Joy Chapter #8 O.E.S.\, and Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority\, In
 c. Epsilon Kappa Omega Chapter in Milwaukee.Camelia has been an active chur
 ch member of the Holy Redeemer Church of God in Christ for many years. She 
 is the wife of Marcel and is the mother of four wonderful children Raja’ee\
 , Jazzmin\, Mariah\, and Mia Clarke.Mandy Stafford: Mandy Stafford brings n
 early 16 years of experience as a licensed funeral director\, licensed in M
 N\, WI\, and Iowa\, dedicating her career to compassionate\, personalized d
 eath care. As Preneed Coordinator and National Partnership Manager at Retur
 n Home\, Mandy helps families and funeral professionals navigate meaningful
 \, eco-friendly end-of-life planning. Now living on her family farm in sout
 hern Minnesota\, she blends rural life with her professional mission to adv
 ance sustainable practices in the funeral profession. 
LOCATION:Virtual Event
URL:https://portal.nfda.org/NFDA-Events/Registration-Start?MeetingId=3cacc221-f6a6-f111-b8de-7ced8d20a3e1
ORGANIZER;CN=NFDA:mailto:noreply@nfda.org
STATUS:CONFIRMED
CLASS:PUBLIC
TRANSP:OPAQUE
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