A Brush with Death

Host, Gabe Schauf, is joined by Jolena Grande, funeral director and board president of the American Board of Funeral Service Education. Jolena and Gabe talk about how mortuary school curriculum is developed, the National Board Exams, how funeral homes can help support funeral education and more! 

Funeral Director and author, Todd Harra, joins Gabe on the podcast to discuss his new book Last Rites: The Evolution of the American Funeral.  This is a book for funeral directors and non-funeral directors, alike.  Gabe and Todd talk about how understanding the history of our profession can make us better in the present and help us to plan for the future.

Host Gabe Schauf talks with death educator and grief counselor, Dr. Alan Wolfelt, and NFDA's Morgan Schlender, Account Executive for Endorsed Programs & Membership. The three discuss the recognition and prevention of funeral director burnout, and some of the new initiatives that NFDA has created to help support funeral directors as they serve families.

In this episode, Gabe talks to funeral director, author, and speaker, Todd Van Beck about presidential funerals.  They discuss how presidential funerals have evolved throughout history, how they have influenced how families care for their deceased, and what we can learn from our past as funeral professionals.

Host, Gabe Schauf, is joined by members of the inaugural class of the National Emerging Leaders Program (NELP) to share their experiences.  They discuss NELP, how the courses have helped them grow as funeral professionals, and what they feel funeral homes can do to better serve families.

This timely episode focuses on the new resource for funeral homes and families entitled, When a Child Dies: Planning Acts of Love and Legacy . This is a collaborative effort of the Funeral Service Foundation and the National Pediatric Palliative Care Coalition. 

This month Gabe speaks with four promising new graduates from across the country to shed some light on the life of a mortuary school student. The students discuss National Board preparation, final exams, assignments, and venturing out into the funeral profession.

In this special Earth Day episode, Gabe and his guest, Micah Truman, CEO of Return Home, are talking about a very interesting and new form of disposition known formally as "Natural Organic Reduction".

Take a deep dive into the World Wide Web with Gabe Schauf and his guests Ryan Ballard and Brian Waters, hosts of Undertaking the Podcast . These three podcasters talk about how funeral directors are utilizing the exchange of information on the internet.

Some future medical and scientific advancements sound like something out of a science fiction story, but we never know what role technology might play in the deathcare profession. Alexandra Jo, Culture and Content Manager at Parting Stone, discusses this fascinating topic.

In the new year, resolve to enhance your customers' experience. Join host Gabe Schauf with his guest Mark Busch – a former funeral home owner and licensed CX coach.  Mark and Gabe will discuss the basics of improving how your customers view your business and how to make them part of your "marketing team".

This month host Gabe Schauf takes on a timely (and potentially costly) topic: OSHA compliance. Join Gabe as he speaks with Mark Harrison from CST (Certified Safety Training) about the importance of safety compliance in the funeral home.

Join our tribute to Veterans Day with host Gabe Schauf as he has a conversation with Douglas "Dutch" Nie: funeral director and business owner, treasurer to the NFDA Board of Directors and proud Air Force veteran.

Gabe interviews convention keynote speakers Duncan Wardle and Ben Nemtin. These two dynamic individuals will address the power of "thinking different" and resilience in the face of uncertainty. There's so much to learn and be inspired by!

The NFDA Convention is only a few weeks away!  Let's get a glimpse into some of the amazing workshop sessions at this event. Gabe interviews three of our presenters who each bring something valuable to the convention. You'll meet Bill Johnston, David Hernandez, and Henry Johnson. Topics range from using technology, personal experiences and tips for success.

NFDA is commemorating the tragic 20th anniversary of the September 11 terrorist attacks with a special episode of A Brush with Death . Host, Gabe Schauf, speaks with Funeral Director Chuck Bowman who served as deputy commander of Region VIII Disaster Mortuary Operational Response Team (DMORT).  Chuck supported the recovery efforts following the attacks, and he joins Gabe on this episode to share h...

The Funeral Service Foundation is the philanthropic voice of the funeral profession and the charitable arm of the National Funeral Directors Association. In this episode, host Gabe Schauf speaks with Kelly Manion, the Director of Community Engagement for the Funeral Service Foundation, and two scholarship recipients. The discussion focuses on how the Foundation invests in people and programs to st...

When a family chooses to donate a loved one's body for education or research, they do so with the hope that they will help others. Regrettably, many are unknowingly contributing to a for-profit industry in which the body of their loved one could be traded as raw material in a largely unregulated national market. Congress is taking a significant step toward protecting the dignity of donors and offe...

It's the month of June, and host Gabe Schauf speaks with four Mortuary Science School graduates from across the country to discuss why they entered funeral service and what they anticipate going into the future. Meet Nicole Judge (FINE Mortuary College in Norwood, Massachusetts), Luke Martinez (Worsham College of Funeral Science in Wheeling, Illinois), Venice Harris (Lake Washington Institute of T...

The month of May brings Memorial Day – a time to honor the millions of people in uniform who gave their lives for this country. Journey to Serve is a unique campaign launched in 2021 by the Funeral Service Foundation and the ICCFA Educational Foundation. This collaborative effort between organizations aims to engage, recruit and hire more military veterans to careers in the funeral service profess...

Earth Day is April 22, and host Gabe Schauf's interview with Amy Cunningham touches on a timely topic. Amy is a licensed funeral director and celebrant in Brooklyn, New York who specializes in green burials. In this episode, she discusses earth-friendly options chosen by many families to say farewell to a loved one.

Host Gabe Schauf speaks with NFDA Senior Vice President of Advocacy, Lesley Witter. Lesley is based in Washington D.C. working for the funeral profession within the halls of the federal government. She provides insight into her role as an advocate, and how legislation that is advantageous to funeral service professionals is advanced. Lesley has been with the NFDA for 14 years and is responsible fo...

NFDA CEO Christine Pepper and NFDA Board President Bryant Hightower discuss what's ahead in 2021 with our host, Gabe Schauf.  Christine and Bryant share their thoughts on topics ranging from technology to advocacy to education in this episode of A Brush with Death . Tune in to hear their thoughts about what's in store for funeral service professionals – and for those who support them. Serving our...

We all know that serving families and communities is the primary focus of funeral service professionals but behind the scenes, there is a business to run. NFDA members can take advantage of our researched list of Endorsed Providers who can help guide you in many aspects of your business.  Guests Tim Bridgers, Senior Vice President of the Funeral Home and Cemetery Lending team at Live Oak Bank, and...

The holiday season is upon us – a time to connect with family and friends, although this year our gatherings are primarily virtual. In this episode of A Brush with Death , our host Gabe Schauf reminisces with his grandfather, Charles Nelson, using the Have the Talk of a Lifetime Conversation Cards . These amazing conversation starters are part of NFDA's Remembering A Life community engagement init...