Buried in Work Podcast

What happens when life shatters unexpectedly? For Pam Baker, the loss of her husband John to glioblastoma in 2021 brought overwhelming grief—and surprising lessons about love, legacy, and planning for the future. In this episode of The Buried in Work Podcast, Pam shares her journey from widowhood to purpose. Despite being married to a financial advisor, she still faced the hidden challenges of pro...

What if your final act on Earth could help heal it? In this episode of The Buried in Work Podcast, Adam speaks with Jordanna Ibghy, architect and founder of Urth Ritual, a Brooklyn-based company crafting biodegradable mycelium-based burial products. Jordanna shares how mushrooms are not just symbols of renewal, but active agents in creating eco-friendly coffins that decompose naturally and restore...

Are you feeling overwhelmed trying to support your aging parents while juggling everything else? In this powerful episode, Adam Zuckerman sits down with gerontologist Janice Goldmintz, who shares her lived experience and professional insights to help families navigate aging, caregiving, and end-of-life planning before a crisis hits. If you're part of the sandwich generation or know someone who is,...

Are you ready if your parents suddenly need care? Most families aren’t until they’re forced to be. In this episode, aging specialist and Silver Savvy founder Laura Lynn Morrissey shares how to avoid last-minute decisions and start planning now with clarity and confidence. With her experience in financial services, healthcare, and home care, Laura helps families navigate long-term care insurance, a...

This conversation dives into grief, legacy, innovation, and how one woman transformed a deeply personal loss into a mission-driven company that’s changing how we honor our loved ones. In this episode of the Buried in Work podcast, Adam speaks with Adelle Archer, co-founder and CEO of Eterneva — a company that transforms the ashes or hair of loved ones into lab-grown diamonds. What began as a perso...

This conversation dives into grief, legacy, innovation, and how one woman transformed a deeply personal loss into a mission-driven company that’s changing how we honor our loved ones. In this episode of the Buried in Work podcast, Adam speaks with Adelle Archer, co-founder and CEO of Eterneva — a company that transforms the ashes or hair of loved ones into lab-grown diamonds. What began as a perso...

What if your final resting place could help restore nature instead of harm it? In this episode of the Buried in Work podcast, licensed funeral director, certified life cycle celebrant, and founder of the Colorado Burial Preserve , Emily B. Miller , joins us to explore how green burial is more than an eco-friendly alternative—it’s a return to something profoundly human. Emily shares her journey fro...

Did you know your dental fillings or titanium hip could be pulled from the ashes and turned into something that changes lives and saves the planet? In this powerful episode, Adam sits down with Kevin McKay , Director at Cremation Recycling , to uncover the truth about what really happens to metal after cremation. This is not the conversation you expect around death and cremation. Kevin shares how...

"If a child is old enough to love, a child is old enough to grieve." We often treat grief like a problem that needs solving. But what if it's not something to fix, but something to understand, live with and honor? In this powerful conversation of Buried in Work, Dr. Korie Leigh, certified thanatologist and program director at Marian University, helps us rethink how we approach death, grief and hea...

Did you know most people don’t have time to grieve because they’re too busy canceling Netflix and clearing out the fridge? In this episode of Buried in Work , Rachel Donnelly , founder of AfterLight and author of Late to Your Own Funeral , talks about what really happens after someone dies? The grief, the overwhelm, the paperwork, and the flaming dumpster fire no one prepares you for . Visit burie...

When death doula Kacie Gikonyo held the hands of hundreds of people in their final moments, she kept hearing the same thing again and again: "I wish I had spent more time living… and less time working." In this episode of Buried in Work, Death Doula Kacie Gikonyo , founder of the Death Doula Collective and Death Doula School , joins us to share the raw, human stories she's witnessed at the end of...

In this episode of Buried in Work , Adam Zuckerman speaks with Jess Wakefield , funeral director and Director of Partnerships at Better Place Forests, and Don Gilmartin , trauma cleanup entrepreneur and advocate. Together, they are pioneering the Dignity in Death and Privacy Protection Act of 2025 —a proposed federal law that would make it illegal to publicly share graphic trauma scene photos or v...

𝙃𝙤𝙬 𝙙𝙤 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙢𝙖𝙠𝙚 𝙨𝙪𝙧𝙚 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙛𝙖𝙢𝙞𝙡𝙮 𝙙𝙤𝙚𝙨𝙣’𝙩 𝙟𝙪𝙨𝙩 𝙞𝙣𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙞𝙩 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙢𝙤𝙣𝙚𝙮—𝙗𝙪𝙩 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙢𝙞𝙣𝙙𝙨𝙚𝙩, 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙢𝙞𝙨𝙨𝙞𝙤𝙣, 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙢𝙚𝙖𝙣𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙤𝙤? In this episode of Buried in Work , Denise McClain , Director at Hirtle Callaghan and one of the country’s leading experts on multigenerational wealth , estate planning , and philanthropy , talks about how families can pass down more than just assets. She dives into the power of s...

“This project feels like my dad is still with me. It’s something he’d be proud of.” In this episode of Buried in Work , founder Adam Zuckerman steps out from behind the mic and into the guest seat—interviewed by longtime friend and co-host Jared Rizzi . Visit buriedinwork.com for the FULL SHOW NOTES

In this episode of Buried in Work, Jasmine Hathaway, founder of Compass Coordinators and co-founder of PALS (Professional Alliance of Life Services), shares how the sudden loss of her husband forced her to navigate the complex world of estate planning, paperwork, and system failures—alone, with a baby on her hip. Visit buriedinwork.com for the FULL SHOW NOTES

In this episode of The Buried in Work Podcast , host Adam Zuckerman speaks with Gail Rubin, widely known as The Doyenne of Death, about the power and peace of mind that comes from funeral planning, estate preparation, and end-of-life conversations. Gail, author of A Good Goodbye and founder of the Before I Die Festival, shares how humor, storytelling, and even movies can break the taboo around dea...

What if you had just one year left with the person you love most—would you know how to say goodbye? Amy Shaw shares the story of her husband’s terminal brain cancer diagnosis and how it transformed her from a mother of 10 into a full-time caregiver. With grace and honesty, Amy opens up about what it truly means to walk someone through the end of life with dignity, how to talk to kids about death,...

In this episode of Buried in Work , Lynn Hall, Manager of the Unclaimed Property Unit for the District of Columbia , shares her 36+ years of expertise in asset recovery and fraud prevention . You’ll learn how unclaimed property is tracked, how DC’s proactive outreach programs are helping citizens reclaim their money faster, and the surprising items found in safe deposit boxes. Plus, hear why publi...

What does it really mean to age well — especially when you’re doing it alone? You think there's still time—until there isn't. Dr. Corinne Auman , gerontologist, developmental psychologist, and founder of Choice Care Navigators , shares the emotional and financial chaos that unfolds when families don’t plan for aging. She’s also the author of Keenagers: Telling a New Story About Aging , and she’s h...

“This is the worst day of someone’s life. And we have the chance to give them a sliver of hope.” From attending strangers’ funerals at age 5 to holding a human brain in his hands—Calvin Amato’s journey is unlike anything you’ve heard. As a Funeral Director-in-Training at Koch Funeral Home and a Brain Recovery Specialist, Calvin is helping families face death with compassion, dignity, and purpose....

What do funeral directors really do—and why does it matter more than ever? Chris Robinson, the 2024–2025 President of the National Funeral Directors Association, who shares how a summer job as a teenage gravedigger led to a lifelong mission of helping families through their hardest moments. From the unseen emotional labor to the impact of pre-planning and technology, this episode unveils the human...

Cremation is now the #1 choice in America—over 60% of families are choosing it. But what most people don’t know about cremation can create chaos, confusion, and costly mistakes when the time comes. In this episode of Buried in Work Podcast, Barbara Kemmis, Executive Director of the Cremation Association of North America reveals the real story behind cremation trends, what families often get wrong,...

What does it really mean to age well — especially when you’re doing it alone? In this episode of The Buried in Work Podcast, host Adam Zuckerman sits down with Steve Gurney, founder of the Positive Aging Community, who has spent over 30 years helping families navigate the often overwhelming world of aging, solo living, downsizing, and end-of-life decisions. Through deeply personal stories and eye-...

What if the way we honor the dead could transform the way we live? In this episode of The Buried in Work Podcast, Sarit Wishnevski , Executive Director of Kavod v'Nichum, explores the ancient Jewish rituals that bring meaning, comfort, and connection at the end of life—and how they can change the way we approach our own lives. For centuries, the Chevra Kadisha (Jewish burial society) has ensured t...

By 15, Allyse Worland was knocking on funeral home doors, determined to make her dream a reality. Today, she’s not just a Licensed Funeral Director and Embalmer —she’s shaping the future of the funeral director career , mentoring the next generation, and challenging everything we think we know about the funeral industry .  Visit Buried in Work for the full show notes and how to simplify your...