Meet Our Coaches

Ahira Smith is a former higher education athletic academic advisor and director whose personal insights, professional expertise, and relatable stories help normalize the experiences surrounding grief, while offering invaluable coping strategies and creating a supportive atmosphere for individuals, groups, and communities to openly discuss and address their emotions surrounding loss. She now works as a certified grief coach (From Grief to Life), a trauma-informed mental health first aid responder, and podcast host of "It's Not You... It's Grief" assisting others on their journey towards healing and getting back to living in the present moment.

Henry-Cameron Allen, OCP, ICGC is an award-winning author, certified grief practitioner, and the creator of SUPERGRIEF, a quantum-informed framework built on one simple truth: grief is not something to recover from. It is a force that transforms us. Henry-Cameron does not stand outside grief looking in. He walks it. As a Peregrine (grieving parent) who has navigated the crossing in 2008 of his own son Cameron to brain cancer at age 13, he came to this work not through study alone, but through the territory itself. As a member of the GLADD team, he walks alongside griefwalkers in recognizing that grief is not pathology to be treated, but a universal life skill to be honored. His work sits at the intersection of personal development, spiritual philosophy, and community practice, with particular focus on sacred masculinity and the grief experience of fathers and men. Henry-Cameron believes that griefwalkers are not broken. We are becoming.

Michael McClendon has always been a safe haven for others a compassionate listener, a steady presence, and a voice of wisdom when it matters most. His journey into grief work began after the devastating loss of his father and partner, out of which came a profound calling. He launched GriefTribe Men, a global movement helping men navigate grief with courage and brotherhood, which has since evolved into GrowthTribe. He is also an ordained minister and ICF-accredited relationship coach specializing in SYMBIS (Saving Your Marriage Before It Starts), equipping couples with the tools they need for strong, enduring relationships.

Liz is a Certified Grief Coach and B.R.E.A.T.H.E. Program Facilitator holding an Associate Certified Coach (ACC) certification from the ICF. She came to grief coaching after over 20 years in federal government service, where she specialized in transforming cultures, resolving conflicts, and coaching executives. Liz's own grief journey began 26 years ago when she lost her beloved mother an experience that forged her calling to be a light for others in grief.

My name is Susanna Gilbertson and I am a certified Grief to Gratitude coach, a certified Mother Loss provider, facilitator, educator, and masters-level social worker. I bring 20 years of experience as a social worker to my grief coaching practice. My journey into grief work began when my mom died about a year before my daughter was born. I co-created a support group for motherless mothers because I needed it. Now I offer the same sacred support to others in my role as a grief coach.

Jan Mitchell is a certified Grief Workplace and Individual Coach, 4x published author, and Founder of She Moves Forward, Inc., with nearly a decade of experience in healthcare. Her work is shaped by both professional expertise and powerful lived experience becoming widowed young in her marriage and raising three children while navigating profound loss. Through her coaching, writing, and community engagement, she equips individuals and organizations with tools to process grief, build resilience, and move forward with clarity, compassion, and purpose. A dedicated servant-leader and advocate, Jan's advocacy efforts helped birth Stephen's Law (HB1180), transforming personal tragedy into meaningful policy change.

Lynn Lewis is a Certified Grief Educator, speaker, author, and the Visionary & Chief Empathy Officer of Destined To Thrive Grief Coaching. A respected leader in grief education and coaching, Lynn empowers individuals to navigate life after profound loss with purpose and resilience. She specializes in supporting adults who are ready to reclaim meaning and impact in their lives despite loss. After a distinguished 39-year career in the automobile claims industry, Lynn devotes her time and energy to breaking the stigma around grief and suicide loss, fostering open conversations, and equipping individuals with the tools to heal and thrive.

Mary Helen Murphy is a life and grief coach with over 30 years of corporate leadership experience and more than six years devoted specifically to grief work. As a widow herself, Mary brings both professional training and lived understanding to the tender experience of loss. She works with individuals navigating all forms of grief including the death of a loved one, anticipatory grief, divorce, health challenges, and career transitions. Her approach is steady, compassionate, and grounded in the belief that grief is not something to fix, but something to honor and move through with support. Through her practice, she helps clients gently shift limiting beliefs, rediscover what matters most, and reclaim a sense of agency and meaning.

Chris Mamone is a grief and empowerment coach, author, and speaker dedicated to helping individuals navigate loss with resilience and clarity. Following the stillbirth of his son in 2022, Chris transformed his personal grief journey into a mission-driven practice focused on guiding others from survival mode toward integration and renewed purpose. He is the creator of the CADEN Framework a structured, compassionate approach that helps clients build courage, acceptance, discovery, empowerment, and new beginnings after loss. Chris has hosted over 120 podcast conversations centered on grief and healing and is the author of The Empowered Grief Journey anthology. With a background in business leadership and an MBA, Chris blends emotional depth with practical strategy.

Dante Baker is a holistic healer devoted to helping people reconnect with the body's innate wisdom. He works with private clients, teaches movement and mindfulness through yoga, meditation, and qigong, and hosts monthly Sound Healing Concerts. Drawn to Eastern healing traditions, Dante completed a nine-month Qigong and Tai Chi Ball certification with Master Nianzu Li in 2013. In 2016 he earned his 200-hour yoga certification through SOYA (Canada), and in 2020 completed a 300-hour Yoga Teacher Training with Beloved Yoga Sanctuary. He is now an E-RYT 500 instructor offering CEU courses across the D.C. metropolitan area.

My name is Victoire QoriQ'ente Slakey. I am devoted to the Adventure of Consciousness and the Embodiment of the Divine this has been my life's focus. At more than 60 summers, I have decades of experience exploring Coherence in its many forms, and of sharing what I learn through one-on-one coaching sessions, workshops, trainings, and retreats. I only share and speak of what I have personally experienced.