Noble (she/her) is a Clinical Supervisor & Co-Occurring Disorders counselor at Youth Eastside Services. She began her career in 2002 working with runaway & street youth in Seattle, expanding her awareness of co-occurring disorders. In 2008, Noble graduated from Lewis & Clark College with an MA in Mental Health & Addiction Treatment. As a dually licensed clinician, she provides clinical supervision for other therapists, & also offers outpatient therapy for youth struggling with mental illness, substance use, grief & loss, & addiction in their family systems. Noble believes in the power of empathy, laughter, & a good cup of tea.

Sarah Olbrantz (she/her), MA, LMHCA, is a drama therapist and play therapist working predominantly with children and adolescents in Seattle, WA. A graduate of Antioch University Seattle, she received her Master's Degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling with Drama Therapy (’23), alongside a certificate in Play Therapy (’22). Sarah is the co-founder of CO/LAB Theater Group, a New York City based nonprofit theater company that exists to provide individuals with developmental disabilities a creative and social outlet through theater arts. Sarah has constructed a unique, therapeutic drama and art curriculum which she taught at many leading institutions in New York City (ATLAS Foundation for Autism, Goodwill Industries of New York/New Jersey, Young Life Capernaum) and continues to adapt and replicate throughout the Pacific Northwest (“All Abilities Camp” at Enlightened Theatrics in Salem, Oregon and “The Healing Center Stages” at The Healing Center in Seattle, WA). Sarah recently completed her first research project, “The Embodiment of Grief: An Ethnodramatherapy on Grief, Loss, and Bereavement” alongside colleague Virg Augoustatos (MA, LMHCA, RYT; Prismatic Arts Counseling) and together they are working toward publication. Sarah is as an Associate Therapist at Atlas Counseling Seattle where she provides mental health support for children, adolescents, teens, young adults, and adults, utilizing play, dramatic, and expressive arts methods.

Courtney McGrue, LICSW is a Pediatric Grief Counselor with Safe Crossings Program of Providence Hospice of Seattle. Courtney has been supporting grieving children in this capacity for over two years. Due to her own experience in losing a parent in adolescence, she brings a passion and relatability to this work. Previously, Courtney has supported children and families in various arenas, including child welfare, residential care settings, and elderly medical care. Courtney is also a part- time Doula and enjoys tap dancing, hot yoga, and weightlifting.

Caroline Catlin (she / her) is a writer, photographer, and care worker who believes in the power and impact of shared truths. With a background in both pediatric mental health care and multidisciplinary storytelling, Caroline’s work centers around incorporating art and creativity into all aspects of caregiving. Her photography, film, and writing focus on topics such as disability, illness, grief, recovery, and resiliency with publications in The New York Times, Glamour, Healthline, Longreads, Teen Vogue and elsewhere. Caroline received her Master of Fine Arts in Writing from Pacific University and is currently working on a memoir about her experience of living with incurable brain cancer as a young adult. She volunteers as an end-of-life photographer and leads the grief youth support groups at The Healing Center in Seattle. Caroline’s TED talk, “Why I photograph the quiet moments of grief and loss” has been viewed over 1 million times. Caroline lives with her wife, two dogs, and a cat in Seattle.

Chris Buchanan, MA, CCC-SLP is a nationally certified speech-language pathologist in private practice in Federal Way, Washington. Helping children and teenagers with special needs connect with their friends and families for over two decades has been a privilege and a joy. She has vast experience explaining complex ideas in simple ways. She knows what kids love and is passionate about creating books that children of all abilities can access to enjoy life, connect with people around them, and reach ever higher.

Alice Ryan began her social work career over 23 years ago. Most of her practice orientation has been in large healthcare settings. She was drawn to the needs of patient and families as illness progressed towards the end of life. Her practice eventually led her to her current work in accompanying people in their grief journey, with special emphasis on the experience of complicated grief through the death of a child. Through the years of listening and learning from grieving families, it became more apparent that the narratives of grief from historically marginalized communities were not as present or represented in bereavement support programs. Elimination of disenfranchisement, even within the universal human experience of grief, is the north star that guides Alice’s work. She currently manages Seattle Children’s Hospital’s bereavement program, The Journey Program and has also been a faculty member of the UW School of Social Work since 2012, teaching in the MSW program. She is the recipient of 3 Instructor of the Year Awards and is the recent recipient of the Odessa Brown Ken Feldman Award at Seattle Children’s Hospital. Although she values her presence in academia, she strongly identifies as a practitioner and believes that humble service to others informs and shapes theoretical constructs.

Charlene Ray is a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker and has been in practice as a therapist, mentor, grief counselor, and workshop facilitator for 35 years. Charlene teaches mindfulness in the school, K-6, and facilitates Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction for teachers. Charlene has led programs for school districts on various mental health topics and is a frequent speaker at Sno-Isle Library Issues that Matter events. She works for Forefront Suicide Prevention as a coach and trainer.

Stephanie Heitkemper, PhD, is a Licensed Professional Counselor and owner of Resilient Minds Counseling PLLC, located in Denver, CO. Stephanie is a Registered Play Therapist Supervisor (RPT-S), an Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) Approved Consultant and Certified Therapist, a Fellow in Thanatology (FT), and is also a Trauma and Loss Specialist (CTS) and Trauma Informed Assessment Specialist (CTA). Stephanie specializes in grief and trauma therapy and has designed and facilitated several children’s bereavement camp programs that support children and families through counseling, mental health education, and hands-on adventure-focused activities.Stephanie is co-author of several resources for supporting children experiencing grief and is an engaging speaker on topics including childhood grief, play therapy, supporting and navigating trauma, and volunteer engagement and training. Completing her undergraduate studies in Psychology and Human Services at Old Dominion University in Norfolk, VA, Stephanie went on to earn her Masters in Marriage Family Therapy from Regis University in Denver, CO. She recently completed her PhD in Counseling and Psychological Studies from Regent University in Virginia Beach, VA. Professionally, she finds the most joy in collaboration, problem solving, hands-on creativity, and interactive play. In her free time, Stephanie enjoys 6 am CrossFit, coffee, and exploring Colorado with her boxer, Frank, and her husband.

Dr. Amy Claridge is a Professor in the Child Development and Family Science program at Central Washington University. She is also a licensed marriage and family therapist in the state of Washington. Dr. Claridge conducts research related to family stress and resilience, especially in areas related to maternal and child health. She has mentored several graduate students in projects related to grief and loss, and is a co-investigator for an ongoing project involving interviews with parents and siblings facing the death of a child.

Kiri Meyer, LPC, is Bereavement Programs Manager at Eluna, a non-profit with a mission to support children and families impacted by grief or addiction. Kiri has been a grief camp enthusiast for the past 14 years, working and volunteering for camps in Wisconsin, throughout the US, and in Ireland. She is so glad to be able to join the Eluna team to continue to help support children, teens, families, and partners in their Camp Erin experience. Kiri has dedicated her professional life to helping advocate, educate, and introduce people into the world of death, dying, and bereavement so we are able to have these “tough talks” in a more comfortable fashion as a society. Kiri has seen the magic of camp firsthand and believes that camps provide a fun and healing environment where we can take the stigma of grief away and learn to connect to ourselves and others in ways that feel right for our own unique journeys with grief. Kiri is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) in Wisconsin specializing in grief and trauma. She is also a Registered Yoga Teacher (RYT-200) basing practices in restorative yoga for grief with a trauma-sensitive lens. When Kiri is not working or volunteering at camps, she can be found spending time outdoors with her family, finding fun projects for her fixer-upper home with her husband, and baking up new recipes to share.

Rachel Douglass is a Spiritual Care Counselor born and raised in Seattle, WA. She received her BA in Theology from Seattle Pacific University, Master of Divinity from Princeton Theological Seminary, and her professional training at Princeton Medical Center and Princeton Behavioral Health. She is an internationally published theologian, and her current research focus is on developing trauma-informed spiritual care practices for both children and adults which she applies with her pediatric and adult patients at AccentCare Home Hospice in King and Snohomish counties. In her free time, she enjoys art and music, exploring the nature in and around Seattle, and spending time with her friends and family.

Aviona is a school counselor that took the more scenic route to get there. She has her masters in family and marriage counseling but decided she enjoys working in schools to see the whole child. She has done multiple workshops and has found joy in teaching all ages. She has been in schools for 9 years both in WA and MI. She has been doing healing work sense a child, being one of nine makes for lots of repairing relationships. Crocheting keeps her head on straight as well as any kind of arts and crafts.

Heather LaBouy, PsyD is the owner of Insight Alliance Psychotherapy in Seattle. Established in 2015 after a diversity of doctoral training experiences, Licensed Clinical Psychologist, Dr. LaBouy brings an array of skills including community mental health, public schools, university counseling centers, and seven years of private practice and consultation. Dr. LaBouy focused her doctoral training on Multicultural Psychology, examining intersections of identity, culture, and mental health and is guided by the principles of anti-racism, inclusive care, and engaging in the ongoing pursuit of cultural competence. Currently, Dr. LaBouy provides individual, couples, and family therapy, facilitates group workshops on topics relating to emotional resilience, and volunteers regularly in a clinical role with Comfort Zone Camps. CZC is a Virginia based non-profit providing weekend grief camps for children ages 7-17 who have experienced the death of a parent or sibling. Focusing primarily on children aged 12 and up, Dr. LaBouy helps teens define and share their narrative, build coping strategies, and access their resilience. Creating experiential grief processing activities with creative expression and emotional reflection exercises for adults and children has become a passion project. Empowering clients to embrace self-reflection and healing through connection is the cornerstone of her approach

Katy Tenhulzen is a Certified Child Life Specialist at Swedish Hospital in Seattle and serves as the Child Life program coordinator and senior lecturer in the Child Development and Family Science program at Central Washington University. She conducts research related to child life training and practice and parent and sibling grief.

Kelly is employed through Eluna’s Camp Erin program. She is the Camp Erin Online Manager and a licensed mental health provider. She is passionate about using education and real-world tools to help support those experiencing grief, as well as for those supporting someone who is grieving.

Meredith Hammond, MA, LPC, RPT-S, ACS is a licensed professional counselor in Colorado and Nebraska. Meredith is a Registered Play Therapist – Supervisor, a certified Synergetic Play Therapist Supervisor, an Approved Clinical Supervisor, and an EMDR Consultant-in-Training. She owns a private practice in Westminster, Colorado where she works to incorporate the healing powers of play for all ages and walks of life. Meredith grew up in a neurodivergent family and this inspired her passion to provide support for neurodivergent clients and inspire appreciation of neurodiversity. Meredith lives in Broomfield, Colorado with her husband and 3 sons. She enjoys home renovation projects, backpacking, and Ragnar relay races. Recently, she embraced a new passion as a certified Reb3l Groove Dance Fitness Instructor, providing a fun and energetic way to unwind after a long day at the office.

Abby McCarthy is a graduate student at Central Washington University, pursuing a master’s degree in Child Development and Family Science, specializing in Child Life. Her background is in nursing, and her master‘s thesis centers on grief literacy and parents‘ comfort supporting children in grief.