4 Women and a Funeral

What does it really take to build a successful career without losing yourself along the way? 

In this episode of 4 Women and a Funeral, Funeral Women Lead board member Dr. Camelia Clarke, President of Paradise Memorial Funerary Corp, shares lessons from more than 30 years in deathcare. From entrepreneurship and burnout to mentorship, failure, and knowing your worth, Dr. Clarke gets candid about the challenges behind her success and why purpose, boundaries, and community matter in leadership.

It's an inspiring conversation about making space for yourself while creating opportunities for the women coming behind you.

Have a topic or question for the show? Email us at [email protected]!

In this episode of 4 Women and a Funeral, the hosts sit down with Kelly Kohut, Regional Vice President of Partnership Development at Precoa, for a candid conversation about what it takes for women to grow, lead and advocate for themselves.

Drawing from her experience in the Johns Hopkins Women’s Leadership Program, Kelly breaks down the difference between mentorship, networking and sponsorship, and why having someone who recognizes your value and advocates for you can change the trajectory of your career.

From negotiating with confidence and navigating difficult conversations to over-apologizing, self-sponsorship and learning from leadership mistakes, this episode is an honest and relatable conversation about becoming the leader you want to be while helping other women rise with you.

Have a topic or question for the show? Email us at [email protected]!

What does leadership really look like when business ownership, family, a changing team, and a national leadership role all collide?

Lindsey Ballard, owner and funeral director of Ballard-Sunder Funeral & Cremations and President of the Cremation Association of North America (CANA), joins 4 Women and a Funeral hosts Lisa Baue, Alicia Carr, and Melissa Posey Loose for a candid conversation about stepping into leadership, asking for help, building a strong team, and navigating a season of major change.

Have a topic or question for the show? Email us at [email protected]!

What does it take to build a successful career in funeral service? Erin Wilson, Senior Director of Education + Program Strategy at Funeral Women Lead, joins the hosts to discuss mentorship, leadership, confidence, and why supporting the next generation of women is critical to the future of the profession. Plus, get a look inside the vision behind Funeral Women Lead's Women's Leadership Academy and growing leadership community.

Interested in taking the next step in your leadership journey? Registration is now open for Funeral Women Lead's 2026-2027 Women's Leadership Academy cohort. Learn more at www.funeralwomenlead.org/leadership-academy

Have a topic or question for the show? Email us at [email protected]!

What does it take to find your voice, earn your seat at the table, and help create opportunities for the women coming behind you?

In this episode, Barbara Risher Welch shares her remarkable journey from growing up above her family's funeral home to becoming the 2026 President of Selected Independent Funeral Homes. Along the way, she opens up about navigating leadership in male-dominated spaces, building confidence, balancing family and business, mentoring future professionals, and advocating for more women in leadership roles.

Filled with heartfelt stories, practical wisdom, and plenty of laughs, this conversation is a powerful reminder that leadership isn't about having all the answers. It's about showing up, speaking up, and making space for others to succeed.

If you've ever questioned whether your voice belongs at the table, this episode is for you. Barbara's journey is a powerful reminder that leadership begins when we choose to step forward.

Whether you're an emerging leader, a seasoned professional, or simply passionate about the future of deathcare, you'll walk away inspired to find your voice and help others find theirs.

Have a topic or question for the show? Email us at [email protected]!

Motherhood and funeral service both demand everything, and in this episode, we’re getting real about what it takes to balance both.

From mom guilt and missed moments to humor, heart, and hard-earned lessons, the hosts share honest stories of raising families while serving others. They also explore the challenges women face in today’s workforce and the importance of support, flexibility, and self-advocacy.

A meaningful conversation filled with honesty, connection, and a reminder that you don’t have to do it all perfectly. You just have to keep showing up.

Have a topic or question for the show? Email us at [email protected]!

They’re entering the profession but not always staying. So what’s missing?

Hosts Lisa Baue, Melissa Posey Loose, Alicia Carr, and Ellen Winn McBrayer sit down with Leili McMurrough, President of Worsham College of Mortuary Science, to talk about the realities facing today’s workforce. From her unexpected path into funeral service to the challenges of retention, mentorship, and leadership, this conversation explores what it will take to truly support the next generation.

Have a topic or question for the show? Email us at [email protected]!

In this Women’s History Month episode of 4 Women and a Funeral, the hosts sit down with Christine Pepper, CEO of the National Funeral Directors Association, to reflect on an extraordinary 40-year career in funeral service leadership.

Christine shares what it was like stepping into the profession when women’s leadership was nearly invisible, how she navigated early challenges, and why confidence, mentorship, and resilience still matter so much for the next generation of women entering funeral service today.

The conversation explores how the profession has changed, where progress still needs to happen, and why women must stop waiting until they feel “ready” to step into leadership.

It is an honest and insightful discussion about growth, legacy, and the responsibility all funeral professionals carry in shaping the future of this profession.

Have a topic or question for the show? Email us at [email protected]!

February is Heart Month, and this new episode of 4 Women and a Funeral takes an honest look at the stress we have normalized in funeral service and what it is doing to our hearts, our health, and our lives.

Lisa Baue is joined by Alicia Carr, Ellen Wynn McBrayer, and Melissa Posey Loose for a real conversation about long hours, emotional labor, and the pressure to do it all. Together, they explore how burnout is often treated as a personal issue when it is really a leadership, staffing, or systems challenge.

You will also hear practical tools and language you can use right away, including ways to set healthier expectations, simple stress check ins, and reminders that rest, boundaries, and support are not optional.

This episode is a powerful reminder that caring for others should never mean sacrificing your own wellbeing.

Listen or watch wherever you get your podcasts.

Have a topic or question for the show? Email us at [email protected]!

Welcome back to 4 Women and a Funeral.

In this episode, we sit down for an honest conversation about leadership, boundaries, and what it means to lead with intention in a profession that never truly slows down.

Joining Lisa Baue, Alicia Carr, Ellen Wynn McBrayer, and Melissa Posey Loose is Dr. Jennifer Lares, founder of Mulling Mortician. Jennifer brings perspective shaped by service, education, and hands on experience in funeral care.

Together, the group reflects on fatigue, responsibility, and leadership in modern deathcare. Jennifer also shares a glimpse into what she is building next for funeral service, pointing toward what funeral service needs next.

Have a topic or question for the show? Email us at [email protected]!