I have been honored to serve as the Volunteer and Bereavement Coordinator for almost 2 years with our hospice. Through my role as Volunteer Coordinator, I have come to work with some of the most compassionate and dedicated volunteers, and strongly believe in the positive impact volunteers can have for those that we serve, and value their contribution to our mission.  As the Bereavement Coordinator, I work with individuals as they navigate their grief journey after the loss of a loved one. I strongly believe that empathy is one of the best tools to help support someone who is grieving a loss and have come to respect how unique and individualized one's grief journey can be. I always feel so humbled when someone shares aspects of their journey with me, so that I can support them to the best of my ability.  I also strongly believe that all individuals deserve to be treated with dignity and respect until their final breath, and that there is so much we can offer those individuals in their final days, which is what drew me to hospice. I come from a background of dementia care and non-profit program coordination for the past 20 years. I graduated with a bachelor's degree at Grand Valley State University with a minor Aging and Adult Development. I then went on to receive a master's certificate in Dementia Care from Eastern Michigan University.  Throughout my own journey, I have seen firsthand the positive impact hospice has had on individuals and their families, both in my career in my personal life. On a personal note, I live in Troy with my husband, 2 beautiful children, and my cat Bandit. I feel so humbled to work for an agency that shares in all these values, and do not take one day for granted.