Rebecca Churt (she/her)
Rebecca has spent her life's work helping people and organizations transform the way they lead from the inside out — shaping emerging leaders and markets. She is an edge walker, bridge builder, community weaver and change-maker. In addition to her time with The Grievery, she works as an end-of-life educator and a community Death Doula.
Her recent work includes full-time, board, and consulting engagements with Kripalu Center for Yoga and Health, Menla and Tibet House, Zen Center of NYC, The Open Center of New York, Upaya Zen Center, the Findhorn Foundation, One Spirit, several mindfulness technology startups, and mindfulness curriculum development for the Massachusetts Institute of Technology MBA and executive education programs. Her work has largely been influenced by teachings from Roshi Joan Halifax, Francis Weller, Karine Bell, and Alua Arthur — with whom she has immersed herself in countless trainings over the past years.
As the founder of The Grievery, Rebecca believes that our ability to hold grief in community will remind us of our interconnectedness with all living beings. After all, staying present and open to it all is a radical act. She created this space as an invitation for us all to be in practice with each other — a space to be touched by our grief, even and especially if we don't know how. We're doing it together!
Jonathan Ambar (he/him)
Born in Brazil and raised in the Dominican Republic, Portugal, and Argentina, Jonathan is a multifaceted, multicultural yoga teacher, meditation guide, and performer who thrives on merging expression, connection, and self-reflection to ignite human growth. With a background spanning social justice, wellness, and education, he passionately uses his voice to advocate for the common good.
What lights him up the most about The Grievery is the opportunity to build an inclusive, soul-renewing haven that fosters meaningful community. Together, we embrace grief, find solace, and navigate challenges with compassion for ourselves, others, and the world.
Jonathan is a graduate of Emerson College, where he focused on creative writing and media studies, and can quote The Golden Girls at a moment’s notice. He lives in Boston with his partner, Max, and his partner-in-crime, Miriam the cat.
Matthew Armstead (they/them)
Matthew cultivates the intersections of justice movements, artistic expression, and collective liberation. They help groups practice being the change we want to see, using their 15+ years of experience building organizations, developing leaders, and resolving conflict across social and structural power differences. Their facilitation style weaves in theater practices to create opportunities for people to embody the futures they strive to create.
Matthew has organized and won campaigns for environmental justice, racial justice, LGBTQ liberation, and accountability among masculine-identified people. They have trained, coached, and designed programs for US-based and global audiences, including Southerners on New Ground, Amnesty International USA, New Economy Organiser, Resource Generation, Theatre Horizon, and the Sunrise Movement.
Matthew founded Culture Work Studios in 2019 to accompany small, multiracial organizations committed to social justice. Their work is informed by Niyonu Spann of Co-Creating Effective and Inclusive Organizations, Training for Change, and the Process Work Institute.
Kat Primeau (she/her)
Kat is an artist, grief doula, grief educator, and peer support specialist. Her career has been full of improvisation, and following a series of impactful losses, she has channeled her creativity to address the epidemic of grief in the wake of Covid-19. Since 2021, she has supported real-life rock stars with creative grief release, ritual guidance, and death cleaning, harnessing the transformative power of grief for good as the Good Grief Doula. Kat’s approach involves leveraging creative modalities to responsively address the unique needs of each individual as they navigate the integration of pain and love and find value-driven meaning in life after loss.
Prior to the pandemic, Kat spent a decade orchestrating studio sessions for A-list music artists, recording with her band, Sumeau, and performing award-winning musical comedy up and down the West Coast and Off-Broadway. She has designed and implemented original interventions for organizations such as Salesforce and Apple, as well as community partners like LA Unified School District and Children’s Hospital LA. She is a student of mindfulness and a lover of travel who resides in Los Angeles with her spouse, Chris.
Jovan Sage (she/they)
Jovan is a heart-centered facilitator who guides people back to themselves. Their work centers on fertility, sex, death, and the magick of transformation(s). The threads of their work connect at the intersections of race, gender, and sexuality; meditation, grief, and loss; breath, energy, and plants. Jovan is a Death Midwife, Grief Doula, Pregnancy and Infant Loss Advocate. Sage’s Circle is their embodied healing practice holding their experiences, education, and calling. Ther calling shows up in helping people plan for their death, educating people on the process of dying, and empowering people to take responsibility for their death (and in turn their life). Their calling asks them to use their creativity, space-holding, and energy work to create opportunities for communities to navigate grief and the fear of dying. Sage’s practice is trauma-informed, anti-racist, queer and trans-affirming.
Lisa Jordan (she/her)
Lisa, a second-generation mortician, brings a deeply personal and compassionate presence to her work, shaped by both her professional path and her own intimate encounters with loss. With over 1,000 families supported across diverse communities, Lisa has witnessed the many expressions of grief and understands its nuance. Her background as a yoga and movement teacher offers an added layer of holistic care, allowing her to meet each person with empathy and tenderness. Rooted in creativity and connection, Lisa’s approach to grief work is nurturing and restorative. She currently lives in Greenville, SC, with her beloved family, a playful dog, two cats, and a backyard full of chickens.
Kirsten Melone (she/they)
Kirsten Melone blends her passion for mind-body practices, storytelling, and spiritual companionship. She began her journey from an early love of dance and yoga, which deepened into a lifelong exploration of how individuals can access their fullest human potential. Kirsten integrates the wisdom of ancient contemplative practices to help others navigate the complexities of grief in a fast-paced, overstimulated world. She is a certified 200-hour Yoga Teacher and Meditation Guide, offering her skill to those seeking to deepen their spiritual practice or explore their relationship with loss. Her professional background includes over five years in the wellness industry, where she worked remotely for organizations across Massachusetts, California, and Scotland. She studied History and Religion at Virginia Tech and earned a Master of Liberal Studies from Georgetown University. She's also certified Spiritual Companionship through the Shalem Institute in Washington, D.C. Outside of that Kirsten enjoys spending time with her nieces, knitting, and caring for her beloved plants and playful dog Stella.
Sohini Sinha (she/her)
Sohini's life story is a testament to her adaptability and resilience, having been born in the UK to Indian parents, raised in Africa, lived in California and Scotland, and now residing in Norway. As an Executive Coach and Program Developer she also supports women during mid- and end-of-life transitions. Sohini applies her wide range of experience to assist entrepreneurs, small or large businesses, and not-for-profit organizations globally.
Susie Arnett (she/her)
Susie Arnett brings a wealth of experience to the table, with a proven track record in creating unforgettable experiences that are both authentic and unique. Her passion for transformational experiences is the cornerstone of her work with leading retreat centers and hospitality brands around the world.