William G. Hoy, DMin, FT began GriefConnect in 1991 to provide training workshops to the professionals and volunteers who care for bereaved people. For more than 40 years, Dr. Hoy has walked alongside the dying and grieving in settings as diverse as congregation, hospice, hospital, bereavement center, and university.

After more than 17 years directing the bereavement program for a southern California hospice, Bill became Clinical Professor of Medical Humanities at Baylor University in Waco, Texas, a post he held from 2012 until his retirement in 2024. In his post-university career, Dr. Hoy continues to write and provide on-site clinical training workshops for caregiving professionals and volunteers while also working with a small group of bereaved individuals.

In addition to overseeing the work of GriefConnect, Bill directs the bereavement certification program for Hospice Foundation of America, the nation’s premier educational source for hospice professionals. Though primarily a bedside clinician, Dr. Hoy is a prolific author with more than 250 journal articles and book chapters to his credit, as well as seven books.

Patti Anewalt, PhD, LPC, FT founded the Pathways Center for Grief and Loss, part of Hospice & Community Care of Lancaster, Pennsylvania, and directed the program from 1994 until 2024. Patti’s areas of training interest include children and grief, dealing with dying patients, community crisis tragedy response, and what she terms “compassionate wellness” for caregiving professionals.

Dr. Anewalt served on the board of the Association for Death Education and Counseling with Dr. Hoy and is a member of the International Work Group on Death, Dying, and Bereavement. For six years, she oversaw bereavement services for the National Hospice & Palliative Care Organization (NHPCO) and is a frequent contributor to print and digital resources for Hospice Foundation of America. She oversees continuing education compliance for GriefConnect.

Becky Lomaka, MA, FT is a Fellow in Thanatology and holds a master’s degree in counseling psychology. Since 2013, she has served as the Director of Grief Support and Education at O’Connor Mortuary in Laguna Hills, California. In her role, she provides compassionate support to individuals and families navigating loss, while also offering education and resources on death, dying, and bereavement to healthcare professionals, hospice teams, faith communities, and the broader public.

A sought-after speaker at national, regional, and local conferences, Becky shares her expertise with diverse professional and volunteer groups, alike. Her engaging and accessible presentations explore topics such as grief literacy, compassionate communication, caregiver resilience, and the intersection of spirituality and end-of-life care.

Galen Goben, DMin, FT has been involved in the field of grief and loss for more than 30 years. Even in his years as a pastor, the Rev. Dr. Goben’s area of special interest included walking with individuals and families through the grief process. Here he first learned the power of the gentle art of listening as people told their stories of loss and life

Grief is an opportunity for incredible transformation, Galen believes, and his presentations help guide people toward that realization. For more than 18 years before his retirement in the fall of 2025, Galen served as Clergy Services and Grief Support Director for Forest Lawn in Los Angeles, a role that included overseeing the memorial park’s legendary Easter sunrise services and holiday services of remembrance.

Molly Keating, MA, CT may win the award as the most creative member of our team. With an intense interest in the intersection of language and good bereavement care, Molly serves as editor in chief of our published materials including the critically-acclaimed GriefPerspectives newsletter, read by more than 5,000 caregiving professionals and volunteers every month.

Molly holds a master’s degree in English literature and is a popular blogger and reviewer of grief books, writing the monthly book review for GriefPerspectives. Her interest in our field began as a mortuary receptionist in 2009 and now, for more than 15 years, she has passionately searched for ways to communicate winsomely and accurately about grief and loss. She completed her certification in thanatology in 2017.