What is it like to align our values in our lives with plans for our bodies after we die? After the sudden and tragic deaths of her parents, environmental education professor, Mallory McDuff, decided to explore sustainable options for her own body in her home in the mountains of western North Carolina. She is the author of five books, including Our Last Best Act: Planning for the End of Our Lives to Protect the People and Places We Love. Her essays have appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, WIRED, and  more.

John Christian Phifer, executive director of Larkspur Conservation, led the creation of Tennessee’s first conservation burial ground, a nature preserve for natural burial. John Christian is also currently president of the Conservation Burial Alliance. At Larkspur, John Christian utilizes his background as a funeral director, embalmer, end-of-life doula, funeral celebrant, and a home funeral guide to demystify death and create meaningful end-of-life rituals. His work was recently featured on PBS in a documentary film called Bury Me At Taylor Hollow. John Christian holds a deep respect for mother nature and works to educate and empower the public by bridging environmental advocacy and end-of-life care.