JOANNE MYERS

Joanne recently retired from her position on the executive staff in the Professional Learning/ Curriculum Department at the Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario. At ETFO she organized and facilitated a wide variety of leadership programs and conferences for educators across the province. Joanne presented at international conferences in Ireland and Germany over the past four years and recently returned from Ireland again where she delivered a second keynote about Professional Judgement and Collaborative Professionalism. Prior to her position at ETFO, Joanne taught in the York Region District School Board for over 20 years. She also instructed courses for the University of Toronto for over 15 years. Joanne taught specialist courses for the University of Toronto in Denmark, Norway, and Sweden.

She presents motivating team building workshops across the province for a variety of organizations and has enjoyed her work with the Dignity Memorial teams over the last three years. She successfully completed the InSight Institute Funeral Celebrant Training. She is proud to be a certified celebrant and a member of Life Tribute Professionals.

She believes in the Dignity Memorial values and is honoured to support their funeral homes in her role as a celebrant. She is inspired to support families and communities by exploring the possibilities on how to create and facilitate a personalized, significant, and memorable celebration of life. In the Celebrant role Joanne focuses on connecting both personally and professionally with the family in order to support them in “Finding the Celebration in Loss.” Providing guidance as families and friends navigate their grief and supporting them in developing a unique service that honours their loved one is her specialty. She concentrates on listening to, exploring and embracing the fondest of memories. Joanne vibrantly paints the life story in the most meaningful way possible based on the wishes of the family and her own creative ideas. Each Celebration of Life should be a “send off” ceremony that will be remembered forever!