Our Board
Dr. Gloria Horsley
Dr. Gloria Horsley is an internationally known grief expert, psychotherapist, and bereaved parent. She is a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and Clinical Nurse Specialist, and has worked in the field of family therapy for over 20 years. Dr. Horsley hosts the syndicated internet radio show, “Healing the Grieving Heart,” which is one of the top ranked shows on Health Voice America. She serves the Compassionate Friends in a number of roles including as a Board of Directors, chapter leader, workshop facilitator, and frequently serves as media spokesperson. Dr. Horsley is often called on to present seminars throughout the country. She has made appearances on numerous television and radio programs including “The Today Show,” “Montel Williams,” and “Sallie Jessie Raphael.” In addition, she has authored a number of articles and written several books including Teen Grief Relief with Dr. Heidi Horlsey, and The In-Law Survival Guide.
Christina Gallagher Nelson
Ms. Gallagher Nelson is a partner with Greene Radovsky Maloney Share and Hennigh, LLP, one of the largest multipractice law firms in the United States, with offices in seventeen cities and more than seven hundred attorneys collaborating across twenty-five major practice areas. Ms. Gallagher Nelson is a member of the American, California, and San Francisco Bar Associations and a member of the National Network and San Francisco Chapter of the Commercial Real Estate Women’s Association. She is a liaison representative and active member of the USF Law Assembly and previously has served on the Board of Governors of the University of San Francisco School of Law. She is also director and treasurer for the Greater Bay Area Make-A-Wish Foundation. Ms. Gallagher Nelson graduated with a B.A. from the Univeristy of New Mexico, and J.D. with honors from the University of San Francisco where she was Editor of the the USF Law Review.
Dr. Robert A. Neimeyer
Dr. Robert A. Neimeyer, Ph.D., is a professor and Director of Psychotherapy Research in the Department of Psychology, University of Memphis, where he also maintains an active clinical practice. Since completing his doctoral training at the University of Nebraska in 1982, he has conducted extensive research on the topics of death, grief, loss, and suicide intervention. Dr. Neimeyer has published 20 books, including Meaning Reconstruction and the Experience of Loss, Lessons of Loss: A Guide to Coping, and Rainbow in the Stone, a book of contemporary poetry. The author of over 300 articles and book chapters, he is currently working to advance a more adequate theory of grieving as a meaning-making process, both in his published work and through his frequent professional workshops for national and international audiences. Dr. Neimeyer’s Website
Dr. Heidi Horsley
Dr. Heidi Horsley is an internationally known grief expert and a bereaved sibling. She is a licensed Psychologist and Social Worker. Dr. Horsley hosts the syndicated internet radio show, “Healing the Grieving Heart.” She has appeared on ABC’s 20/20 and has been interviewed on numerous radio shows. Dr. Horsley is an Adjunct Professor at Columbia University School of Social Work and works in a research and clinical capacity for the FDNY/Columbia University Family Program, a study providing ongoing intervention to families of firefighters killed in the World Trade Center. She also conducts workshops for 9/11 bereaved siblings. She has written numerous articles and is co-author of Teen Grief Relief with Dr. Gloria Horlsey. In addition, she presents seminars throughout the country and facilitates annual workshops at National Compassionate Friends Conferences.
Eric Hipple
Eric Hipple is a former National Football League (NFL) quarterback whose ten year career was spent with the Detroit Lions. Hipple’s accomplishments include two playoff bids, a divisional championship, and the most valuable NFL player award for the season. From 1995-2000 Hipple hosted the NFL pre-game show in Detroit. Since his 15-year-old son Jeff’s suicide, Hipple has devoted his life to building awareness and breaking down the stigma surrounding depressive illnesses. Hipple recently received the prestigious 2008 Lifetime Achievement award given by the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. He also received a presidential citation at the American Psychological Association’s 2006 Annual Convention for his six years of national community-based work combating adolescent depression and suicide prevention. Hipple currently serves as an outreach coordinator for the University of Michigan Depression Center.
Dr. Jannah Mather
Dr. Jannah Mather is Dean of Social Work at the University of Utah. Dr. Mather, received her masters in social work from the University of Michigan, her Ph.D. from the University of Illinois and an Academic Management Certificate from Harvard University. She is the editor of the Journal of Law and Social Work and recently co-authored the book, Child Welfare: A Unifying Model of Practice. A licensed clinical social worker, she has published and presented extensively on social work education and practice issues, both nationally and internationally. Throughout her career, Dr. Mather has been recognized for achievement in administration and teaching. At Florida State, she received the Outstanding Administration, Outstanding Teacher, and Professor of the Year awards. At the University of Missouri, she twice received the Outstanding Faculty Award, and at Indiana State University was recognized four consecutive years for outstanding teaching achievement.
Dr. Fred Luskin
Dr. Luskin holds a Ph.D. in Counseling and Health Psychology from Stanford University. He is the Co-Director of the Stanford-Northern Ireland HOPE Project, an ongoing series of workshops and research projects that investigate the effectiveness of his forgiveness methods on the victims of political violence. He served as the Director of the Stanford Forgiveness Project, the largest research project to date on the training and measurement of a forgiveness intervention. He currently works as a Senior Fellow at the Stanford Center on Conflict and Negotiation. Dr. Luskin presents lectures, workshops, seminars and trainings throughout the United States on the importance, health benefits and training of forgiveness. He offers classes and presentations that range from one hour to five weeks. Dr. Luskin is the bereaved parent of Anna, 20.
