Lost Your Person? Find Your People.

Kelley Lynn is a comedian, viral TED talk speaker, certified grief counselor, and author of the book: “My Husband is Not a Rainbow; the brutally awful, hilarious truth about life, love, grief, and loss.” Since becoming suddenly widowed in 2011 at the age of 39, Kelley’s mission has been to help change the conversations surrounding grief; encouraging people to live with and move through their losses; shifting them into a life they create and love. Kelley has shared the stage with Amy Shumer, Jim Gaffigan, and Elayne Boosler; and is a principle cast member in the upcoming film; “Camp Widow: the Documentary.”, which will premiere at the SXSW Film Festival in Austin, Texas this March; and on PBS this June. Kelley is a proud mama to her moody, old lady cat, Autumn; and is a native of Groton, Massachusetts.

Dawn Nargi is the Executive Director of The W Connection, an organization for widows she co-founded after the death of her husband in 2009. Experiencing firsthand both the needs of widows and the limited support services available, Dawn committed herself to providing better resources for women to rebuild their lives after the devastating loss of a partner. 

In 2017, Dawn continued her commitment and transitioned from her executive position on Wall Street to fully dedicate herself to expanding The W Connection’s programs, services, and impact. Her business acumen, technical expertise, and background in learning and development have been crucial in creating key elements of The W Connection’s offerings. Today, The W Connection is a national nonprofit with an international footprint that helps their members move from grief to growth. 

This year, knowing first-hand the difficulties women’s face when end of life subjects, like medical directives to legal documents to funeral wishes have not been discussed, Dawn launched a collaborative project called “Last Laughs”. While 92% of people believe talking to their loved ones about end-of-life subjects is important. Only 32% of people actually have those conversations. Last Laughs opens up the subject through a hilarious card game that is simple to play. 

As the driving force behind The W Connection, Dawn has been featured in the New York Times, ABC news and is currently writing her memoir. She also serves as an adjunct professor and on advisory boards. When not working, Dawn can be seen running around the reservoir, biking in Central Park, or paddling on the Hudson.

Michelle Bader Ebersole is a speaker, author, podcast host, and certified Grief Recovery Specialist dedicated to helping those grieving find hope, healing, and resilience. After losing her husband of 17 years while raising three children, she turned her pain into purpose, founding Widow Goals, a nonprofit that is now expanding worldwide to support those in grief—not just to survive but to thrive. She is the host of the Widowed 2 Soon podcast and is completing her upcoming book, Widow Goals: Steps to Finding Peace When You Lose Your Spouse. Michelle has spoken at several widows’ retreats, including Embracing Joy and Rest in Vancouver, WA, I Am With You in Guffey, CO, and Good Grief in Nashville, TN. She is remarried to her husband, Joel, and together they embrace new adventures, including hiking, running, playing soccer, and flying. With a blend of humor, heartfelt storytelling, and practical wisdom, she inspires others to move forward with strength while honoring the past.