Sara Williams (sara@funerals.org)
President
Sara’s professional career spans a trajectory in international health and breast cancer research. She was told in high school that she was obsessed with death, which became one of the defining moments in her life. In 2014, Sara organized and continues to host a local Death Café. She served on the Board of Directors of the National Home Funeral Alliance from 2014-2017, and is President Emeritus of the Funeral Consumers Alliance North Carolina (FCANC). She continues to try and change people’s negative feelings toward death and dying and is passionate about educating people about their rights when it comes to purchasing funeral goods and services. Memento Mori!
Marjorie Focarazzo (marjorie@funerals.org)
Vice President
Marjorie Focarazzo is a retired adult education instructor in the medical assistance field and clinical placement coordinator for advanced nursing students. She began her avocation as a board member with the New York State Parent Teachers Association as the Legislative Chair and then District Director of a six-county area in western New York. Marjorie served on her local school boards for twelve years in the position of legislative liaison with local, state, and federal congressional representatives. During this time, she served as Monroe County School Boards President overseeing seventeen school districts. Marjorie was introduced to FCA of Greater Rochester through a long-time member and advocate who believed she was a great fit for this organization. At the affiliate level she has served as secretary, treasurer, and is the current president. She also served on National FCA from 2018 to 2022 as its secretary. Marjorie is a strong proponent that the public should be well informed in order to make good, sound, and informed decisions for their own well-being and their quality of life.
Phyllis T. Croisant (phyllis@funerals.org)
Secretary
Phyllis T. Croisant, Ph.D., has served as Secretary and President of the Funeral Consumers Alliance of Champaign County, IL. She was recruited to the affiliate shortly after serving as trustee of her mother’s estate. That experience heightened her interest in sharing the benefits of pre-planning for end of life. She created a website for her local affiliate so that they could expand their educational efforts and, since joining the national FCA Board, she has been actively involved in development of FCA’s new website. Phyllis is a Professor Emeritus at Eastern Illinois University where she taught in the Gerontology program and in Exercise Science. She has 3 sons, 4 grandchildren, and an energetic dog who all keep her moving in her spare time.
Gary Sherck (gary@funerals.org)
Treasurer
Gary Sherck, our Treasurer, is retired, an inactive CPA, with financial management experience in public accounting, hospital accounting, and Department of Defense auditing. In addition, he is the Treasurer of Cleveland (Ohio) Memorial Society and is active in the monthly Halifax Nova Scotia Death Café. He is experienced in working with funeral directors. He wants to both assist and learn from the leaders at our affiliates.
Gary joined the Board in 2023 and assisted in the April closing of the Burlington, Vermont office, which included transferring the financial records to Quick Books Pro Online.
Recently, he found a new friend, Molly, a one-year-old Labrador Retriever, given to him by his sister.
Gary, with help from fellow Board members, is the host for a monthly (Second Wednesday, 8pm Eastern Time) zoom meeting. He enjoys sharing ideas and learning with Affiliate Treasurers and others in leadership roles.
Jim Bates (jim@funerals.org)
Director
Amy Simmons (amy@funerals.org)
Director
Amy Simmons, EdD, MSW, LCSW has spent her career in social work, education, and nonprofit leadership, always focused on advocacy, community outreach, and making sure people have access to the information and resources they need. She first got involved with the Funeral Consumers Alliance of Greater Kansas City in 2022, serving as a board member before stepping into leadership roles, including her current position as President. Through this work, she has seen firsthand how vital it is to help individuals and families navigate the often confusing and costly world of funeral planning.
Now, as a board member for the national Funeral Consumers Alliance, she is committed to expanding consumer protections, strengthening legislative advocacy, and supporting local FCA affiliates in their efforts to educate and empower their communities. Her background in policy, fundraising, and program development allows her to contribute to FCA’s national strategy, while her experience in writing, research, and technology integration helps enhance outreach and engagement. She believes in making funeral planning more transparent, ethical, and accessible for all, and is excited to help FCA continue its important work on a larger scale.
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Dianna Repp (dianna@funerals.org)
Past Director & Board Advisor
Dianna Repp, Ph.D. (she/her), has served on the Board of Directors of the Funeral Consumers Alliance of Arizona as secretary and president. She is grateful to be part of the FCA’s continuing efforts on local and national levels, offering people tools to empower themselves to make informed decisions about end of life and funerary care.
Repp is a socio-cultural anthropologist who explores how art, spirituality, end-of-life issues and post-mortem care across cultures brings meaning and purpose to our lives, expressed through public and private memorialization and individual lived experience. During her professional career, she taught “Death and Dying in Cross-Cultural Perspective” at Arizona State University, and “Death and Dying Across Cultures” at Pima College (Tucson, AZ).
