Judith Pedersen-Benn
Welcome Home Director of Education
Judith Pedersen-Benn, MS, CADC, CHT, works with individuals, groups and organizations as they explore how to make positive changes, overcome self-defeating patterns, and integrate practices that encourage balance and wellness. For the past twenty years she has worked as a counselor, teacher, and organizational consultant. She incorporates her understanding of the reciprocal and relational nature of life into her professional practice and her work for peace and justice. She is a senior Faculty member at the Center for Mind-Body Medicine and adjunct Faculty for Saybrook University.
Kim Adams, CPC
Guest Speaker
The Lily House
Kim’s work with death and dying started in the early 1990’s when she worked at a community health center for people with HIV/AIDS. At that time, people were dying of the disease and Kim moved in closer rather than shy away from death. Since 2010, she has been a certified, professional End-of-Life Coach/Guide, and an educator on death/dying, home funerals, and green burials. Kim is a home funeral guide and currently serves on the Advisory Board for the Threshold Support Circle in Baltimore, MD empowering families to care for their own after-death. She is currently the President of the Board of Directors for The Lily House, a community home for living and dying on Cape Cod, MA. Kim is also a Board member for the Omega Home Network, non-profit national organization that promotes the development of community homes for dying people. She has served on the Board of Directors for the National Home Funeral Alliance (NHFA) and the National End-of-Life Doula Alliance (NEDA).
Amy Boulware, LAP, MSW
Guest Speaker
Chambliss Law Center
Amy has 27 years of experience advocating for and serving elders and their families with honesty, compassion, and professionalism. She is a Tennessee Licensed Advance Practice Social Worker who believes that it is crucial to focus on assisting her clients with staying as independent as possible, while understanding that as people age, needs change. Amy is a nationally sought after speaker on issues of aging and disability and most recently has taught for Southern Adventist University’s Social Work and Nursing graduate schools. She is the chair of both the Southern Adventist University’s Social Work Advisory Board and the Atlanta Shepherd Center Family and Consumer Advisory Board. She serves as Past Chair for Welcome Home.
Sherry Campbell, LMSW
Founding Director
Sherry has been a social worker in Southeast TN for 30 years, earning her BSW from UTC and her MSW at SAU. She has served those experiencing mental illness, homelessness and worked in the geriatric field. She worked as a social worker for Hospice of Chattanooga for 12 years and kept meeting people who were in dire circumstances at the end of life. After many years of talking, praying and collaborating, she and a group of dreamers were able to open Welcome Home of Chattanooga in 2015.
Rose Gordon, INELDA, End of Life Care Doula
Guest Speaker
Circle of Compassionate Care
Rose Gordon first attended a death in 1989. Her BA from U.N.M. includes a specialty in Hospice and Grief Counseling. Rose was a Deputy Medical Investigator in Taos County and the Director and faculty team member for the Upaya Zen Center Professional Training Program in Compassionate Care of the Dying . She’s been a guest instructor on end of life issues and grief and suffering at Southwestern College, the Santa Fe College of Acupuncture, Northern New Mexico University and Counseling Arabia, (Women’s College) in Dubai. Rose is a speaker at Unity Taos and her article, “Grief and the Depth of Your Love”, was published in Minding Nature Journal. In 2019 Rose volunteered with Ganga Prem Hospice in Rishikesh, India, visiting patients and developing a volunteer training program. She’s a member of the National End of Life Doula Alliance and the Spiritual Care Association. Rose is the Spiritual Care and Bereavement Provider for Mountain Home Healthcare in Taos N.M. and the Manager and trainer for their Volunteer Services.
Terry A Melvin, MD, FAAHPM
Guest Speaker
Partners in Care, LLC
Dr. Melvin is the Medical Director of Partners In Care, LLC and is currently the Vice President and consulting officer at University Diabetes and Endocrine Consultants. She has an extensive history in palliative and hospice care. She has her medical license in both Tennessee and Georgia. She is the Chief Medical Officer of Kindred Hospice and was the Chief Medical Officer at Hospice of Chattanooga for 26 years.
Bob Zylstra, EdD, LCSW
Guest Speaker
UT College of Medicine
Dr. Zylstra is now retired Professor, Director of Behavioral Medicine and Assistant Program Director at the UT College of Medicine Campus in Chattanooga and Adjunct Instructor for the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga Social Work program. As well as being an educator and practicing clinician, Dr. Zylstra has served on the medical ethics committees of Erlanger and Siskin Hospital. In addition to his involvement with family medicine, he has worked as a home health social worker, supervisor of a community hospital's social work department, and business manager for an outpatient medical office. He grew up in Michigan where he earned his Master of Social Work degree from the University of Michigan. He earned his Doctorate degree in educational psychology from the University of Memphis, and continues his research and teaching interests in the areas of community medicine, mental health, and geriatrics. He is spending his time now enjoying life with his wife Margaret and their grandchildren.
