On Friday, July 24, an unprecedented gathering of many of the people who helped launch today's death literacy, Death Cafe, and end-of-life conversation movements will gather in London. They'll meet inside the Chelsea location for Exit Here, independent funeral directors, where participants will spend the day discussing how society is changing the way it approaches mortality.
These internationally recognized leaders represent a wide range of disciplines shaping the growing death literacy movement, from public education and bioethics to funeral innovation, grief support, sustainability, and community engagement. Together, they will exchange ideas about how public conversations around death, dying, grief, and end-of-life planning are evolving, and explore opportunities for future collaboration.
Journalists are invited for an informal media session beginning at 3:30 p.m. with opportunities for one-on-one interviews and photography. The address is 391 Kings Road, Chelsea, London, SW10 0LR.
These are the UK and US leaders in the movement participating in the event:
Professor Jenny Kitzinger | Cardiff University | Creator of the Before I Die Festival
Professor Jenny Kitzinger is an internationally respected researcher, writer, and advocate whose work explores death, dying, bereavement, and public engagement. She created the Before I Die Festival in Wales, bringing communities together through art, discussion, education, and creative events that encourage people to engage openly with mortality. Her work demonstrates how conversations about death can improve individual well-being and strengthen communities. She brings expertise in engaging the public through creative approaches to death awareness.
Gail Rubin, CT | Certified Thanatologist | The Doyenne of Death® | AGoodGoodbye.com
An American pioneer in the death-positive movement, Gail Rubin has been helping people talk about death with humor and practicality for 16 years. She introduced one of the first Death Cafés in the United States in 2012 and is the author of several books, including 98.6 Mortality Movies to See Before You Die. She's a nationally recognized speaker on funeral and advance care planning, grief, and public education about medical aid in dying. She brings practical strategies for making end-of-life conversations approachable and actionable.
Isabel Russo | Director, The Good Funeral Guide CIC | GoodFuneralGuide.co.uk
Isabel Russo leads The Good Funeral Guide, the UK's independent consumer organization promoting informed funeral choices. The organization provides impartial advice, supports families navigating funeral arrangements, and encourages greater transparency across the funeral sector. Her work helps people understand their options and promotes funerals that reflect individual values, cultures, and wishes. She brings a consumer-focused perspective on improving funeral education and choice.
David Sunderland | Chair, Plenna | Plenna.org/en
David Sunderland chairs Plenna, an organization dedicated to increasing death literacy and encouraging practical preparation for later life. His work focuses on helping individuals and communities become more confident discussing mortality, planning ahead, and supporting one another through death and bereavement. He is a leading advocate for bringing conversations about death into everyday life. He brings experience building networks that encourage communities to prepare for life's final chapter.
Professor Tom Shakespeare | Social Scientist, Bioethicist, and Author | FarmerOfThoughts.co.uk
Professor Tom Shakespeare is one of Britain's leading social scientists and bioethicists. His research spans disability, ethics, medicine, ageing, and end-of-life issues. A widely published author and public commentator, he brings thoughtful perspectives on how society approaches autonomy, dignity, healthcare, and assisted dying, making complex ethical questions accessible to broad audiences. He contributes ethical and social perspectives on some of today's most challenging end-of-life questions.
Alexia Weeks | Author of Grief Surfing | TheAdultOrphan.com
Alexia Weeks writes and speaks about grief from both personal experience and extensive engagement with bereaved communities. Through her book Grief Surfing and The Adult Orphan website, she helps people navigate life after the death of a parent or loved one. Her work encourages honest conversations about grief while offering practical support for those living with loss. She brings insight into helping people live with grief while reducing the isolation that often surrounds it.
Oliver Peyton OBE | Founder, Exit Here Independent Funeral Directors | ExitHere.com
Best known as a restaurateur and entrepreneur, Oliver Peyton founded Exit Here to reimagine how funeral services can support families with creativity, compassion, and openness. His independent funeral company challenges traditional assumptions about funerals and seeks to create more meaningful, personal experiences while encouraging wider public conversations about death. He brings an innovative business perspective on transforming funeral culture.
Laura Barnett | General Manager, Passages International UK | PassagesInternational.co.uk
Laura Barnett leads the UK operations of Passages International, a company specializing in environmentally responsible funeral products and memorial options. Her work promotes sustainable choices in end-of-life care, helping funeral professionals and families reduce environmental impact while creating meaningful tributes that reflect contemporary values. She brings expertise on how environmental sustainability is reshaping funeral choices worldwide.
Contact: Gail Rubin, CT
PH/WhatsApp: +1 505.363.7514 | Email: Gail@AGoodGoodbye.com
Gail Rubin, CT, is author and host of the award-winning book and television series, A Good Goodbye: Funeral Planning for Those Who Don’t Plan to Die, Hail and Farewell: Cremation Ceremonies, Templates and Tips, KICKING THE BUCKET LIST: 100 Downsizing and Organizing Things to Do Before You Die and The Before I Die Festival in a Box™.
Rubin is a Certified Thanatologist (that's a death educator) and a popular speaker who uses humor and films to get the end-of-life and funeral planning conversation started. She "knocked 'em dead" with her TEDx talk, A Good Goodbye. She provides continuing education credit classes for attorneys, doctors, nurses, social workers, hospice workers, financial planners, funeral directors and other professionals. She's a Certified Funeral Celebrant and funeral planning consultant who has been interviewed in national and local print, broadcast and online media.
Known as The Doyenne of Death®, she is the event coordinator of the Before I Die New Mexico Festival and author of a guide to holding such festivals. Her podcast is also called The Doyenne of Death®. She produces videos about the funeral business and related topics. Her YouTube Channel features hundreds of videos!
Rubin is a member of the Association for Death Education and Counseling, the International Cemetery, Cremation and Funeral Association, Toastmasters International and the National Speakers Association. Her speaking profile is available at eSpeakers.com.
Gail Rubin has been interviewed about funeral planning issues in national and local broadcast, print and online media. Outlets include The Huffington Post, Money Magazine, Kiplinger, CBS Radio News, WGN-TV, and local affiliates for NPR, PBS, FOX, ABC-TV, CBS-TV and NBC-TV. Albuquerque Business First named her as one of their 2019 Women of Influence.
Sign up for a free planning form and occasional informative newsletter at her website, AGoodGoodbye.com.