Council of Stewards

Back row: André Richmond, Beth Tillman, Kathleen Davidson, Allen Brimer, Al Lauritano, Heidi Hannapel and Jeff Masten.
Front row: Jennifer Evans, Shenae McPherson and Seletha Pherribo. Missing from the photo: Franzi Rokoske and Cris Rivera.

Council of Stewards

The Council of Stewards provides oversight of Bluestem's vision and mission. It is guided by Bluestem's bylaws and constitution that provide the framework for its operations, for now and into the future. Council Stewards currently serving are community members specializing in spiritual ministry, community building, end of life care, government, public health, estate law, conservation, and nonprofit management. Learn more about our Council Stewards below.

ALLEN BRIMER
Council Steward - Durham

Reflecting on a burial

Allen (he, him) is the pastor of Church of Reconciliation in Chapel Hill, a historic congregation founded on race equity during the Civil Rights movement and a leader in progressive justice causes. Formerly an organic farmer, Allen previously combined his farming and ministry skills to help create Farm Church to address food insecurity in Durham. In addition to being a pastor, Allen is an adjunct professor of comparative religion and the father of two sons. When not baking pies, Allen wields an efficient shovel on Bluestem's burial crew.

KATHLEEN DAVIDSON
Council Steward - Hillsborough

Training tour guides (and dogs)

Kathleen (she, her) brings her tremendous people skills and joy to sharing Bluestem. She leads our tour guide team of volunteers and provides guests with green burial information to guide their decision making. Kathleen is a former teacher and was the admissions director at Carolina Friends School for 20 years. Grateful for the ways Bluestem builds community, fosters a healthy relationship with nature, and offers a final resting place that nourishes the earth, Kathleen lives with her partner Doug and amazing 97 year old mother.

JENNIFER EVANS
Council Steward - Chapel Hill

Operating a drone

Jennifer (she, her) has many roles in life. Wife, mother, grandmother, and businesswoman, Jennifer has been a caregiver all her life. She is the co-founder of Trio Family Services, specializing in compassionate care for elderly clients. Jennifer is a trained hospice volunteer and death doula, with a singing voice that rises above the birdsong at Bluestem. She has assisted on drone filming at Bluestem, hosting burial services, and is always ready to connect with others by sharing her unique story.

AL LAURITANO
Council Steward - Chapel Hill

Supporting families

For 40 years, Al (he, him) devoted his career to the pharmaceutical, biotechnology and medical device industries, where he focused on marketing research and new business development. Since Bluestem's earliest days, he has been a regular volunteer, clearing and building hiking trails, and assisting with burial services. Al is honored to support and serve Bluestem families. He comes out for the Friday Workdays because he appreciates "the opportunity to meet my future neighbors!"

SHENAE MCPHERSON
Council Steward - Graham

Committed to our elders

Passionate, energetic and joyful, Shenae (she, her) is a committed advocate for healthy aging in Orange County. As the administrator for the Volunteer Connect 55+ program, she excels in the role, creating and developing meaningful programming for the community at large, with particular attention to our aging elders. Shenae is excited to support green burial in the region as an option for people seeking a simpler, more economical form of honoring and remembering their loved ones. Find more about Shenae here.

A field of milkweed

First Field in the Fall

SELETHA PHERRIBO
Council Steward - Mebane

Arriving with cupcakes

Seletha (she, her) retired recently from her career as a counselor and academic advisor for the NC Community College System. She learned of Bluestem before it was open, on a hike with her beloved brother and friend, Akalema. In August 2022, Akalema was celebrated by 100 friends and family and buried on a woodland edge at Bluestem. While his death remains a huge loss, Seletha has discovered new passions and purpose in life -- hiking with her GirlTrek crew, traveling, reading, baking, and researching her paternal enslaved and previously enslaved ancestors, many of whom lived in Hillsborough.

ANDRÉ RICHMOND
Council Steward - Hillsborough

Dedicated public servant

Andre (he, him) holds very deep family roots in Orange County. Currently a Captain at the Orange County Sherrif's Office, Andre is a public servant in many other capacities, serving on the Orange County School Board of Education, and with Volunteers for Youth, State Employees Credit Union, and the Project Engage Intergenerational and End of Life Choices Senior Resource Teams with the Orange County Department on Aging. He is an active member of Lattisville Grove, where throughout his life his goal has always been to create resources and options that educate, empower, and bridge the gaps to ensure support for those living in Orange County.

CRIS RIVERA
Council Steward - Durham

Appreciates the quiet

Originally from southern Maryland, Cris (they, them) thrives on providing operational, strategic and administrative support for organizations in the advocacy, education, climate and social justice arenas. They currently serve as the Director of Finance and Operations for DPS Foundation. Prior to DPSF, Cris served with Student Action with Farmworkers and the Durham Co-op Market, two positions that solidified their commitment to having equitable workplaces that "walked the walk." They completed a masters in public theology at Union Presbyterian Seminary this year, and fell in love with Bluestem the moment they stepped onto the land and into its sacred space. If there's any spare time, Cris enjoys hiking, photography, posting highs and lows on Instagram, and experimenting in the kitchen.

FRANZISKA ROKOSKE
Council Steward - Durham

Welcome to the porch

Franzi (she, her) is a founding Steward, hospice volunteer and restorative yoga teacher. She combines mindful movement practices in nature with compassionate meditation. A clinician by background, Franzi spent over 20 years shaping federal health policy to support patients and families facing serious illness and end of life. In the past she was driven by the question ‘what is a good death?’ These days she rallies around the question ‘what does good care for family, community, and the earth mean?' Franzi brings a thoughtful spirit, deep nonprofit expertise, and a passion for universal accessibility to Bluestem.

BETH TILLMAN
Council Steward - Chapel Hill

Committed from the beginning

Beth (she, her) has been a dedicated friend to Bluestem before it even had a name. A founding partner of Tillman, Whichard and Cagle, Beth has practiced estate and probate law in the area for over 25 years. Beth is also a writer, who among many great short pieces, has captured the spirit of Bluestem's mission so well. "As an estate planner I think about death probably more than most people. I have considered death as a period to the final sentence in the final paragraph that is life. Of late it seems to me to be like a colon: that which follows after it is as much a part of life as the words before the colon. If you consider your death as a part of your life, perhaps you will be inspired to prepare for it rather than to turn away from it." Read more of Beth's writing here.

Gratitude

To our friend and colleague, CARL BAUMANN of Hillsborough. Carl was a founding Council Steward from 2021-2023, who brought his enthusiasm for green burial as well as a tremendous sense of humor to our founding days. Carl departs the Council in order to truly enjoy his retirement. Thank you, Carl.

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