Many people are unaware that there are two nonprofit entities to the GBC. The first is a 501(c)6 certification and business league; the second is a 501(c)3 educational organization. Both work together to make raise awareness and serve families seeking a natural ending. Board members share a strong commitment to volunteer service and dedicate their skills and experience to further the mission of the Green Burial Council. To learn more about how to become a Board of Directors, go to Board Application.

Certification & Provider Support
​501(c)6 GBC

2019 Three Board Seats Open
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Ed Bixby, President, is the owner and operator of Steelmantown Green Burial Preserve in Steelmantown, NJ, as well as Purissima Natural Burial Ground in Half Moon Bay, CA.  Ed’s extensive background in land use and development includes being a licensed New Jersey real estate broker and the owner of Fox and Fox Builders L.L.C. Ed’s experience in the development industry has provided keen insight into better land use practices and drives his passion for the natural burial movement and the benefits it provides to the present and future generations. Ed has led presentations on natural burial for numerous organizations and has provided educational training for both funeral directors and cemeterians alike. Ed resides in southern New Jersey with his two daughters Ava and Mina.
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Candace Currie, Secretary, is the former Director of Planning and Cemetery Development at Mount Auburn Cemetery in Cambridge and Watertown, MA.  She began her Mount Auburn career as a volunteer in the mid-1990s mapping some of the 5,000+ trees throughout 175 acres. Mount Auburn Cemetery was certified by the GBC as a hybrid burial ground in 2014.  She left Mount Auburn in March 2018 to dedicate her time to establishing green burial grounds throughout Massachusetts. She is the clerk for Green Burial Massachusetts, Inc. – a 501(c)(3) advocating on behalf of individuals who choose natural burial and providing technical assistance to municipalities, neighborhood groups, and non-profit organizations on creating green burial options in local cemeteries.

Education & Outreach
501(c)3 GBC International

2019 Five Board Seats Open
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Darren Crouch, Director, is President and co-founder of environmentally responsible funeral product company Passages International, Inc., and is also the founder of agreenerfuneral.org, a website designed to educate consumers about alternatives for greening their funeral. He has been featured in The Director Magazine, The American Funeral Director Magazine, Funeral Business Advisor, The Cremationist, the ICCFA Magazine, the New York Times and the Wall Street Journal, and has spoken at several national and international conventions, including the Asia Funeral Expo, the National Funeral Directors Convention and the ICCFA Convention.

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Lee Webster, Interim Director, is a career writer, editor and researcher, and frequent speaker and published author on funeral reform, including end-of-life support, home funerals, and natural burials. She is the Director of New Hampshire Funeral Resources, Education & Advocacy, former President of the National Home Funeral Alliance, a previous board member and educational consultant for the Green Burial Council, Int'l, and has served on the NHPCO End-of-Life Doula Council. She currently serves as a founding member on the Board of the National End-of-Life Doula Alliance and with the Conservation Burial Alliance. She is a frequent speaker to local and national academic, health, and conservation organizations throughout the country, and published author, webmaster, and long time hospice volunteer. She lives in the foothills of the White Mountains.
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Dyanne Miller Matzkevich, Treasurer, has been a cemeterian for the past 11+ years at Pine Forest and Gethsemane Memorial Gardens.  She is a graduate of the ICCFA University, a certified celebrant, and has served as President of the NC Cemetery Association.  She has also served on the Board of Directors for the Southern Cemetery (SCCFA).  Dyanne conceived and developed the Garden of Renewal at Pine Forest Memorial Gardens.  This development has been recorded in the multi-award winning documentary, A Will for the Woods, which is being shown around the world and across the United States.  Dyanne resides in Wake Forest, NC with her husband, Bill.  She has three grown sons, Brett, Brad and Billy.
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Rob Caughlan, Director, has been a political professional and environmental activist for 40 years.  In the political world he served as Administrative Assistant to the late Congressman Leo Ryan.  He served President Jimmy Carter in the White House and the Environmental Protection Agency.  As an environmental activist in 1974 he co-founded a wild river advocacy group called Friends of the River. They have been an important force ever since. As a life long surfer, he wrote articles about ocean ecology for Surfer Magazine and also served as President of the Surfrider Foundation. Professionally he was a partner in The Roanoke Company, a social issues advertising agency. He also worked for the Skylawn Cemetery in San Mateo as an environmental consultant and helped obtain all the approvals for their 200 year plan. He has been and continues to be an outspoken advocate for natural burial.

​With deep gratitude to all who have served the Green Burial Council

Former Board Members

Volunteers

Advisory Council
Matthew Alcide
Katey Bean
Paul Bauman
Billy Campbell
Stephen Christy
​Ernest Cook
Bob Fertig
​Brian Flowers
​Sharon Hermanson
William Jordan III
John Lovasco
​Mike Mitchell
Barb Milton
Father Charles Morris
​Robert Prout
Joel Rabinowitz
Paul Rahill
Jon Eric Rolfstadt
Merilynne Rush
Joe Sehee
Joshua Slocum
​Joe Smolenski
​Kim Sorvig
Lindsay Soyer
Shari Wolf
​Juliette Armstrong
Sam Bar
Jim Betino
Kate Kalanick
Donna Larsen
Sam Perry
Shannon Shoup
Monica Varona
Billy Campbell
Brian Flowers
Elizabeth Fournier
Suzanne Kelly
Sam Perry
Joe Sehee
Mary Woodsen