Dr. Joseph A. Marsaglia, EdD, CFSP, PIMS, Dean Emeritus

Starting in 1995, Dr. Joseph Marsaglia served as the Dean of Faculty and Students Instructor, Clinical Embalming Supervisor at the Pittsburgh Institute of Mortuary Science.

Prior to his time at the Pittsburgh Institute of Mortuary Science, Dr. Joseph Marsaglia served as a Sargeant in the United States Marine Corps. He was also a police officer on the Philadelphia Police Force, and a participant in recovery efforts of US Air Flight 427 in 1994 and an earthquake in Kobe, Japan in 1995. 

 He has an extensive teaching experience and background that includes coursework in business, sociology, psychology, Thanatology, and funeral service law. He also has written multiple articles and presented all over the United States.

This presentation will include issues and protocols associated with the funeral director's role as a mandated reporter. Identifying and reporting child abuse by funeral directions has become law in most jurisdictions. His presentations are always enlightening.

Child Abuse

Abused children are in urgent need of an effective child protective service to prevent them from suffering further injury and impairment. Recognizing suspected child abuse and providing a more complete reporting of suspected child abuse is essential to ensure the child’s well-being and to preserve the integrity of the family.

COURSE OBJECTIVE

  • Identify the categories of child abuse

  • Recognize the signs of child abuse

  • Understand the reporting requirements for suspected child abuse

  • Discuss the role of Mandated Reporter as related to the Department of Human Services and Bureau of Professional and Occupation Affairs; Act 31 of 2014

COURSE DESCRIPTION

To provide comprehensive training to funeral directors and other mandated reporters relating to child abuse recognition and reporting requirements under Act 31.

COURSE OUTLINE

  1. Description of Child Welfare in State of PA

  2. General Protective Services – non-serious injury or neglect

  3. Present the Department of Human Services hierarchy; responsibilities of the Office of Children; Youth and Families; Purpose of the Bureau of Professional and Occupational Affairs.

  4. Define Components of Child Abuse; All categories of child abuse; Exclusions of Child Abuse

  5. Provisions and responsibilities for reporting suspected child abuse including types of reporters; the Reporting Process; Protection for Reporters; Penalties for Failure to Report; Mandated Reporters Right-to-Know

  6. Recognition of Child Abuse

JUNE 17th, 2025

Sponsored by WPFDA

Former NBC News Anchor Sherrie Dunlevy served the Wheeling, WV area for nearly 40 years both on television and radio.

Today she is a best selling author, Inspirational speaker, and host of the Graduating Grief podcast and host of the TV series “For Mature Audiences”

Her Number one best selling book “How Can I Help?” was written to to help people know exactly what to say and do in an effort to support the people they love when they are hurting.

Sherrie has found a way to "graduate" from the pain of losing a child, and a high profile career and redesign a life she loves living. She now shares with others, how they too can learn, grow, and expand their lives after tragedies, losses and disappointments.

She now trains professionals on how to better connect with people personally and professionally so that everyone they meet feels like they have been seen, heard and valued.

As a self proclaimed Inspirationista, Sherrie's passion lies in inspiring and encouraging people to step beyond their awkwardness, discomfort and/or pain so they can step fully into living with purpose, passion and JOY.

The advance of technology is advancing mankind, while at the same time, creating a generation of people who are unable to communicate beyond a keyboard. This break down in communication skills is just part of the problem in people feeling less connected at home, in the workplace and with life. What is causing this great disconnect and how can we learn and strengthen skills that will help us personally and professionally? In this presentation Sherrie Dunlevy takes a look at the root of the problem and explains how much of the disconnect can be linked back to loneliness and grief. She also shares strategies you can use to help you feel better connected while making others feel valued, heard and understood.

Learning Objectives:

Three reasons why people are feeling disconnected.
-The epidemic of loneliness and the great disconnect.
- What causes disconnection?

- Three things needed to improve connection in the workplace, with those you serve and in your personal lives.

- 5 languages of Appreciation

Key Take-Aways:

- Understand why people feel so disconnected from one another
- How to better form a connection with the clients we serve
- How to form meaningful connections with those you employ

How this benefits those in the funeral industry:
- Improving connection and communication skills in the workplace creates a healthy workplace culture, improves morale, and creates clarity of job expectations and performance
- Learning to connect with clients in a way that makes them feel valued, heard, and understood can increase business through word of mouth.
- Increased connection inside the community you serve is enhanced, respected and appreciated

Sponsor: TBD

Anna F. Zvirman-Nesbit is a lifelong resident of Plum Borough, PA and a 2003 graduate of Plum Senior High School. She earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Slippery Rock University in 2006 and graduated from the Pittsburgh Institute of Mortuary Science in 2007, where she served as President of her class.

Anna is a licensed funeral director, license insurance producer, and co-owner of Soxman Funeral Home, where she coordinates the firm’s Aftercare and Advanced Funeral Planning programs. She holds the Certified Funeral Service Practitioner (CFSP) designation, the highest professional credential in funeral service, reflecting her commitment to excellence, continuing education, and leadership. Under her direction, Soxman Funeral Home has achieved the prestigious NFDA Pursuit of Excellence Award and expanded its services to include Lilo, the firm’s bereavement care dog, providing additional comfort and support to grieving families.

A Certified Funeral Celebrant earned through Insight Institute and Certified Preplanning Consultant (CPC) through the National Funeral Directors Association, Anna specializes in meaningful service personalization, and advance funeral planning. She has also contributed nationally to the profession as a speaker, presenting at the 2025 NFDA Professional Women’s Conference and the NFDA International Convention and Expo.

Anna is an active member of NFDA, PFDA, ACFDA, ICCFA, and the Plum Chamber of Commerce, and currently serves as Secretary of the Allegheny County Funeral Directors Association. She was inducted into the 2024 Plum High School Distinguished Alumni class, and recognized with the 2025 Pittsburgh Magazine Women in Business Award.

She resides in Plum with her husband, Jim, and their children, Ethan and Evelyn, and is a member of Holy Family Parish, Our Lady of Joy Church. When not working she enjoys reading, cooking, gardening, and spending time with her family.

Purpose: Set tone, normalize differences, reduce defensiveness

•  Welcome and brief introduction
• Why personality differences matter in funeral service:
  - High emotion
  - Time pressure
  - Close teamwork
• This is about listening, understanding and adapting, not labeling
• Your personality influences how you naturally communicate
• Under stress, your communication default becomes stronger, more prevalent
• Awareness of this creates choice

Interactive warm-up:

• Show of hands:
  - “I take charge in stressful situations”
  - “I focus on details and accuracy”
  - “I’m the calm, steady presence”
  - “I’m the one families open up to”
• Those differences are exactly what we’ll explore today.

DISC Basics + Personality Assessment

Purpose: Build self-awareness before discussing others

Introduce DISC

• DISC focuses on communication (LISTENING) and behavior, not identity
• Everyone has a primary style and often a secondary
• Stress, emotions, and grief intensify these traits

Brief overview of styles (funeral-specific examples):

• D - Dominance: decisive, direct, crisis-ready
• I - Influence: communicative, relational, expressive
• S - Steadiness: calm, dependable, supportive
• C - Conscientiousness: detail-focused, process-driven

DISC Assessment Activity

• Attendees complete a short DISC-style assessment (online or printed)
• Ask them to identify results:
  - Primary style
  - Secondary style
  - Consider how stress and emotion shift their behavior

Table/Group discussion prompts:

• “Does this reflect how you work under pressure?”
• “Which style do you see most often in your funeral home?”

Breakout Session #1: DISC & Workplace Communication

Purpose: Apply DISC to staff dynamics

Scenario focus: internal funeral home communication among staff/colleagues

Scenario examples:

• A decisive, fast-moving director vs. a cautious, process-focused director
• A direct, blunt communicator vs. a more sensitive, harmony-seeking coworker
• A rule-following staff member vs. one who prefers to bend procedures when families need it

Small groups:

• Identify most common DISC styles present in the scenario
• Where does communication break down?

Guiding questions:

• What does each style need to feel heard?
• What common assumptions are being made?

Each group shares one key insight.

Large Group Debrief

You facilitate:

• Patterns that emerged across groups
• How DISC styles clash or complement under stress
• Reminder: adapting communication doesn’t mean changing who you are

Comfort Break

• Restrooms, stretch, refresh
• Encourage attendees to sit with someone new afterward

DISC & Families Under Stress

Purpose: Tie personality awareness directly to service quality and common issues in

arrangements

• How grief/ anger/ emotion amplifies DISC behaviors:
  - D: becomes controlling
  - I: becomes emotional or talkative
  - S: becomes withdrawn
  - C: becomes rigid or overwhelmed
• Common family dynamics during arrangements

Interactive prompts:

• “Which DISC style challenges you most when working with families?” clash of primary?
• “Which style do you instinctively connect with?”

Breakout Session #2: Family Scenarios Using DISC

Purpose: Practice adapting communication in real situations

Scenario examples:

• A dominant family spokesperson vs. a quiet decision-maker
• A detail-focused family member clashing with an emotional one
• A family needing reassurance vs. efficiency

Groups discuss:

• Which DISC style needs to be addressed first?
• How would you adjust your language or pace?
• What phrases help, or escalate, this situation?

Wrap-Up & Takeaways

Purpose: Leave attendees with clarity and confidence

Individual reflection:

Lead with awareness

• Pause → notice your communication default → then respond
• Listen first; ask one clarifying question

Adapt to others (not your preference)

• D: Be clear, brief, decisive
• I: Allow connection before logistics
• S: Provide reassurance and time
• C: Be precise and transparent

Assume difference, not intent

• Treat conflict as a communication gap, not a personal one

Put it into Practice

With colleagues

• State needs clearly (no blaming)
• Name the problem, NOT the person

With families

• Match their pace first → then guide
• Replace policy talk with explanation
• Slow down when overwhelmed; streamline when they want efficiency

Daily check (2 minutes)

1. What was my personality’s communication default?
2. What was theirs?
3. What will I adjust next time?

Bottom line:
Listen. Adapt. Remember, It’s not personal, it’s personality.

JUNE 24th, 2026