Janis Amatuzio, MD

Janis Amatuzio, MD, will be the speaker for the Thursday night Banquet. In her 2004 book, Forever Ours, Dr. Amatuzio draws on more than 25 years of experience in forensic medicine to chronicle forensic investigations in which she encountered unexpected happenings for which she was not professionally prepared.

PMH Atwater, LHD

Dr. Atwater began investigation of NDEs in 1978. With material from over 4,000 adult and child experiencers, she has written seven books. As a result of her writings, she has been invited to speak around the world, serving as one of the foremost global ambassadors of NDEs. During Segment 2 , Dr. Atwater will report her observations from her travels in her presentation, "Who in the World is Interested in NDEs?" 

Nancy Evans Bush, MA

Ms. Bush is retired from a career in education, non-profit administration, and pastoral counseling. She authored the first research-based article on children's NDEs and is a long-time investigator, with Bruce Greyson, MD, of distressing NDEs. She will speak on "Distressing Western NDEs" during Segment 1.

Maggie Callanan, RN, CRNH

While providing hospice care, Maggie Callanan and co-worker Patricia Kelley documented recurring behaviors they witnessed in their patients. From these observations, they formulated their theory of Nearing Death Awareness (NDA) and presented it in their 1992 book, Final Gifts: Understanding the Special Awareness, Needs and Communications with the Dying. Ms. Callanan will deliver one of the Segment 2 keynote addresses on the topic of "Nearing Death Awareness in Palliative and End-of-Life Care." 

Rozan Christian, PhD, LPC

Dr. Christian completed her PhD in counseling at the University of North Texas in 2005. For her doctoral dissertation, she conducted a study of the effects of an NDE on married couples’ relationships. In Segment 2, Dr. Christian will moderate a panel on “The Effects of NDEs on Couple Relationships,” beginning with a brief summary of her research findings. 

Diane Corcoran, PhD, RN

Dr. Corcoran is retired from 25 years of service as a military nurse. Having published on topics of nursing education and management as well as NDEs, she will co-present with Debbie James, MSN, RN, CCRN, “Practical and Ethical Applications of NDE Research for Palliative, End-of-Life and Other Clinical Care and Educational Settings” during Segment 1 and will co-present and moderate panel discussions during Segment 2.

Sylvie Déthiollaz, PhD

In 1999, Dr. Déthiollaz founded Centre Noêsis in Geneva, Switzerland, an institute dedicated to NDE research and therapeutic assistance to NDErs. She has been managing the Centre and conducting NDE research there ever since. During Segment 2, Dr. Déthiollaz will speak on “Psychological and Therapeutic Aspects of NDEs: From Potential to Transformation.” 

Evelyn Elsaesser-Valarino

For over 20 years, Ms. Elsaesser-Valarino has studied and written about near-death experiences, including collaboration with Ken Ring, PhD, on Lessons from the Light: What We Can Learn from the Near-Death Experience. Ms. Elsaesser-Valarino will speak during Segment 2 on "Why NDEs Bring Comfort to the Ill and Bereaved."

Bruce Greyson, MD

Dr. Greyson is the foremost active researcher in the field of near-death studies and the long-time editor of the Journal of Near-Death Studies. He will present "Explanatory Models of NDEs" during Segment 1 and will co-present and moderate a panel during Segment 2 .

Bill Guggenheim

Bill Guggenheim

Longwood, FL

Bill Guggenheim and his former wife, Judy Guggenheim, conducted seven years of research on After-Death Communications (ADCs) during which time they interviewed 2,000 people who provided over 3,000 firsthand accounts. The researchers reported their findings in their best-selling book, Hello From Heaven!

Bruce Horacek, PhD

Both in his pre- and post-retirement professional lives, Dr. Horacek's research specialties have continued to be near-death and related experiences as they relate to grieving, dying and death. In his closing keynote address for Segment 2 , Dr. Horacek will discuss using near-death, shared deathbed vision, and post-death communication experiences in facing the dying and grieving processes

Debbie James, MSN, RN, CCRN, CNS

Debbie James is a nurse manager and nurse educator with nearly 30 years of experience in the Adult Critical Care arena. Her master's thesis addressed near-death experiences and disclosure, and as a certified bereavement facilitator, she founded a support group for NDErs in San Antonio, TX. Debbie will co-present with Diane Corcoran, PhD, "Practical and Ethical Applications of NDE Research for Palliative, End-of-Life and Other Clinical Care and Educational Settings" during Segment 1 and will co-present and moderate a panel discussion during Segment 2 .

Professor of Sociology
Centre for Death & Society
University of Bath, U.K.

Dr. Kellehear recently left his position as Foundation Professor of Palliative Care and Director of the Palliative Care Unit, Faculty of Health Sciences, La Trobe University in Melbourne, Australia, to take his new position in the U.K. Author of 17 books and numerous journal publications, including those that address non-Western NDEs, he will present “NDEs throughout History and across Cultures” during Segment 1.

Richard E. Kelly, EdD

Employee Assistance Administrator
United States Federal Bureau of Investigation

Dr. Kelly is a licensed clinical professional counselor who, for almost 30 years, has practiced mental health counseling, including specialized services to emergency service workers and medical personnel. He will speak during Segment 2 on "Sense of Contact with the Deceased: Experiences of Police, Firefghters, and Emergency Medical Personnel." 

Pamela M. Kircher, MD

Dr. Kircher's career as a physician includes four years as a hospice doctor and authorship of a 1995 book, Love is the Link: A Hospice Doctor Shares her Experience of Near-Death and Dying. She will present the Segment 2 opening keynote address: A Thirty Year Perspective: Medicine's Changing Views Towards NDEs. 

Jason MacLurg, MD

Dr. MacLurg serves currently as President of the Washington State Psychiatric Association, and he has lectured and co-authored publications on NDEs. Dr. MacLurg will co-present, with Jeff Long, MD, “Characteristics of Western NDErs” during Segment 1.

Raymond Moody, MD, PhD

In 1975, with his book Life after Life, Dr. Raymond Moody coined the term near-death experience (NDE) and formally launched the field of near-death studies. Thirty years later, Life after Life is probably still the single most recognized book title on the topic of NDEs. Dr. Moody will be the luncheon speaker on the first day of the conference.

Russell Noyes, MD

Dr. Noyes was an explorer of the new world of near-death studies, having published before 1975 four articles about experiences that, in 1975, came to be known as NDEs. Still involved in the field, Dr. Noyes will co-present with Peter Fenwick, MD, “Pleasurable Western Adult NDEs: Aftereffects” during Segment 1.

Alexander Peralta, Jr, MD, DABHPM

Dr. Peralta has 25 years of educational experience in the fields of pharmacy, internal medicine, hospice and palliative medicine. He has presented local, state, national, and international programs on topics related to end of life care. That will be the topic of his keynote address during Segment 2 of the conference.

Penny Sartori, PhD

Dr. Sartori recently conducted a 6-year prospective study of NDEs in Wales. During Segment 2, she will present her findings, which include a dramatic case of spontaneous healing and results of her veridical perception investigation.

Kimberly Clark Sharp, MSW

In 1982, Ms. Sharp founded Seattle IANDS, the oldest IANDS local group in the world. Since that time, the monthly group has become a 501c3 nonprofit organization, with monthly meeting attendance averaging 60 to 100 people and total attendance since 1982 exceeding 3,000. During Segment 2 , Ms. Sharp will present "Leading IANDS Local Groups: Insights from Decades of Experience."

Cherie Sutherland, PhD

Dr. Sutherland, NDE researcher, educator, speaker, and author, has written five books on NDEs, all translated into other languages. During Segment 1, she will present on one of her topics of expertise within the field of near-death studies: "Children's and Teens' Near-Death Experiences."

Scott Taylor, EdD

In 2001, Dr. Taylor completed his doctoral dissertation research on the impact of NDEs on management leadership style. He will co-present with Pim van Lommel, MD, “Pleasurable Western Adult NDEs: Circumstances and Contents” during Segment 1 and will moderate a panel discussion during Segment 2.

Pim van Lommel, MD

Dr. van Lommel, lead investigator for the prospective NDE study published in 2001 in The Lancet, now devotes himself full time to research on the NDE and the mind-brain relationship. He will co-present with Scott Taylor, EdD , "Pleasurable Western Adult NDEs: Circumstances and Contents" during Segment 1 and will also speak during Segment 2 "On the Continuity of Consciousness."

Ken R. Vincent, EdD

Dr. Ken Vincent is retired from teaching Psychology, including the Psychology of Religious Experience, at Houston Community College. He has over 100 publications in the felds of psychology and religion. Dr. Vincent will present "The Search for God and Afterlife in the Age of Science" during Segment 2.

Deborah Q. Wilkinson, EdD, RN, CRC

Dr. Wilkinson belongs to a special group of healthcare professionals: trained in nursing, oncology, educational psychology, counseling, and end-of-life issues; having worked as a healthcare provider, researcher, and educator; experienced with patient populations ranging from pediatric to gerontological; and having a personal history that includes a near-death experience. Dr. Wilkinson will speak on "Sharing Near-Death Experiences: A Therapeutic Use of Self" during Segment 2 . 

Christian Andréason

Honored to be a part of IANDS' Celebration of 30 Years of NDE Research, critically acclaimed, award-winning recording artist and NDEr, Christian Andréason, will provide his NDE-inspired music during the Saturday night Celebration.