Mary Matthiesen

Grew up: I was born in Florida, but grew up mostly in the Bay Area

Joined Mission Hospice: February 2016

Mission Hospice in three words: Care. Compassion. Creative.

Passions: I love anything by or in the ocean – and people’s stories

Favorite food: Chocolate. Definitely chocolate… unless wine is a food!

Reading: Just finished Caraval…a bit odd, but a good mental escape

Desert island album: has to be Carole King’s Tapestry.

Favorite movie: Field of Dreams (that says a lot about me)

Little known facts: I used to tap dance, and years ago, I studied to be an interfaith minister

On my bucket list: Visiting the Galapagos Islands; living in a home we’ve designed and built

*Listen to Mary’s interview with Cheryl Jones:

“Mary Matthiesen, author of Dying to Make a Difference, inspires passionate talk about death. She facilitates individuals, healthcare and community leaders to take our experiences of death and dying to make a difference in our lives and deaths. She’s led change initiatives with the California Transplant Donor Network, the American Heart Association, co-authored the Sacred Dying Volunteer Vigil Training, and launched the first, nationally endorsed public health campaign for end of life conversations and care with the NHS in England. Lessons she learned from life and her mother’s death catalyzed Conversations for Life, a facilitated approach to engage families, staff and communities in end of life conversations. She is a requested speaker at conferences and has delivered workshops for thousands of healthcare professionals and the public. She’s Director of Community Engagement & Education with Mission Hospice & Home Care and leads workshops and consults on projects internationally.”