About

tee rogers headshot

Tee Rogers

Deathcare Professional | Celebrant | Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Advocate

✓ Service-focused

✓ Community Leader

✓ Experienced

Certified Senior Advisor Tee Rogers
Tee speaking at JoyMCC Church

Personal mission statement: Focus on Positive Impact.

Professional Summary

Since 2019, I have served as a deathcare pre-planning professional through 15 Central Florida Dignity Memorial funeral homes and cemeteries. With a consultative, educational approach, my practice centers on increasing individual and community awareness about advanced planning. My goal for everyone I speak with is that there will be no financial, emotional, or logistical surprises when they face the loss of a loved one. With intentional outreach to LGBTQ+ and minority religious and secular communities, I work to ensure the underserved and undervoiced in deathcare, who may encounter identity-related challenges, have resources and an advocate. My background in project and event management, leadership, non-profit management, and community service have been a solid foundation.

Core Competencies

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion | LGBTQ+ Cultural Competency | Public Speaking | Adult Education & Training | Community Outreach | Strategic Partnerships | Volunteer Leadership | Program Development | Event Planning

Technology-fluent | Canva (graphic design, presentations) | AI (brainstorming, editing, research) | WordPress (website management) | Salesforce | MS Office | Google Docs

Professional Experience

December 2019 – Present: Dignity Memorial

Title: Pre-Planning Advisor

  • Consultative Sales: prospecting, community outreach, brand representation, stewarding entire sales process for clients, customer service
  • Community Outreach: Public speaking, professional relationship development, networking
  • Use of Salesforce and other industry software and systems

Major Awards

  • Volunteer of the Year Award, Pride In Business Awards, 2025 (for representation of Dignity Memorial as a Board Member and project leader for The Pride Chamber)
  • Diversity & Inclusion Leader of the Year Award, Pride In Business Awards, 2022 (for inclusion in deathcare work in Central Florida and authorship of the Identity Affirming Deathcare Directives)

Associated Credentials and Related Industry training, certifications, and conferences

  • (Training In Progress): NFDA Pre-Planning Consultant Certification
  • CCS – CANA Certified Cremation Specialist (since 2023)
  • CSA – Certified Senior Advisor (Since 2024)
  • CPSP – NASP Certified Professional Sales Person
  • Registered Pet Funeral Director – IAOPCC through CANA
  • Celebrant – InSight Certified Funeral Celebrant (since 2023) and AHA/THS Certified Humanist Celebrant (since 2016)
  • Sandler Sales Summit (Virtual) (2023)
  • ICCFA University, 21st Century Industry track (2023)
  • Completed Selling From the Heart Masterclass (2024)
  • Attended Sandler Sales Summit Conference (2024)
  • Working With Older Adults intensive course (CSA cert) (2024)

Associated Memberships and Service (Active Involvement)

  • Central Florida Certified Senior Advisors Leaders Network
  • Orange County Commission on Aging Advisory Board
  • Pride Chamber of Orlando
  • Orlando Business Network
  • Winter Park Chamber of Commerce
  • Orange County Office on Aging Partnerships Meetings
  • Winter Park FYI Senior Expo Planning Committee
  • Orange County Commission on Aging Advisory Board
  • Certified Senior Advisors Leadership Network, Central Florida Chapter
  • PRIDE chamber of Commerce
    • Board Member
    • Program Director: AgeFWD
    • Committee Chair: RED Connect (Virtual Professional Networking Group)
    • Past Program Director: RED Professional Networking Groups
  • Senior Chef Showdown Board of Directors
    • Board Member
    • Chair, Volunteer Recruitment & Management
    • Website development & management
  • Recovering From Religion Deathcare Equity Collaborative (not currently active)
  • Orlando Business Network
  • UNITE (Dignity Memorial company LGBTQ+ and Ally Network / ERG)
  • Winter Park Chamber of Commerce

Orlando Celebrant, October 2016 – Present

Title: Celebrant

  • Ceremony composition, choreography, and officiation
  • Research, collaborative writing (with client)
  • Public speaking
  • Small business management, website development, marketing
  • Ceremony types: Invocations, weddings, baby namings, adoptions, pet ceremonies, transgender naming, and much more.
    • Currently not actively serving as a funeral celebrant due to employment with Dignity Memorial

Major Awards

  • Florida Humanist of the Year, Florida Humanist Association (2017)

Associated Credentials and Related Industry training, certifications, and conferences

  • (Training In Progress): NFDA Pre-Planning Consultant Certification
  • CCS – CANA Certified Cremation Specialist (since 2023)
  • CSA – Certified Senior Advisor (Since 2024)
  • CPSP – NASP Certified Professional Sales Person
  • Registered Pet Funeral Director – IAOPCC through CANA
  • Celebrant – InSight Certified Funeral Celebrant (since 2023) and AHA/THS Certified Humanist Celebrant (since 2016)
  • Sandler Sales Summit (Virtual) (2023)
  • ICCFA University, 21st Century Industry track (2023)
  • Completed Selling From the Heart Masterclass (2024)
  • Attended Sandler Sales Summit Conference (2024)
  • Working With Older Adults intensive course (CSA cert) (2024)

Associated Memberships and Service (Active Involvement)

  • American Humanist Association
  • The Humanist Society
  • Central Florida Freethought Community
  • PRIDE Chamber of Commerce

Current Volunteer Work

Summary:

  • Pride Chamber of Commerce (detailed below)
  • STEM Gift Drive (detailed below)
  • Senior Chef Showdown (detailed below)
  • Member, Orange County Commission on Aging Advisory Board
  • Member, Winter Park FYI Senior Expo Planning Committee
  • Collaborative Project: Final Curtain Fund (deathcare fund for drag performers)
  • Author: Identity Affirming Deathcare Directives

2023 – Present: Pride Chamber of Commerce

Through educational, collaborative, and service-focused programming, The Pride Chamber of Commerce increases economic equality for LGBTQ+ businesses and professionals. We are a professional organization (501C6) with a supporting foundation (501C3). Members are LGBTQ+ and allied professionals, businesses, and organizations.

Board Member

  • Provide oversight and guidance regarding Chamber programs and activities
  • Participate in Chamber events and programs
  • Represent the Chamber to the greater community

AgeFWD Program Director

AgeFWD is a new program of The Pride Chamber to support and connect professionals in Central Florida serving older LGBTQ+ Adults.

  • Founder and first Program Director
  • Oversee program development and strategic planning
  • Serve as chair of the Leadership Council (10 member leadership panel)
  • Support and assist in planning events and activities of the program
  • Manage scholarship fund
  • Fundraising and financial management of dual 501C6 (operating) and 501C3 (restricted funding) budgets.

RED Connect Leadership Chair

RED Connect is one of five LGBTQ+ affirming industry-exclusive professional networking groups hosted by The Pride Chamber. RED Connect is the virtual networking group.

  • Spearhead establishment of a new networking group
  • Recruit members to exceed minimum requirement for official group
  • Establish leadership team for RED Connect
  • Collaborate with RED Director, Chamber staff, and other RED groups to market and develop a successful virtual RED group.

Donate With Pride Annual Blood Drive

Held in May of each year, the Donate With Pride blood drive celebrates the 2023 changes in FDA regulations that allow gay men to donate blood, having every donor answer the same questions. With deferrals now based on lifestyle rather than labels, more people have the power to save lives through blood donation.

  • Founder & first event chair (2024, 2025, and 2027)
  • Committee Member, 2026

2015 – Present: STEM Gift Drive

The STEM Gift Drive increases equitable access to Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) toys, games, and books for at-risk youth.

2025 10-year report data: $65,000+ value impact | 2,600+ gift impact

  • Founder and CEO (Chief Elf Organizer)
  • Oversee program development and strategic planning
  • Recruit and chair volunteer committee
  • Event Management: Plan and host special events related to the campaign (gift collection events, outreach events, campaign kick-off, etc.)
  • Marketing, website development and management, social media content management

2024 – Present: Senior Chef Showdown

This annual culinary challenge event raises money to support a charity in Central Florida that impacts older adults. Our charity beneficiary is currently Seniors First, Inc, celebrating 60 years of local impact that includes administering Meals on Wheels.

  • Serve on Board of Directors
  • Chair: Volunteer Management (recruit, train, and oversee event volunteers)
  • Design & maintenance of website
  • Assist with social media and collaborative marketing materials
  • Representing the event to the community

Past Experience

May- Dec 2019: Part-time / temp while looking for full-time work after being laid off:

  • Substitute teaching for Orange County Public Schools
  • Event & Meeting Support with 360 Events, A+ Staffing, and Dakota Events

May 2004 – May 2019: University of Central Florida
Coordinator, Special Projects

  • Event and project management
  • Team leadership for various university-level programs including the United Way campaign ($100,000 annual employee giving campaign)
  • Team leadership for Administration and Finance division projects including policy development, assessment, inclusion champions program, mass communications to division employees
  • Oversight of Vice President suite intern program, data and physical security, marketing and communications, and other special projects
  • Management of division website
  • Financial reporting for projects
  • Back-up HR function support for the office

Volunteer activities at UCF

  • Humanist Chaplain, 2016 – 2019
    • Developed and taught diversity workshops regarding Religious, Secular, and Spiritual Identity (RSSI) inclusion
    • Partnered with UCF LGBTQ+ Services and office of Diversity and Inclusion, and with the national Secular Student Alliance / Secular Safe Zone to develop workshop and program content and resources.
    • Developed and managed the Secular Safe Zone training and allies program
    • Provided Chaplain services for students, faculty, and staff
    • Advocated for inclusion for undervoiced RSSI minorities
    • Served as staff advisor for the Secular Student Alliance (2009 – 2019)
  • Chair, UCF Blood Drives, 2013 – 2019
    • Established regular blood drives and educational events with the purpose of inspiring life-long blood donors who would carry the tradition forward into their careers.
    • Created blood donation educational events, including
      • Panels regarding FDA regulations regarding lifetime ban on gay males donating blood
      • Presentations on the history of discrimination in blood donation (African American, LGBTQ+) and how that influences blood donorship in those communities today.
    • Spearheaded the 2-week continuous blood drive following the Pulse tragedy
    • Coordinated marketing and enhanced partnership between UCF and OneBlood
    • Hosted annual World Blood Donor Day event and outreach (joined World Health Organization blood donor leaders group)
    • Co-founded an international discussion group to foster communication among global blood donation professional and advocates (International Blood Donor Advocates)

2011 – 2020: BE. Orlando Humanist Fellowship (501C3 Organization)
Founding Director and Humanist Celebrant

  • Small non-profit management (development, strategic planning, reporting, etc.)
  • Created volunteer opportunities that were affirming for people of diverse minority religious, secular, and spiritual identities
    • Hosted an average of 72 volunteer events per year
  • Managed event logistics, volunteer recruitment, community partnerships
  • Provided advocacy and community education for local charities about barriers to volunteerism for minority RSSI people
  • Provided relevant inclusion workshops, in-service training, and community discussions
  • Celebrant services (Weddings, funerals, transgender namings, pet ceremonies, divorce ceremonies, baby welcomings, and more)

Personal volunteering

Included Second Harvest Food Bank, SafeHouse of Seminole, OneBlood, IHWN Wolf & Wolfdog Sanctuary, Zebra Coalition, Coalition for the Homeless of Central Florida, Harbor House, Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Florida, Seminole County SERV, Mustard Seed, Pet Rescue by Judy, Bacco’s feral cat TRN & Rescue

Before UCF

2002 – 2003: State of Florida – DCF, Family Services Counselor. Visit at-risk families to evaluate child safety, represent families in court, develop child safety plans, steward adoption approval process

2001 – 2002: Threshold, Inc, Office and HR Manager. Manage office operations, oversee office staff, process HR paperwork

1998 – 2000: Georgia State University Office of Community Engagement, Administrative Coordinator. managed office operations, supervised student assistants, supported events and activities

1993 – 1998: Armstrong State University, Student Assistant. Tutor for ESL and developmental students (four years – managed ESL learning lab) and web content editor (about 10 months).

Warmies Project