Kriss Kevorkian

Kriss Kevorkian, PhD, MSW, is a Thanatologist, specializing in Biocentric Thanatology. She holds a doctoral degree in thanatology, the study/science of death, dying and grief. Her experience includes working as a deputy coroner assisting with autopsies and documenting evidence, and as a hospice medical social worker offering emotional support and counseling to terminally ill patients, from young children to elders, and their families. In that role, she received Certificates of Recognition for her Outstanding Contribution in the Field of Social Work from local politicians. Dr. Kevorkian was Co-Chair of the Los Angeles County Bar Association Bioethics Committee, Chair of their Death and Dying Subcommittee, and Co-Chair of the San Fernando Valley End-of-Life Coalition. She combined her reverence for thanatology with her love of whales and the environment through her research on environmental grief and ecological grief. Hailed as a true visionary, Dr. Kevorkian coined these terms years before many in the field considered these particular forms of grief as they questioned, "Why would anyone grieve the loss of the environment?" She is founder of A Dying World (aka A Grieving World), intuitively and compassionately supporting clients through all forms of grief including ecological and environmental grief, and those facing the end of life. Dr. Kevorkian is founder of Legal Rights for the Salish Sea, an organization educating communities and stakeholders to recognize the inherent rights of the Southern Resident Orcas and the Salish Sea. Dr. Kevorkian has taught in the US and UK, and is currently teaching graduate classes in social work and psychology as an adjunct professor.

Courses Taught

SOCW 6336 - Crisis, Trauma and Response

SOCW 6411 - Social Work Trauma, Crisis and Stress with Military

SOCW 6145 - Crisis Management

Education

BS, Humboldt State University

MSW, Delaware State University

PhD, Union Institute and University

Awards / Honors

Certificate of Recognition from Assembly woman Virg, , 1999

Certificate of Recognition from Senator Wes Chesbr, , 2001

Pi Gamma Mu, Humboldt State University, 1994