The Death Network San Diego, CA
Founder Penny Waugh with original collective members Tara Novak, Selena Jong and Kara Hallett.
Our San Diego collective is where it all began. Four death doulas found themselves drawn together by the simple truth that this work is stronger in community. As we looked around at how fragmented and transactional end-of-life care often feels in the U.S., the collective naturally grew to include funeral directors, integrative healers, and grief coaches - people who also believed that autonomy and authenticity matter deeply at the end of life.
Through honest conversations, community gatherings, and care that truly resonates, this little hub became something larger. We hold that dying, death, and grief are experiences no one should move through alone, and that belief is the heart of why the collective model continues to grow.
The Death Network San Diego, CA
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Penny Waugh
END-OF-LIFE GUIDE & THE DEATH NETWORK FOUNDER
I believe end-of-life experiences should be as unique as the lives we’ve lived. With respect for tradition and a creative approach, I guide individuals and families through the journey with compassion, helping them shape endings that reflect their values.
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Selena Jong
DEATH DOULA
I guide individuals and their loved ones through the sacred transition of dying. I offer emotional, spiritual, and logistical support, creating space for peace, dignity, and connection.
My mission is to help families reclaim death care by honoring ancestral rituals and offering sacred tending guided by tradition.
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Tara Novak
END-OF-LIFE GUIDE & DEATH DOULA
Death is universal, and I aim to create spaces that normalize conversation around it. I feel at ease with death as a part of life and consider it an honor to help clients achieve their wishes while giving loved ones the space to focus on being together.
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Kara Hallett, M.Ed
DEATH DOULA & FUNERAL PLANNER
I am a death doula, educator, and facilitator, creating spaces to explore grief, mortality, and the in-between. I offer in-person support in San Diego and online worldwide, working with people and their pets. I also lead workshops and rituals to help reclaim death as natural and sacred.
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Christa Folkers
END-OF-LIFE COACH
I am a certified End of Life Coach helping clients and families navigate the unique challenges of dying. As a hospice volunteer, I hold space for the emotions that arise and honor each death as a sacred ending, as unique and meaningful as the life that was lived.
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Savannah Turhan
FUNERAL DIRECTOR
After nearly a decade in the funeral industry, I saw the need for a simpler, more stress-free way for families to access services. Losing a loved one is hard enough - navigating paperwork and confusing costs shouldn’t add to the burden.
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Jenny Leverman
YELLOW TRELLIS COUNSELING
As a grief counselor, I see grief as an expression of love. I encourage clients to stay connected with their loved ones and to grieve in community, whether through family sessions or group support - because grieving is not meant to be done alone.
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Wendy Kessler
GRIEF COUNSELOR
As a grief counselor, my work is about more than supporting those who are grieving - it’s about creating safe spaces of belonging and fostering community connections. Grief care is at the heart of my life’s work, and I truly love walking alongside others in this process.
Death doula services
End-of-life planning
VSED support (voluntarily stopping eating & drinking)
MAiD support (medical aid in Dying)
Rituals & vigils
Integrative healing modalities
What We Offer
End-of-Life guidance with The Death Network includes:
Home funerals
Living funerals
Water & flame cremation
Natural green burial
Funeral pre-planning
Legacy planning & projects
Grief support & therapy
Death education workshops
Death Cafe discussion groups
Public speaking events
Advance planning workshops
Funeral attire & etiquette
Community events