Our Vision
A compassionate culture of grief expression where loss is honored and hope nurtures healing.
Our Mission
Our mission is to create supportive spaces to honor the natural process of grief and to educate our community in healthy expressions of grief and mourning.
Our Key Values
‣ Grief is a normal, natural aspect of the human journey.
‣ Grief is not a disease to be treated or a problem to be solved.
‣ No one should have to grieve alone.
‣ We live in a grief-avoidant culture, but we can choose to honor our grief through acceptance, acknowledgement, and validation.
‣ We begin to reconcile our loss through mourning — which is simply the outward expression of our grief.
Voices of Grief Support and Education Center is an inclusive organization that provides services to all members of our society, regardless of race, age, gender, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, socio-economic status or any other factor.
✨ Learn more about us by the coverage in the Media
🎙️KRDO News Radio (11/15/25):
“SRC Senior Talk with Voices of Grief”
📺 KRDO News (10/1/25):
“Local nonprofit hoping to heal grief through music”
📰 ECHO (Pikes Peak State College):
“Renowned Singer Melanie DeMore to Perform at Centennial Campus”
📺 KOAA News (9/29/25):
“Upcoming community gathering aims to help people in grief heal through music”
📺 Fox 21 News (9/29/25):
“Voices of Grief Center to host Concert Featuring Melanie DeMore.”
🎙️ Springs & Things Podcast (9/17/25):
“An Honest Conversation About Grief and Support In Colorado Springs” (31 min)
📰 BEACON Senior News (Sept 2025):
“Healing through song: Voices of Grief hosts Melanie DeMore in Colorado Springs”
📰 Pikes Peak Courier (8/25/25):
“Voices of Grief expands services”
📺 Fox 21 News (12/14/24):
“Event supports those dealing with loss during holidays.”
📺 KOAA News (12/12/24):
"Grief support at holidays through ‘Illuminating Hearts’ event"
🎙️ Be Encouraged with Frank and Lisa (12/9/24):
“Ep #89 with Kathy Sparnins & Derrek Villagrana”
Our Leadership Team
Kathy Sparnins, Executive Director
Kathy holds a B.A in Psychology from Goddard College in Vermont, studied in the MSW Program at the University of South Carolina, and completed course work toward a Masters in Marriage and Family Counseling through Goddard College.
Kathy’s professional life includes 45 years in direct services with families and young people. Over the past 20 years Kathy’s work has specifically centered on grief education and support for families suffering significant loss.
Kathy produced a film documentary Voices of Grief, Honoring the Sacred Journey, which premiered in Colorado Springs in 2016 to an audience of over 700 people and was privileged to be screened at the American Psychological Association Annual Convention in Washington, D.C. in 2017.
Mittie Pedraza,
Board President
Mittie brings with her an extraordinary legacy of service and leadership. During her 25-year tenure with CASA of the Pikes Peak Region, Mittie held numerous roles including advocate, program director, interim executive director (twice), and volunteer trainer -- making it difficult to capture her
contributions with any single title.
Over the course of her career, she prepared and trained more than 1,000 advocates to stand up for children, leaving a lasting impact on countless lives. In recognition of her dedication and influence, CASA dedicated its improved training room in her honor in 2024 -- a fitting tribute to a professional whose commitment has shaped a generation of advocates.
Sarah Lee,
Program Director
Sarah has spent more than 20 years in non-profit administration, and her range of professional experience includes hospice, chaplaincy, fundraising, event planning, and human resources. In addition to grief support training, Sarah holds a BA in psychology and and MA in Theology.
Sarah has partnered with Kathy Sparnins and Voices of Grief since 2020 facilitating support groups and expanding grief support and education programs through the Voices of Grief Support and Education Center.
Our Board of Directors (as of January 1, 2026)
Mittie Pedraza, Board President, Retired Corporate/Health Attorney, Retired CASA Program Director
Karen Hilborn, Board Secretary, Retired school administrator, 30+ year CASA volunteer
Arnie Sparnins, Board Treasurer, Retired IT engineer and manager
Vivian Cobb, Director, Keynote Speaker and Author
Craig Johnson, Director, Brand building, Sales & Marketing
Kent Mathews, Director, MSW, Retired Manager of the Family Caregiver Support Center at PPAAA
Nina Wright, Director, Nurse Practitioner, Educator
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Thanks to our Community Partners
