KAREN BRADY

Secretary

Karen Brady is an Independent Funeral Celebrant and founder of Sincere Ceremonies, based in Melbourne’s west. Her work is guided by a simple belief: ceremonies matter. They help us make meaning of life’s thresholds, moments of love, loss, and change, and give voice to what words alone cannot hold.

With a diverse professional background spanning education, advocacy, and community service, Karen brings empathy, insight, and integrity to every aspect of her work. She spent a decade in the union movement, specialising in industrial law, advocacy, and community campaigning, where she developed a strong sense of justice and the importance of giving voice to others. Earlier in her career, she worked as a teacher in a range of educational settings across Australia, from metropolitan classrooms to community-run and remote Indigenous schools. These experiences deepened her respect for culture, connection, and storytelling.

As a funeral celebrant, Karen collaborates closely with families to co-create sincere, personal ceremonies that honour individuality and reflect the life, values, and spirit of the person being remembered. Her practice is grounded in warmth, inclusivity, and care. She has a particular interest in ritual creation and the way ceremony functions as a rite of passage, helping individuals and communities acknowledge change, express emotion, and begin to heal.

Karen is also passionate about death literacy and supports greater awareness of the choices available to families in end-of-life care and ceremony. She believes that accessible, informed, and sustainable death care can transform how we experience loss and remembrance.

Outside of her professional life, Karen enjoys reading, films, and the joyful company of her much-loved rescue dog, Amber.