2018 Presenters

The Community Foundation of Mendocino County

Professional Advisors Roundtable

Advance Health Care Directives:
Helping Your Clients Understand End-of-Life Choices, Legally and Emotionally

Presented by
Judith Redwing Keyssar, RN, San Francisco
Margaret Mary O’Rourke, Attorney at Law, Mendocino
Maggie Watson, Professional Fiduciary, Mendocino

Friday, February 23rd, 2018
10:00 A.M. - 2:30 P.M.

Presenter Bios

Judith Redwing Keyssar is an RN with 25 years of experience in Oncology, Critical Care, Hospice, and Palliative Care. She is an author, poet, teacher, national presenter, and frequent contributor to the public debate about Palliative Care. Redwing has served as the Director of a unique community based Palliative Care program at Jewish Family and Children’s Services in San Francisco since 2007 and as an adjunct faculty member of the California State University Institute of Palliative Care. She is also an adjunct member of the UCSF Symptom Management Service. Her nursing career began at the Mendocino Coast Hospital, where she worked for 13 years before moving to San Francisco. Redwing is the author of the award winning book, “Last Acts of Kindness; Lessons for the Living from the Bedsides of the Dying.”

Margaret Mary O’Rourke (Maggie) is an attorney in Mendocino who has been practicing estate planning and administration for over 20 years. She is a long-time member of WealthCounsel, a national organization that assists attorneys in all aspects of estate planning. She has drafted hundreds of estate plans and works closely with her clients to help with health care directive decisions. Her estate plans include a health care directive along with a medical authorization and a living will.

Maggie Watson is a licensed private fiduciary. Maggie was a professional organizer for 30 years assisting elders to live independently in their homes. She is the author of "A Graceful Farewell: Putting Your Affairs in Order" and has lead workshops and given many talks on this subject. Maggie worked with Home Funeral Options with Redwing Keyssar supporting individuals and their families in having a home funeral. Maggie is a founding member of the Living and Dying Guild on the Mendocino Coast. She also co-owns Mendocino Solar Service with her husband, Bruce Erickson. Maggie has lived on the coast for 30 years.