An esteemed expert in funeral service professional education, Nicole Krause has found much success as an education program manager at the National Funeral Directors Association in Brookfield, Wisconsin since 2025. In this capacity, she manages a comprehensive portfolio of educational initiatives for association members, including organizing monthly webinars and coordinating both virtual and in-person events such as the annual Professional Women’s Conference. Her responsibilities encompass curating speakers, developing content and themes, managing logistics and ensuring that continuing education credits are implemented for funeral directors nationwide.
Ms. Krause played a pivotal role in planning and facilitating the Professional Women’s Conference in St. Pete Beach, Florida, which welcomed over 200 attendees and featured more than ten speakers, including two keynote presenters from within and outside the funeral profession. She also oversees mentorship programs, collaborates with her education team to secure international expo and convention speakers and remains vigilant about industry trends to identify experts who can provide valuable information to members.
Additionally, Ms. Krause has excelled the founder of Purely Permanent Jewelry in Brookfield, Wisconsin, a venture she established in 2025. Her entrepreneurial spirit is evident in her ability to balance multiple professional commitments while maintaining a focus on community engagement.
From 2024 to 2025, Ms. Krause served as the director of program support at Unity Lutheran Church – ELCA in Brookfield, Wisconsin. In this role, she taught confirmation classes, managed service ministry partnerships and coordinated mission trips to El Salvador, including one focused on healing through clinic work in rural areas and another on relationship-building with church partnerships that have existed for nearly 25 years.
Briefly halting her professional pursuits between 2022 and 2024 following the sale of her family’s funeral business, Ms. Krause lived in Cozumel, Mexico for three months and hiked 712 miles of the Appalachian Trail from Georgia to Virginia—a personal milestone that tested her limits and resilience. Her earlier career was deeply rooted in her family’s legacy at Krause Funeral Homes and Cremation Services in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. From 2020 to 2022, she held dual roles as location manager and administrative manager, overseeing daily operations and structural changes while co-managing the administrative department during a period marked by the COVID-19 pandemic. As a licensed funeral director from 2019 to 2022, Ms. Krause provided compassionate care to families during their most difficult times and contributed to the launch of a direct cremation company.
Ms. Krause previously worked as a funeral director and embalmer apprentice at Krause Funeral Homes from 2017 to 2019 after completing similar apprenticeships at Dignity Memorial in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma in 2017 and Crawford Family Funeral & Cremation Service in Edmond, Oklahoma in 2016. She began her career at Krause Funeral Homes as an assistant service coordinator from 2010 to 2016 and an administrative assistant in 2015.
Throughout her career, Ms. Krause has been an active member of several industry organizations, such as the Wisconsin Society of Association Executives and the Funeral Service and Cremation Alliance Association. She is especially proud of contributing to a milestone at the National Funeral Directors Association: for the first time in its history, the entire education staff comprises licensed funeral directors.
Ms. Krause’s academic background has been instrumental in shaping her expertise. She initially pursued a formal education at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, from which she earned an associate’s degree in 2014 and a bachelor’s degree in general business in 2016. She ultimately graduated from the University of Central Oklahoma in 2018, graduating with a bachelor’s degree in funeral service and mortuary science. Her professional credentials include certification as a crematory operator by the Cremation Association of North America from 2018 to 2023 and designation as a certified celebrant by InSight Institute: Life Tribute Professionals through InSight Books since 2016. Additionally, Ms. Krause obtained an open water scuba diver certification from PADI in 2014.
Ms. Krause attributes her success to her faith in God and steadfast support from her church community, friends and family. She emphasizes that her faith is central to her life and serves as both motivation and strength throughout her career journey. Inspired by her family’s tradition, as she is a fifth-generation funeral director, Ms. Krause began working at her family’s funeral home at the age of fifteen, performing various tasks before pursuing higher education tailored to funeral service.
Ms. Krause has been deeply involved with Unity Lutheran Church – ELCA since childhood, having participated as a song leader since 2008 and a mission trip logistics leader since 2024. Her former posts with the aforementioned church include youth representative from 2010 to 2011, a sevanthood trip volunteer in 2011, an adult program committee member in 2020, a worship and music committee member from 2020 to 2021, and a council member and invitation committee chairperson from 2021 to 2022. These experiences have allowed her to coordinate impactful mission trips abroad while fostering meaningful relationships within her congregation.
Born in Lambaré and adopted as an infant, Ms. Krause is currently on a personal journey seeking connections with her first family in Paraguay—a process for which she expresses deep gratitude regarding new information and relationships formed thus far. Among her proudest accomplishments is honoring her family’s legacy by serving as a fifth-generation funeral director, a role she cherishes after growing up observing relatives dedicate themselves to supporting grieving families. Working alongside her cousins at the family business has been foundational for Ms. Krause’s sense of purpose.
Ms. Krause encourages those entering her industry not to wait for perfect circumstances but instead take action—even if imperfect—to discover new priorities through experience. Looking toward the future, she intends to continue making a positive difference within the funeral profession by breaking down stigmas surrounding death care while championing opportunities for women professionals. Ms. Krause remains committed to educating both colleagues and communities about diverse ways to honor lives lost, demonstrating that there is no singular approach to saying goodbye.