We’re excited to welcome to the Experience Camps board Sue Deagle, who brings years of professional experience as the creator of the grief-themed blog The Luminist plus her personal experience of navigating grief and loss with her family. Below Sue shares why she connects to our organizational mission and how she hopes to change the public conversation about grief.
Tell us about your current job/career:
I spent over 30 great years working in corporate America, primarily as a defense contractor. I found the mission-driven element of this work–helping our soldiers, sailors and airmen be well supported in our far-flung bases around the globe–be motivating and rewarding. In early 2025 I made a personal mission-driven career switch to writing. Every week I write a newsletter called “The Luminist” where I bring loss in all its forms out of the shadows, shining a light on the parts of the human experience we avoid at all costs, but are our greatest teachers for living a rich, deep, expansive life.
Why is our mission important to you?
I have experienced the kind of grief that families who are part of Experience Camps live first-hand. My healthy, happy 50-year-old husband Mike died suddenly nine years ago. I have learned–through much trial and much error–that loss changes us profoundly. But contrary to society’s expectations, it makes us bigger, not smaller. Experience Camps tagline “every child deserves a life rich with possibility” resonates deeply for me, because I’ve lived it. I have raised two grieving kids, and because of all we have been through–individually and as a family–we are stronger, bolder, and empowered to face the ups and downs of life.
How do you hope to change the conversation around grief?
In my personal mission at The Luminist, and in my book Do/Loss (to be published in February 2026), I aim to change the conversation around loss for adults, challenging the myths of loss and understanding we were made to heal. If we can change how society views loss, as part of the human condition, we can console better, suffer less, and live more vibrant lives. I believe the Experience Camps mission is completely aligned with this, with the focus on the kids and their ecosystem.
What skills/experience are you planning to bring with you to the board?
I’m looking forward to being a sounding board and support for the leadership team, collaborating with other board members, and assisting the already robust efforts in raising Experience Camp’s profile so those who need our services can find them. Also, I led strategy development in my last corporate role, and hope to contribute in that area. I hope to bring the leadership lessons from my lengthy career in any way helpful to the organization.
What is your biggest goal as a board member in terms of helping us grow?
I’ve been talking and writing openly about loss and vibrant living for around five years, and I am looking forward to amplifying the discussion about children and grief that Experience Camps does so well. I hope to raise awareness of what Experience Camps offers the grief ecosystem, and also amplify the message that kids can have loss and joy in their lives.
Experience Camps is an award-winning national nonprofit that transforms the lives of grieving children through summer camp programs and innovative, year-round initiatives. Through compassion, connection, and play, we allow grieving children to embody a life full of hope and possibility. By amplifying their voices, we are creating a more grief-sensitive culture.
