Dr. Tina Fornwald

Tina Fornwald founded Widowhood Real Talk with Tina in 2022, a nonprofit based in Norfolk, Virginia, dedicated to supporting widows and widowers. As a retired United States Army officer who served for 21 years in logistics, she brings extensive leadership experience from her military career, civil service, and operation of her own accounting firm. She holds a bachelor's degree in accounting and an honorary doctorate in philosophy, and has earned certifications in empowerment coaching, emotional intelligence coaching, and leadership coaching, as well as Black Belt Lean Six Sigma. Her expertise centers on a framework of five survival patterns for grief, which she developed to help individuals identify and move beyond patterns that may keep them feeling stuck after loss. Through her organization, she offers resources including a weekly podcast with content reaching over 48.9 million views across 140 countries, workshops, retreats such as the annual widow's retreat in Virginia Beach, and community programs like the Children of Widowhood Secret Santa. She is also an author whose book The Five Widows Club became an Amazon bestseller and received an impact award for writing, along with an honorable mention from the Muse Writing Organization. Tina is a member of the Rose Chamber of Commerce and is involved in philanthropic efforts including a memorial garden project in Norfolk.