Erin M. Wilson, MS, CFSP
Erin M. Wilson, MS, CFSP, is a licensed funeral director and the Senior Director of Education & Program Strategy at Funeral Women Lead, where she develops educational initiatives and leadership pathways to support and elevate women across the funeral service and deathcare professions. With a career rooted in both funeral service and higher education, Erin has dedicated herself to creating meaningful programs that foster professional growth, mentorship, and long-term leadership within the industry. She believes that education is one of the most powerful tools for strengthening individuals and the profession as a whole.
Erin’s career in funeral service education spans over seven years, during which she advanced through academic and administrative ranks at the Dallas Institute of Funeral Service—from instructor to senior academic dean and program director, ultimately serving as the institution’s first female president in its 85-year history. Her leadership philosophy emphasizes student success, strong program foundations, collaboration, and organizational health, ensuring that institutions are well-positioned to serve both students and the families they support. She holds a Master of Science in Human Relations with a certification in Executive Leadership from Amberton University and a Bachelor of Science in Psychology from LeTourneau University.
In addition to her professional work, Erin is deeply committed to community engagement and professional advocacy. She serves on local and state funeral director associations and participates in community and educational boards, helping emerging leaders connect with meaningful experiences and opportunities. Passionate about integrity, honesty, and compassionate leadership, Erin continues to champion lifelong learning, mentorship, and the creation of clear pathways for leadership, ensuring that the next generation of funeral service professionals is equipped to make a lasting impact.
• Master's Certification in Executive Leadership
• Funeral Director and Embalmer
• Liberty University- Ph.D.
• Dallas Institute of Funeral Service- A.A.S.
• LeTourneau University- B.S.
• Amberton University- Master's
• Local and State Funeral Director Associations
• Church Involvement
• Church Involvement
• School Boards
• Community Activities
• Chamber of Commerce Participation
What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to grit - not giving up. I found my voice and what I'm passionate about. I think that's something that everyone, men and women, have to do is find your voice, find what you're passionate about, and what's important to you. Honesty is so important to me, and integrity, and just leading with compassion. Standing up for what is right has been crucial. When you do the right thing, you don't always get the result that you want, but you know that you've done the right thing morally and ethically. Being confident and learning - learning is huge. Education's a passion of mine, but even for myself, if there's a new skill or something that I need to learn, then I'm open.
What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
I would say learn everything - not just the role you were hired for. Those that advance in the profession are the ones that understand the whole operation. I would also say funeral service will take everything you give it. It'll take your nights, your weekends, your holidays, your physical, emotional, spiritual energy, but you can avoid that by setting those boundaries, because no one's gonna set them for you. And definitely be confident in your ability to learn and never shut that door to learning. You have to be confident, especially dealing with people. How can you best educate others or advocate for others if you don't know how to advocate for yourself?
What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
The biggest challenges in funeral service today include managing the emotional and time demands of the work while balancing multiple professional roles, highlighting the need for self-care and clear boundaries. Key opportunities lie in fostering deeper community engagement through funeral home programs and advancing leadership development, such as through Funeral Women Lead’s Leadership Academy.
What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
Honesty is huge, professionally and personally. That's even something that our little family, we've made that one of our core values - that we have to be honest with each other, even when it's not great. Don't sugarcoat, we have to be honest with each other. Being kind to people is also important. You don't have to like everybody - I mean, no one likes everybody - but there's no reason you can't be kind. Just trying to make people feel like they're welcome, regardless of their circumstance or anything like that. I just feel like we don't have enough of that. We try to include those that want to be included.