Meredith Parfet

Business adviser, Business leader, Care taker, Change agent, Consultant, Global soul, Parent, Philanthropist, Social entrepreneur, World traveler, Writer/Editor

Meredith Wilson Parfet is the CEO and Founder of Ravenyard Group, a boutique crisis management consultancy specializing in complex challenges such as legal disputes, regulatory actions, and organizational scandals. With nearly two decades of experience in asset management and hedge funds, including roles as Chief Operating Officer for two alternative investment funds, she brings a wealth of financial and operational expertise to her practice. Meredith co-founded Denali Venture Philanthropy, an impact investment organization supporting entrepreneurs committed to social change. Beyond her corporate endeavors, she serves as a humanist hospice chaplain and death doula, integrating compassionate care into her professional life. Meredith holds an MBA from the Kellogg School of Management, a BA in Political Science from Northwestern University, and an MA in Pastoral and Spiritual Care from the Iliff School of Theology. Her unique blend of strategic acumen and empathetic leadership equips individuals and organizations to navigate crises with presence and integrity.

I am passionate about helping people navigate the hardest moments of their lives—whether it’s personal loss, professional crisis, or the unexpected upheaval that changes everything. As a hospice chaplain and crisis management expert, I’ve seen firsthand how grief and adversity can be catalysts for growth. I believe that with the right tools, we can move beyond mere survival and into transformation. My work is about giving people the frameworks, language, and support they need to face crisis head-on, honor their grief, and emerge stronger, more self-aware, and more compassionate.

Crisis doesn’t stay in its lane. Whether it’s personal loss or professional failure, grief disrupts both our inner and outer worlds. Yet, we’re told to “move on,” to be “resilient,” as if suffering isn’t part of the job. What if, instead, we treated crisis management as a skill—one that can be learned, practiced, and applied across every aspect of life? By acknowledging grief, understanding its patterns, and equipping ourselves with practical tools, we can move beyond survival and into growth—at work, at home, and in our communities.

adaptability, business failure, chaplaincy, crisis management, death, death doula, decision-making, emotional intelligence, grief, grief at work, leadership, mental health, organizational crisis, personal crisis, personal loss, professional crisis, resilience, workplace culture

My life has been shaped by crisis—both personal and professional. I’ve faced devastating personal loss, led companies through financial catastrophe, and stood beside people in their final moments as a hospice chaplain. Through it all, I’ve learned that grief isn’t just an emotional experience—it impacts our decisions, leadership, and sense of self in ways we rarely acknowledge. After a business crisis, I felt immobilized by shame and sadness. Even the simplest tasks, like walking into my children’s school, calling friends, or going to the grocery store, felt impossible. It took me years to untangle my fear. Speaking about my experiences on a stage like TED felt unthinkable at one point, but in the laboratory of grief I tested and refined the principles I eventually outlined in my talk. I realized that overcoming fear, reclaiming agency, and finding growth within grief is possible. More than that, I wanted to offer others the same compassion and encouragement I once needed. Crisis is not just something to survive—it’s something that, with the right approach, can push us to grow, lead, and live with more clarity and compassion.

I’m a person of contradictions—I love bringing together things that don’t seem to fit. Just like I bridge the worlds of finance, crisis management, and chaplaincy, I’m both an irreverent fashionista and a true Colorado girl who loves the outdoors. One day, I might be in four inch heels at a meeting; the next, I’m fly fishing in waders. I thrive at the intersections—whether it’s strategy and spirituality, couture and camping, or the boardroom and the hospice bedside.