Meet the Panelists for The End Panel Discussion
Thanks to these brave humans for agreeing to share their hard-won knowledge, personal experiences, and honest perspectives at our The End: What We Don’t Talk About When We Talk About Dying panel discussion on October 7, 2026, at Flying Pig Improv’s new location, 2320 E. Douglas at Grove, in Wichita, Kansas. (Parking and entrance in back.)
The End Panel Discussion
$10.25
October 7, 2026, 6:00 – 8:00 PMFlying Pig Improv
The End Panel Discussion
Nobody gets out alive. So why are we so damn uncomfortable talking about death?
Join us for The End, a candid conversation about death, dying, and everything that comes with it. We’ll talk about what happens at the end of life, the choices we can make, the questions we don’t think to ask, and the things we wish we’d known sooner. We’ll explore how to prepare, how to advocate for ourselves and the people we love, and how to approach the end with a little more knowledge—and maybe a little less fear.
We are meeting at Flying Pig Improv’s new location at 2320 E. Douglas Ave. and Grove, 6 to 8 PM.
Jami Andrews (Jackson-Howell)
Jami Andrews (Jackson-Howell) is a Wichita native and third-generation funeral professional who proudly continues a family legacy of nearly 100 years of service to the Wichita community. Inspired by her grandfather’s compassion for families, Jami developed an early appreciation for the importance of meaningful, personalized care.
She earned her Mortuary Science degree from Kansas City, Kansas Community College in 2019 and became a Licensed Funeral Director in 2021. Her career with Dignity Memorial Wichita has included service at DeVorss Flanagan-Hunt Mortuary, Resthaven Mortuary and Gardens of Memory, and Lakeview Funeral Home & Cemetery. She advanced from Lead Director to Location Manager before becoming General Manager of Lakeview in 2025.
Jami is deeply committed to serving families with compassion, dignity, and understanding. Outside of her professional life, she is devoted to her family, who continue to inspire the purpose and care she brings to the families and community she serves.
Lai-L C. Daugherty, Executive Director, Wichita Medical Research and Education Foundation
Lai-L Daugherty joined The Wichita Medical Research and Education Foundation as the incoming Executive Director in June 2025. In her new capacity, she will lead daily business operations, drive innovative program development, and spearhead strategic organizational expansion. Lai-L is an experienced professional with demonstrated leadership and administrative success in higher education, non-profit organization leadership and development, community engagement, and stewardship. A proud Wichita native, she earned her bachelor’s degree in communications from Kansas State University and a master’s in leadership from Southwestern College.
Lai-L is committed to serving her community. Lai-L’s dedication to service is exemplified by her active involvement on the boards of several organizations, including the Wichita Art Museum, the Wichita Educational Foundation, and Arts Partners. Outside of her professional commitments, she finds joy in exploring new destinations, solving intricate jigsaw puzzles, attending fine arts events, and cherishing moments with her husband and their Miniature Schnauzer.
Chasni Gifford, Good Shepherd Hospice
Chasni Gifford is a healthcare professional with 20 years of experience in the senior care and hospice industry. For the past 13 years, she has been a dedicated member of the Good Shepherd Hospice team, where she currently serves as Director of Business Development.
Throughout her career, Chasni has developed a deep passion for educating healthcare professionals, families, and communities about hospice and end-of-life care. She has seen firsthand how difficult conversations surrounding serious illness, dying, and end-of-life wishes can be; and how powerful those conversations can become when approached with compassion, honesty, and understanding. Chasni believes conversations about end-of-life care should not simply begin during a crisis. Instead, she encourages individuals and families to have these discussions earlier, giving them the opportunity to understand their choices, communicate their wishes, and focus on what matters most to them.
In her role with Good Shepherd Hospice, Chasni works closely with healthcare professionals and community partners to increase awareness and understanding of hospice, strengthen relationships and help ensure that patients and families have access to the education, resources, and support they need during some of life’s most challenging moments.
At the heart of Chasni’s work is a simple but important belief: when we become more comfortable talking about end-of-life care, we empower people to make informed choices about how they want to live, how they want to be cared for, and what matters most at the end of life.
Miranda McKellips has spent most of her life finding a reason to get behind a microphone. She’s been singing in Kansas bands since 2001, with stops from Nashville to Vegas, and has spent years on Wichita radio. These days, you’ll find her singing with Annie Up, working in community engagement, and being mom to Nash.
But some of Miranda’s most meaningful work has happened in much quieter rooms. Her experiences caring for people at the end of life—first personally, then as a CNA in hospice—changed the way she understands death, dignity and what it means to truly care for another person. She has learned that dying isn’t always peaceful or pretty, and that sometimes the most important thing you can do is simply stay, listen, hold a hand and honor the person in front of you.
Her hospice work also led her to explore the world of death doulas and find unexpected connections to the Mexican Catholic traditions of her upbringing. Along the way, she discovered that she was remarkably at ease in a space where many people struggle to be—and that the stories, music and personalities of the people she cared for mattered right up to the end.
Offstage, Miranda speaks openly about living with bipolar disorder and surviving postpartum psychosis. Her work in 911 and hospice has given her a unique perspective on life when it gets complicated, and sparked a passion for connecting with others who are trying to find their own version of balance. She’s still working on hers.
Jill D. Miller is an entrepreneur, educator, author, and community leader who has spent her career helping people navigate change and make informed decisions. Through her consulting company, Creative Solutions, she has worked with entrepreneurs and organizations since 1998, and she currently serves as Program Director of the Empowered Senior Seminar Series.
Jill is also an adjunct professor at Wichita State University, Headmistress of the Finishing School for Modern Women, and founder of the Badass Women of Wichita Alliance. A frequent speaker, facilitator, and event host, she is passionate about fostering meaningful conversations that educate, empower, and connect the community.
This event is open to the public, and everyone is welcome.
The registration fee is $10, payable at the door or in advance.
The League of Women Voters is a nonpartisan political organization, open to both women and men, encouraging the informed and active participation of citizens in government. It influences public policy through education and advocacy.
Thank you to our sponsor, Optometric Billing Solutions!
Because of their sponsorship, we’re able to keep the prices for our Badass Women of Wichita Alliance events at only $10, including panel discussions.
At 10501 W. Hampton Lakes in Maize, OBS is a woman-owned, nationally recognized insurance billing company for optometrist clinics in 43 states. It was named by the Wichita Business Journal as one of the best places to work in Wichita, based on confidential employee job satisfaction surveys.
If you’re ready for a career in an employee-centered company with flexible hours and options to work at home after training, OBS wants to talk to you! Go to https://bit.ly/OBSBadass for more information.
Sending a resume to [email protected] and letting OBS know the applicant is referred by the Badass network automatically guarantees them an interview. Make sure they drop your name when they apply! OBS rewards your referral with $150 cash each time the person you sent gets hired!
Because We’re Never Finished
The Finishing School for Modern Women, located in Wichita, Kansas, offers classes to help women find their authentic selves, not because we need finishing, but because we’re never finished. We bring together women of all ages to learn from experts and each other how to claim our power in business, finance, communication, and life.
To learn more about what we do:
