Michaelene Dowers

Business Owner @Pollen.Care

Chattanooga, TN, US

Pollen Care, a company dedicated to supporting families through child grief by offering curated collections of bereavement literature. By leveraging nearly a decade of experience in the funeral service industry and advanced academic expertise in thanatology and crisis management, I created Pollen to address the often-overlooked need for age-appropriate grief resources. In addition to the above, I oversee all aspects of the business, from product development to customer engagement, ensuring that each curated grief box meets the specific needs of the families and children involved. Moreover, I work closely with caregivers, educators, and funeral directors to provide tools that help facilitate difficult conversations around death and loss with young minds. Some of my key accomplishments include: Launched and scaled Pollen Care by responding to organic customer demand, reaching 70+ orders within weeks of a viral Instagram feature, and significantly expanding outreach to grieving families nationwide. Curated a highly specialized catalog of childhood bereavement literature, addressing complex topics such as Alzheimer’s, sudden death, and funeral processes, which has been well-received by both families and funeral professionals. Developed a streamlined customer consultation process, allowing for personalized grief literature recommendations tailored to each child’s developmental stage and the specific nature of their loss. Forged partnerships with funeral homes, churches, and veterinary clinics, introducing Pollen Care as a trusted resource for grief support, despite initial industry hesitations. Expanded Pollen\'s offerings to include adult grief resources, with a focus on supporting mothers experiencing pregnancy loss, building the foundation for further product development in the adult grief space.

Antelope Valley College

Associate of Arts (A.A.), Liberal Arts and Sciences/Liberal Studies

University of Aberdeen

Doctor of Philosophy - PhD, Social Anthropology

Grand Canyon University

Bachelor of Arts (B.A.), Religion/Religious Studies

Saybrook University

PhD, Mind-body medicine and end-of-life care

Cypress College

Associate of Science (A.S.) Mortuary Science, Mortuary Science

Marian University of Fond du Lac

Master's degree, Thanatology

American Military University

Master of Arts - MA, Crisis/Emergency/Disaster Management