Claire Richardson

Claire Richardson serves as a chaplain for Bartlett Home Health and Hospice of Juneau and is a certified Grief Coach in private practice.  A former TV and radio journalist, she has lived in Alaska since 1986 when she volunteered at KNOM Radio in Nome. She has worked across the state as a public radio producer, and community engagement specialist. She served 12 years in two Governor's Administrations in a variety of executive positions. She earned her Masters in Pastoral Studies from Seattle University and interned at the first modern day hospice, St. Christopher's in London, England in 2007. It was there that Claire witnessed the use of theater and the Arts to connect patients, their families and the staff to the surrounding community.  While Claire appreciated her university education, her real learning came caring for her husband, Lisle Hebert, who was diagnosed with ALS in 2014. With tremendous community support and hospice care, Lisle was able to die in his home surrounded by his children on January 30, 2017. Subsequently, Claire accompanied her mother on her journey with dementia and old age through COVID and up until her death in 2024. 

Passionate about educating people about end of life issues and destigmatizing the issue of death, she approached Theater Alaska (TA) that year with an idea of using the TA model of creating community driven plays that invite conversation and connection to this place we call home. Sharing the performance throughout the town with access to all, regardless of their ability to pay, was also important.

Claire hopes that this collaborative work of art will underscore the value of storytelling as teacher, the need for hospice in Juneau, and nurturing vital community connections that will allow all of us the space to prepare for end of life physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually.