EricsHouse Governing Board
Founder/Chairman, Professional Certified Coach (PCC), Marianne Gouveia
Certified Grief Recovery Specialist (GRS) Certified Grief Companion (Dr. Wolfelt Method)
Marianne spent 35 years as an aerospace and defense executive. She was President and Vice President along with various other capacities with a concentration on international business development and program management. She owned and operated an international aerospace company for more than 10 years.
Marianne left corporate America to pursue a business coaching certification through the Institute for Professional Excellence in Coaching (iPEC) and is a Professional Certified Coach (PCC) with the International Coaching Federation (ICF). After the loss of her youngest son, Marianne chose to turn her tragedy into good for others. She founded EricsHouse in 2017 to help those left behind sort through these devastating losses in order to integrate their grief so they may find joy and happiness again. EricsHouse helps people rise, survive, and thrive even in the face of devastation.
Outside of her corporate life, she experienced a number of life transitions encompassing career, business, loss of a sibling, loss of a child, loss of parents, a divorce, a Down Syndrome son, a Down Syndrome sister.
Founding Member- Greg Eckerman
Greg is an aerospace mechanical engineer by training and has spent the majority of his career working in the aerospace industry and then as a business process improvement (BPI) consultant.
After his youngest stepson Eric died, Greg struggled to express and deal with his grief – as many men do. Long-held priorities seemed less significant, new values took precedence.
Greg and Eric’s Mom founded EricsHouse in 2017. Since then, he has become a Grief Specialist, leads Men’s Groups and Retreats, and designed and built a variety of landscaping projects at EricsHouse. He still works as a BPI consultant when the right projects come along.
Vice-Chairman / PR, Marketing & Media – Patty Kincaid, ACC
Patty Kincaid has a passion for EricsHouse and supported the mission since its inception. To the Vice-Chairman role, she brings 30 years of hands-on business experience and an unerring instinct for creating a productive environment for transformation as the mission of EricsHouse grows. Her goal as PR/Marketing Chair is to use her knowledge and marketing experience to help educate and inform the local and national community about EricsHouse and the services it provides for loss survivors while creating lasting relationships with clients, community partners and the media.
As a loss survivor, Patty shares her experience. “The traumatic death of a loved one is a life-changing event like no other. At EricsHouse we strive to create an environment that will protect hearts, comfort grief and create a road map through to the rest of your life.”
Patty is an Associate Certified Coach (ACC) through the International Coaching Federation (ICF) and has a current coaching practice focused on executives in transition. She has spent her career working with businesses across the country to improve their leadership, business processes and bottom line. Her background includes professional sales trainer, media consultant, marketing specialist and is currently the VP/GM for Media Staffing Network, a national executive talent acquisition and recruitment firm serving the media industry.
Integrative Medical Advisor – Kathleen Benjamin Rickard, DNP, APRN, FNP-C
Dr. Kathleen is a nationally certified Family Nurse Practitioner working in private practice since 1997 and specializes in energy medicine. Her 12 years of emergency nursing experience grounds her present work.
She maintains a strong practice integrating numerous holistic modalities including energetic healing, reiki, functional nutritional medicine, yoga, visceral manipulation, neuro-muscular manipulation, and life coaching. Dr. Kathleen has been invited to speak across the country on numerous holistic health topics. Her doctoral project was titled: Breathing Techniques Associated with Improved Health Outcomes and was published in 2015.
Director – Sanjeev Javia
Sanjeev Javia has been involved with causes supporting bereavement, grief and loss, for over 15 years. Sanjeev is one of the original board members and individuals to help start Judi’s House, a bereavement center in Denver that now, in its 19th year, serves thousands of families throughout Colorado each year. His dedication to supporting non-profit endeavors has also provided him the opportunity to serve on advisory boards and volunteer at organizations such as Michigan From The Heart, Friends For The Youth, SAY The Stuttering Foundation For The Youth, and Alliance For A Healthier Generation.
Sanjeev is excited and honored to be able to work with EricsHouse and offer the experience he gained from Judi’s House as well as his business ventures. Sanjeev has an MBA from the Thunderbird School of Global Management and an undergrad degree from the University of Michigan.
Secretary – Sara Combs
Sara Combs is a registered nurse, mother, and loss survivor. She found EricsHouse in 2018 after the passing of her son, Adam, to a fentanyl overdose. Once introduced to Marianne, healing was able to begin. “EricsHouse provided me with counseling and emotional support. Although my grief will always be with me along with my son’s spirit, I feel I am growing each and every day.”
Adam’s Room at EricsHouse is sponsored by Sara. “It is full of love and is a reflection of my son’s interests in music and sports.”
Sara has been a nurse for several years working in various fields. However, after the loss of her son, she now works in the field of addiction recovery and mental illness. Having gone through a loss herself, Sara feels compelled to do what she can to change the stigma of addiction and to save lives. “Supporting EricsHouse and working in the field of addiction, brings me peace knowing others are being helped.”
