Funeral Service Instructor Bios
Matt Adolphe | Patrick Church | Steve Dhillon | Oliver Foster | Shannon Geoffrey | Keith Jungwirth | Abraham Oniku | David Root | Brett Watson |
Matt Adolphe teaches Business Communications through online distance for the Centre for Credit Extension, Faculty of Continuing Education and Extension. Also, he teaches a variety of leadership and professional communication courses for SAIT. He holds a B.A. in Indigenous Studies and History form Laurentian University, and an M.A. in Communication Management form the University of South Australia.
Beyond teaching, his professional life has been punctuated with experiences as a political organizer, volunteer, career coach, consultant, actor, radio DJ, studio musician, speech writer, and media presenter (the first English speaking TV news presenter in Macao). Moreover, he was a founding member of the Metis Nation of Ontario in 1993.
Patrick Church BA, MTS 
Patrick Church was born and raised on a farm in the Drumheller area. Patrick completed a Bachelor of Arts in History (University of Alberta) and a Master's degree in Theology and Philosophy (College of Emmanuel and St. Chad at the University of Saskatchewan). In 2000, Patrick began his studies with the Funeral Director and Embalmer Certificate with Mount Royal University. Patrick has been licensed in Alberta, Ontario and Manitoba, serving as a funeral director, embalmer and manager. He also has had the opportunity to work as an embalmer in Japan. He is a firm believer in the Mount Royal University programs and has taught Business Practices, Embalming Theory, Funeral Directing, and the Laws and Regulations course.
Oliver Foster Oliver Foster was raised primarily in St. Albert, Alberta. He attended Mount Royal and graduated from the 2 year Funeral Director & Embalmer Certificate program. Oliver obtained his first job in the profession and became a licensed Funeral Director in 2007. He drove from Calgary to Edmonton almost every day so that he could make funeral arrangements and embalm.
In 2009, Oliver joined McInnis & Holloway as a funeral attendant. In 2010, he received his Embalmer licence and moved into the position of a full time embalmer with McInnis & Holloway. Oliver has been in the embalming suite for 7 years and joined Mount Royal University as a practical lab instructor in 2014.
Keith Jungwirth
Keith Jungwirth grew up in rural Saskatchewan eventually moving to Calgary for work and school. He graduated from the Mount Royal Funeral Director and Embalmer program in 2005 and started working at Pierson's Funeral Service. After gaining his Alberta licenses, Keith moved primarily into the embalming aspect of Pierson's. He started instructing lab groups for Mount Royal University in 2008 and is also one of the embalming licensing examiners.
David Root
David Root was born and raised in Calgary. He was born into the Pierson family that runs Pierson's Funeral Service, so has been around the funeral profession his whole life. After serving a mission for his church in California, he started his Bachelor of Science Degree at Mount Royal and worked part time at the funeral home. After about six months, he decided to transfer to the Funeral Director program and licensed as a Funeral Director. He currently manages Pierson's Funeral Service and teaches the Introduction to Funeral Service, Embalming Theory and Funeral Directing courses. He is a member of the Alberta Funeral Service Association and is involved in selected independent funeral homes. He has also served on the advisory board for Mount Royal since his graduation.
Brett Watson
Brett Watson has instructed at Mount Royal in various capacities since 2000. His primary focus has been instruction in Embalming Theory, Restorative Art and Embalming Practicum (labs).
He started his career in funeral service in 1991 by graduating from the Alberta School of Mortuary Science (precursor to Mount Royal's Funeral Service Education) under the instruction of the Cincinnati School of Mortuary Science. Brett's career began in his home town of Nipawin, Saskatchewan but much of his professional experience has been spent in Southern Alberta, managing various funeral homes including his current position at South Calgary Funeral Centre.
He has served on various committees with the Funeral Service Association of Canada (FSAC), participated on the board of directors with the Alberta Funeral Service Association (AFSA) and was President of AFSA from 2003 - 2005. Brett is also accredited with the Academy of Professional Funeral Service Practitioners (APFSP).