Our Team

Meet the Heart & Soul of Grace In Exiting

Tia Cirksena

Founder & CEO

Hi, I'm Tia Cirksena, Founder and CEO of Grace In Exiting. Over my 29-year career in financial services, I dedicated myself to building and delivering tailored solutions for businesses and customers. Throughout this journey, I developed a keen sense of identifying pain points, recognizing gaps, and seizing opportunities to provide the best personalized experiences for our clients. As time passed, I found myself increasingly exposed to the inevitable aspect of life—loss. Whether it was the loss of loved ones, pets, or anything causing grief, I noticed a significant avoidance of discussions around death and its aftermath. We've all had those moments—from dismissing the conversation as unlikely to happen to feel uncomfortable discussing the inevitable or even finding the topic morbid.

Death remains a scary and taboo subject, but the reality is it's an unavoidable part of life for all of us. I aim to make this topic less intimidating, less chaotic, and more planned and organized. "Why?" you might ask. Because while death isn't celebrated, the life you've lived is. It deserves to be commemorated in a way that reflects your wishes. I am on a mission to ensure that YOUR LIFE and YOUR STORY are told and represented precisely how you want them to be.

Shelly Carrick

Director of Client Communications & Experience

Hi, I'm Shelly Carrick. I’m happy to be part of the Grace In Exiting team and to apply my decades of experience in marketing and communications. I love using my superpower of empathizing with a customer to really see our service through our customer’s eyes to create a seamless experience.

As an executor for several family members, I understand the stress and frustration that our clients are trying to avoid. Our lives are becoming increasingly complex, making our services more crucial than ever before for our clients and their families. When I am not working for Grace In Exiting, I volunteer at a farm animal sanctuary, play golf and pickleball, or hike with my husband and dogs on our Maryland farm.

Beth Soderberg

EVP Client Experience & Business Strategy

Minneapolis, MN

Hi, I’m Beth Soderberg. I’ve spent the last 25+ years in healthcare, enabling businesses to run smoothly and effectively, often bringing people together to solve complex problems.

I’ve recently lost several close family members and friends in the last ten years. This highlighted how the best-laid plans are often not enough. At Grace In Exiting, I can mix my skills and passion for helping others to enable a smoother experience for you and your loved ones. In my free time, I can be found volunteering with teens, reading, hiking, and enjoying life with my two kids and our dog.