Greg Brown is an end-of-life doula living in Columbus, Ohio. His private doula practice, Armonia Maxima, LLC, particularly welcomes opportunities to meet the needs of LGBTQIA+ clients and people whose support systems and family/friend networks are atypical. In the role of Family Services Coordinator for Lifeline of Ohio, Central Ohio’s Organ Procurement Organization, he guides donor families through the donation process, which often occurs during a period of sudden trauma and acute grief. Greg’s work in the donation space has been a pivot from his work as a doula in that the dying people he serves are usually no longer able to communicate their own wishes. This experience has led him to emphasize to doula clients (and also friends, family, and anyone who will listen) the importance of documenting our final wishes long before we can no longer speak for ourselves. Working alongside healthcare teams, Greg embraces daily opportunities to model the doula approach to care as he supports and companions the nurses and doctors who themselves are grieving the loss of a patient.
Greg received a Master of Arts in Music Theory from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and has never stopped centering his life around music, whether teaching college-level music theory, giving piano lessons to children, singing in choirs, playing keyboards in a band, or volunteering to make playlists for people receiving hospice care. He loves late-night conversations about how people of all cultures use music and memory to make meaning in all stages of their lives, particularly during the final weeks, days, and hours.