FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Cassidie Carmen Bates Delivers TEDx Talk on Grief, Purpose, and the Power of Lived Expertise at TEDxDuke
Duke researcher and grief support specialist highlighted the need for grief-informed support and systems
DURHAM, N.C., March 17, 2026 — Cassidie Carmen Bates delivered her TEDxDuke talk, “Grief, Purpose, and the Power of Lived Expertise,” on March 1, 2026, highlighting the concept of lived expertise advocacy, where one’s unique subject matter expertise is developed through lived experiences. Bates demonstrated how this perspective is crucial for effective public policy, especially in grief-related work, and how she has developed award-winning models that have been adopted nationwide.
A graduate researcher on grief and bereavement leave policies at the Duke Sanford School of Public Policy and a certified grief support specialist, Bates used the talk to examine how lived experience can inform stronger public policy, more humane systems, and deeper public understanding of grief.
Her work was shaped by personal loss. After the sudden passing of her father, John, Bates served as the sole executor of his estate at age 25. That experience exposed how little infrastructure existed to support grieving workers. In response, she has turned her grief journey into an advocacy focus centered on helping executors through one of the most difficult and least understood parts of loss.
In her TEDx talk, Bates explored how grief and lived expertise can become catalysts for meaningful change. Before graduate school, she spent more than five years in nonprofit leadership within the Feeding America network, where she developed and implemented award-winning legislative advocacy models nationwide. She is an alumna of the University of California, Berkeley, and a former PPIA Fellow at the Goldman School of Public Policy.
In the spirit of ideas worth spreading, TEDx is a program of local, self-organized events that bring people together to share a TED-like experience. At TEDx events, TED Talks videos and live speakers combine to spark deep discussion and connection in a small-group setting. While TED provides general guidance for the TEDx program, each TEDx event is independently organized.
TEDxDuke draws together some of Duke University’s and Durham’s most curious, creative, and progressive thinkers for intellectual discussion and community connection. Entirely student-run, the event serves as a platform for unique stories, valuable perspectives, positive dialogue, and unexpected connections that inspire momentum.
Event Details
Speaker: Cassidie Carmen Bates
Talk: Grief, Purpose, and the Power of Lived Expertise
Event: TEDxDuke
Date: March 1, 2026
About Cassidie Carmen Bates
Cassidie Carmen Bates is a graduate researcher on grief and bereavement leave at the Duke Sanford School of Public Policy, TEDx speaker, and a certified grief support specialist. Her work explores how bereavement policies are strengthened when informed by the lived expertise of grievers, in combination with subject-matter data.
With nearly a decade of public policy experience, she transitioned into grief policy following the sudden passing of her dad, John. At 25, Bates served as the sole executor of her dad’s estate, an experience that demonstrated how little infrastructure exists to support grieving workers.
Before graduate school, Bates spent more than five years in nonprofit leadership within the Feeding America network, developing and implementing award-winning legislative advocacy models nationwide. She is an alumna of the University of California, Berkeley, in Legal Studies and a former Public Policy & International Affairs (PPIA) Fellow at the Goldman School of Public Policy. She will graduate in May 2026 with her MPP from Duke Sanford.
Contact Cassidie
Cassidie is available for media, conference, and other grief- and policy-related engagements. Booking details are available at
cassidiecarmen.com.
Follow her grief and policy work on
Instagram,
TikTok,
and
LinkedIn.
About TEDxDuke
TEDxDuke is an independently organized TEDx event inspired by the TED mission of sharing ideas worth spreading. The student-run program brings together speakers and attendees from across Duke University and Durham for conversation, connection, and intellectual exchange.
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