Staff

Debbie Richards

Director of Community Engagement

Debbie is a native Marylander and graduate of the University of Pittsburgh. She previously worked as the managing editor of various trade magazines.

Debbie enjoys spending time with her husband and four amazing boys. You can usually find her on a baseball or soccer field cheering on her kids.

Angela Eiss

Chief Operations Director & Licensed Funeral Director

Angela was raised in northern New York. She graduated with a Mortuary Science degree from the University of the District of Columbia, where she now sits on the Advisory Board of the Mortuary Program. Angela is a dedicated Licensed Funeral Director and Mortician in Maryland, Virginia, and the District.

With more than 10 years of experience in the funeral industry as well as more than 10 years in the hospitality industry, she has learned to tailor funerals to the individual’s needs as well as motivate her team for the highest quality standards.

Angela has two sons, one of which is active-duty U.S. Navy. Her husband is a retired police officer.

When she’s not in work mode, Angela enjoys being barefoot in the sand, chasing the waves, boating, or simply soaking up the sun. The ocean or bay is her happy place — a space to recharge, reflect, and just breathe.

Maria Zayas

Licensed Funeral Apprentice & Spanish Speaking

Maria was raised in Annapolis, MD. She is an aspiring funeral director. She loves nature, books, and spending time with her siblings.

Brenda Rivas

Administrative Assistant & Spanish Speaking

Brenda was born in Washington, DC. She enjoys reading, going to museums, and good coffee.

Edwin Vega

Administrative Assistant & Spanish Speaking

Edwin started at Sagel Bloomfield Danzansky Goldberg in 2018 as a crematory operator. He is bilingual in English and Spanish. He loves to play the drums, guitar, bass, and piano.

Fernanda Vicente Guil

Administrative Assistant & Spanish Speaking

Fernanda was born in Guatemala and moved to the United States in 2003. She enjoys learning about different cultures as well as engaging in pop culture.

Fernanda loves spending time with her daughter, along with cooking and baking a variety of cuisines.

Sara Mendoza

Concierge & Spanish Speaking

Sara is originally from Barranquilla, Colombia. When she’s not serving at the funeral home, Sara works as a biology professor at Northern Virginia Community College.

Ed Sagel

Co-Owner & Licensed Funeral Director

Ed is a native Marylander and graduate of Towson University. He received his Mortuary Science Degree in Atlanta, Ga.

Ed began his career at Danzansky Goldberg Memorial Chapels; however, a few months later the Goldberg family decided to sell their interest in the company. Determined to continue his path of helping others find their way through death, Ed envisioned a new approach to the industry. In 1994, he opened a retail storefront funeral home that catered to the needs of the Jewish Community, while keeping costs to families low. Thus, Edward Sagel Funeral Direction was born.

In a short time, Ed built a great reputation in the community. Two years later, he decided to sell his company to Service Corporation International (SCI)/Dignity Memorial. He was so intertwined with the community that SCI asked him to continue to manage Edward Sagel Funeral Direction as well as Danzansky Goldberg Memorial Chapels. In 2014, Ed was given the opportunity to buy back his company along with Danzansky Goldberg Memorial Chapels.

Ed has two children who live in Baltimore. His son, Sammy, plans to follow his father’s footsteps and attend mortuary school. His daughter, Grace, helps with the business while pursuing her Masters Degree in psychology. Ed now resides in Northern VA with his two fur babies, Benji and Milo.

Al Bloomfield

Co-Owner & Licensed Funeral Director

Albert is a third-generation funeral director. A graduate of the University of Maryland, he began his career at his family-owned funeral home, Bloomfield-Cooper Jewish Chapels in New Jersey, which was established in 1978. Post college, he moved back to NJ to apprentice alongside his father and grandfather while also attending Mercer Community College Mortuary Program.

Albert managed two of his family operated Jewish funeral home locations, and it 1996, they sold the company to SCI/Dignity Memorial. Al was a well-respected expert with deep ties in his community, so he continued to manage the funeral home locations.

In 2014, Albert was approached by Ed Sagel to join him in purchasing Edward Sagel Funeral Direction and Danzansky-Goldberg Memorial Chapel. He knew this was a unique opportunity to build a future within the DMV’s thriving Jewish community that he could not pass up. Albert eagerly accepted this partnership, moving his family down to Maryland, and thus Sagel Bloomfield Danzansky Goldberg Funeral Care was established.

Albert and his wife, Marnee, reside in Potomac and have three children – two of which live in the area. Daniel works as a funeral director at the company and has been helping since he was young; Max recently received his master’s degree in professional studies in industrial/organizational psychology; and Joseph attends Drexel University where he’s studying photography. They also have two fur babies, Roxie and Oscar.

Albert’s current and past leadership roles include serving as:
*President, Jewish Funeral Directors of America
*Vice President, Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC) of Greater Washington
*Member, Bender JCC of Greater Washington
*Board member, Amity Club of Washington
*Board member, State Board of Morticians and Funeral Directors
*Member, Washington Rockville Elks Lodge 15

Under Al’s leadership, the entire team remains deeply committed to living out the company’s core values: compassion, community, and care.

Lisa Vandewalle

Location Manager, Rockville & Licensed Funeral Director

Lisa was raised in Wisconsin and southern California. She graduated from Community College of Baltimore County with a degree in Mortuary Science. While completing her degree, she began working at Sagel Bloomfield as an assistant to the funeral director.

Lisa is dedicated to serving families through her passion for green burial, non-traditional services and allowing families to honor their loved ones in unique and personal ways.

In her free time, she enjoys traveling, reading and spending time with her cats, Ginny and Midnight.

Brian Cable

Location Manager, Woodbine & Licensed Funeral Director

Brian has lived in Montgomery County for more than 20 years and enjoys serving the area's diverse population and cultures. He enjoys traveling with his partner and spending time with his two Cocker Spaniel puppies.

David Berkey, II

Crematory Manager & Licensed Funeral Director

David has been in funeral service for more than 10 years. After graduating from mortuary school with summa cum laude honors, he moved to the Annapolis area with his wife, where they have been since 2020.

David has always had a drive for self-improvement. After managing a different funeral home for a large conglomerate, he decided to move to operational management.

In his spare time, David enjoys going to see independent and foreign films, concerts, and kayaking on the South River.

Andrew Linthicum

Director of Advanced Planning & Licensed Funeral Director

Andy has had an extensive management career of more than 30 years in the funeral care business and 8 years in cremation management. He is a licensed insurance agent in Maryland and Virginia, and a licensed Funeral Director in Maryland, DC, Virginia, and Pennsylvania. He is also a Certified Funeral Service Practitioner and Certified Pre-need Consultant.

Andy has three grown children and is active in multiple community organizations.

Larry Shor

Director of Monument Sales and Service Division

Larry, a native Washingtonian, became the Director of Monuments in 2015. With decades of sales and customer care experience, he can thoughtfully and knowledgably guide families through all phases of a monument purchase.

Larry is fully involved in all aspects of the process: the initial meeting, preparation of the monument design, securing necessary cemetery permits, and the final installation or unveiling of the monument at the cemetery. Larry personally visits the local gravesites of every client to ensure that the appropriate monument is selected for placement. His caring and personalized service extends throughout the process so that he can confirm that a monument will be delivered on time and in accordance with the customer’s requests. Larry has placed monuments in cemeteries of all faiths in the Washington, DC and New York-New Jersey metropolitan areas, each with their own rules and guidelines for monument options.

Linda Fox Lehman

Controller

Linda has more than 35 years of finance and accounting experience in various industries. She graduated from Washington University in St. Louis with a BSBA in Accounting. Linda enjoys spending time with family and friends, traveling, and reading.

Christine Linthicum

Insurance Agent

Chrissy was born and raised in Baltimore, Md., and spent more than 29 years in the field of contracting in the Silver Spring area.

She enjoys spending time with her husband, their kids, their grandbaby and their fur babies. Her favorite activities include listening to music, cooking, gardening and spending time in nature.

Jesse Lehman

Accounting Associate

Jesse graduated from the University of Maryland Robert H. Smith School of Business in 2023. He loves traveling, watching sports, and spending time with friends, and family.

Daniel Bloomfield

Licensed Funeral Director

Daniel is a fourth-generation funeral director. He grew up in New Jersey and moved to Maryland in high school when his father became co-owner of Sagel Bloomfield Danzansky Goldberg Funeral Care. He immediately started helping with the family business.

Daniel has a bachelor’s degree in criminology and criminal justice from the University of Maryland and received his degree in funeral service arts and sciences from the Pittsburgh Institute of Mortuary Science. He enjoys playing board games and hiking with his dog, Fig Newton, who happily frequents the office.

Ron Rivenburgh

Licensed Funeral Director

Ron has been passionate about the funeral industry since the age of 15, after the tragic loss of a high school friend. At 18 years old, he volunteered as an autopsy assistant at a local hospital, working closely with the medical examiner. He soon enlisted in the Navy, pursuing medical and forensic studies. His travels and assignments took him around the world, opening his eyes to different funeral customs and traditions.

After Ron’s third deployment, he accepted orders to the Office of the Armed Forces Medical Examiner, supporting DOD casualties around the world. While on active duty, he attended Catonsville Community College and accepted a part-time funeral apprenticeship at Danzansky Goldberg.

After 9/11, Ron was deployed to Dover Port Mortuary in support of 9/11 Pentagon casualties. In 2004, Ron transferred to Navy Casualty, serving as Branch Chief Mortician and liaison to Dover Port Mortuary, the Office of the Armed Forces Medical Examiner, and Joint POW-MIA DNA Center for DOD Casualty Affairs.

Upon his retirement in 2010, Ron transferred to the Uniformed Services Anatomical Director for the School of Medicine. A few years later, he returned part-time to Sagel Bloomfield, continuing his passion in the funeral care industry.

Ron enjoys spending time with his wife, Joanne. Together, they've raised four children and now have two adorable Grandsons.

Jaime Maynard

Licensed Funeral Director

Jaime was born and raised in Monmouth County, NJ. As a licensed funeral director and mortician in Maryland and New Jersey, she is committed to providing meaningful services that honor each family's needs.

When she's not working, she's happiest spending time with her two young children, wonderful husband, and two lovable dogs.

John Zavrotny

Licensed Funeral Director

John is a second-generation funeral director from Bel Air, MD. He received his mortuary science degree from the Community College of Baltimore County and has more than 10 years of experience in the field.

In his free time, John enjoys spending time with his partner and two cats, outdoor activities such as hiking and foraging, cooking, and going to concerts.

Leah Green

Administrative Assistant

Su Kim

Licensed Funeral Apprentice

Su is a South Korean native, currently pursuing a degree in Mortuary Science. Motivated by her own experience with her mother's passing, Su is dedicated to becoming a licensed funeral director to support families during their most challenging times. She draws inspiration from her family's resilience and strength while navigating such difficult topics.

Outside of work, Su enjoys spending quality time with friends and family, playing with her stinky dog, Boobie, and taking naps during thunderstorms. She loves to travel, take road trips to the beach, and appreciates the delicate moments of every day.

Amy Land

Administrative Assistant

Kailah Matthews

Administrative Assistant

Molly "Ember" Mushrush

Licensed Funeral Apprentice

Ember is an aspiring Funeral Director and Mortician. He has a degree in biochemistry from UMBC and is currently working toward his mortuary science degree.

Ember loves playing with his adopted, silly cat named Bip. He enjoys reading mystery books and watching thriller movies, as well as crocheting clothing for family and friends.

Wynter Raymond-Richardson

Administrative Assistant

Wynter is currently in school to become an anesthesiologist. She loves reading, travelling, and spending time with friends and family. She also started a program with friends that donates toys and care packages during the holidays to multiple women's and children's shelters in Maryland.

With personal experiences with grief, she is dedicated to serving families with respect and empathy.

Alex Redd

Administrative Assistant

Sam Sagel

Administrative Assistant

Sam grew up in Frederick, Md. and attended Towson University where he was VP of Theta Chi Fraternity. He plans to continue his education in mortuary science to follow in the footsteps of his father and continue the family business.

Sam is an avid Business reader and a Baltimore Orioles and Ravens fan.

Romulus "Rome" Salix

Licensed Funeral Apprentice

Rome is an aspiring Funeral Director and Mortician. Rome enjoys participating in community activism in Maryland, with a focus on LGBTQ2+ rights, as well as nature, music, and drawing.

Marielle Unger

Administrative Assistant

Marielle was born in Florida, but is a longtime Maryland resident. She is currently working towards a Mortuary Science degree. In her free time, she enjoys music, the arts, and classic literature.

Ginger Rowley

Crematory Supervisor

Ginger has had her crematory license since 2009. She loves animals, including her horses and dog named Bodie. She spends as much time as possible with her sister, Laura, traveling to her happy place- the Outer Banks.

Cierra Corley

Crematory Operator

Jon Katz

Crematory Operator

Jon was born and raised on the Eastern Shore of Maryland. He received his crematory operator license in 2022 and became part of the Woodbine team. Jon enjoys playing Magic: The Gathering, Dungeons & Dragons, and video games.

Kevin Lane

Funeral Care Team Supervisor

Kevin grew up in Frederick, MD, and played lacrosse for his high school team at Oakdale High. He is planning to attend mortuary school. In his spare time, Kevin enjoys watching sports.

Luke Boopraj

Funeral Care Team Member

Trevor Foskey

Funeral Care Team Member

Abby Garfinkel

Funeral Care Team Member

Abby is an aspiring Funeral Director and Mortician. She grew up in Chevy Chase, MD, and received her bachelor’s degree from Flagler College. She is currently working towards a mortuary science degree.

Abby is an avid runner and online content creator. She has two dogs named Scotty and Sunny.

Ra-Sean Morris

Funeral Care Team Member

Ben Rivenburgh

Funeral Care Team Member

Ben is a second-generation funeral care industry professional. He graduated from Towson University with a B.S. in Electronic Media and Film. He is a vocalist and vocal percussionist, as well as an avid traveler and music enthusiast.

Roxie Bloomfield

Registered PAL Therapy Dog

Roxie is a Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier. She is a Registered PAL (People. Animals. Love.) Therapy Dog, offering love, support, and a little light during life’s most difficult moments. Roxie loves to spend time at the office, where she gets lots of pets and offers cuddles to staff.

Benji Sagel

Comfort Dog

Benji is a loyal friend and companion. He is very relaxed and enjoys visiting the office for staff and clients to pet. Benji loves to eat and take walks.