DC Committee on Health Roundtable on Nominees to Boards of Funeral Directors and Nursing - April 2, 2026
DC Committee on Health Roundtable on Nominees to Boards of Funeral Directors and Nursing - April 2, 2026
On Thursday, April 2, 2026, at 9:32 AM, the Committee on Health, chaired by At-Large Councilmember Christina Henderson, convened in Room 412 of the Johnny Wilson Building and via Zoom to consider three nominees: Casey Martin (reappointment) to the Board of Funeral Directors, and Dr. Cami Cooper (reappointment) and Dr. Tyrus Ford (new appointment) to the Board of Nursing. The nominees testified and answered questions. The committee is scheduled to vote on the nominations the following week.
Discussion Items
- Board of Funeral Directors – Casey Martin (Reappointment): Ms. Martin, a funeral director since 2003 and the first female Muslim funeral director in the DMV, described her background managing a family-owned funeral home serving Muslim and Christian communities. Her priorities for the board include strengthening the district's burial assistance program, mentorship for young women, and upholding professional standards. In response to questions about a licensing reform bill that would split the funeral director and embalmer licenses, Ms. Martin indicated she values a comprehensive understanding of all aspects of the profession, especially for business owners. She praised the Maryland board’s practice of having an attorney on hand. Discussing the trend of retirement among funeral directors, she cited modest salaries and lack of benefits at independent homes, and suggested that including funeral directors in career fairs could attract younger entrants.
- Board of Nursing – Dr. Cami Cooper (Reappointment): Dr. Cooper, an active-duty officer in the U.S. Public Health Service Corps and psychiatric nurse practitioner, emphasized her focus on mental health and her role as chair of the board's discipline committee. She noted that her professional experience informs a compassionate approach to disciplinary matters, focusing on wellness and standards. For her next term, she hopes to establish more stable common practices and foster innovation to stay ahead of trends. A discrepancy in her biographical summary (University of Cincinnati vs. Hampton University) was clarified: Dr. Cooper confirmed she attended Hampton University.
- Board of Nursing – Dr. Tyrus Ford (New Appointment): Dr. Ford, a family nurse practitioner and HIV specialist, shared that he was recruited and applied for the vacancy. His priorities include elevating HIV care as a core nursing competency, promoting health equity, and integrating mental health into nursing practice. He highlighted DC’s milestone of the lowest number of new HIV cases and the need to destigmatize HIV care. Regarding his certifications, Dr. Ford noted that his ANCC and HIV specialist certifications are in renewal and should be finalized by April 28, 2026, and that the HIV specialist exam is offered only once per year in September. He affirmed his commitment to board service.
Key Outcomes
- The committee will consider and vote on the nominations at its next business meeting (scheduled for April 6, 2026, at 9:00 AM).
- Chair Henderson confirmed attendance records for the reappointments and received verbal commitments from all three nominees to fulfill their duties.
- The meeting was adjourned at 10:17 AM.
Meeting Transcript
Good morning. I like to call this round table to order. Today is Thursday, April 2nd, 2026. The time is 9 32 AM. We are in room four twelve of the Johnny Wilson building. Um, and we're also available on the Zoom internet platform. I'm at large council member Christina Henderson, chair of the committee on health. Today we will hear from two excuse me, two nominees to the board of nursing and one to the board of funeral directors. Um first, we're gonna talk a little bit about each of the boards. The board of funeral directors um is a newly assigned board under the committee on health. It regulates licensed funeral directors and funeral home establishments. The board consists of five members appointed by the mayor, four must hold a funeral director license and have practice a minimum of three years. One must be a non-licensed funeral director representing consumers. PR twenty-six dash five four eight, the board of funeral directors, Casey Martin um confirmation resolution of twenty twenty-six nominates Casey Martin to the board as a funeral director for a term to end March first, twenty twenty-nine. She is the manager and director of a funeral home that provides traditional and islamic services in the district and has served in the capacity for twenty-three years. As a funeral director, she has provided the district's Muslim community with funeral services such as burials, memorials, and funerals. Um the practice of advanced registered nursing registered okay. Public Health Service Commander with 20 years of federal service. She currently serves as a behavioral health and wellness officer at NOAA, the National Weather Service, and is the emotional wellness co-lead at US PHS. She holds her DPN from Jess Queen. Duquesne, Duquesne University, and as a board certified psychiatric mental nurse health practitioner. In 2025, she was inducted as a fellow of the American Academy of Nursing, one of the highest nursing honors. She also runs a private psychiatric practice. Wellness takes fortitude and has taught at Washington Advanced University as well as American University, and she's award for a resident. PR 26-556, the Board of Nursing, Dr. Tyrus Ford confirmation resolution of 2026 nominates Tyrus Ford to the Board of Nursing as a registered nurse filling a vacant seat formally held by Michelle. There's no last name for the remainder of an unexpired term to end July 21st, 2026. And for a subsequent term to end July 21st, 2029. Dr. Ford is a board certified family nurse practitioner and doctor of nurse practice, specializing in primary care, HIV prevention and treatment, LGBTQ health. He currently serves as full-time and primary care nurse NP and HIV specialist at CCI Health Services and part-time as the medical director of trust in the journey wellness, his own practice in Washington, D.C. He has over eight years of nursing experience across critical care, community health, and clinical leadership settings, and has been an active speaker and advocate on HIV prevention and health equity issues across the DMV. He is currently pursuing a PMHNP postgraduate certificate at George Washington, or excuse me, Georgetown University, and it's expected in December. He is a Ward 7 resident. Sorry about that. Do some edits next time. If any of my colleagues join us, we'll certainly join. But Ms. Martin, Dr. Cooper, and Dr. Ford, if you want to come to the table, so I can swear you in and we can get started. Okay. If you all can raise your right hand, do you swear or affirm under penalty of law that the testimony you're about to provide to the council of the District of Columbia and this committee is the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. Great. Okay. Ms. Martin, you can start. You just need to uh turn your mic on. There's a little button. There you go.
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