Founding Team
Whitney Reuling
Co-Founder
A Sonoma County native, Whitney Reuling has dedicated her career to creating innovative, community-rooted solutions. In New York City, she led programs at the intersection of food, health, and social justice, honing her ability to scale impact-driven initiatives.
As Executive Director of Sonoma Family Meal, Whitney has fought food insecurity, developed workforce training for immigrants and refugees, and launched social enterprises—efforts that have served thousands and earned regional recognition.
Guided by her lifelong connection to Sonoma County and a belief that end-of-life care should reflect how we live, Whitney co-founded Evergreen to bring thoughtful, environmentally responsible options into a traditionally extractive industry. She approaches death care the same way she has approached food systems work—by building practical, scalable models that serve both people and the planet.
Tessa Wehausen
Co-Founder
Tessa’s passion is personal: after losing her mother, father-in-law, her two best friends, and others prematurely, Tessa became the go-to support during times of loss. She knows how unprepared most people are for death.
With over 20 years as an executive in tech and education, Tessa is also a Breathwork teacher and a Death Doula. Through Evergreen, she helps people navigate end-of-life choices—from NOR to estate & event planning—bringing compassion and innovation to an end-of-life industry that hasn't been disrupted in ~150 years.
Proudly raising two third-generation Sonoma County children, Tessa plans to open Evergreen’s NOR site locally.
Through Evergreen, she’ll be offering more natural, beautiful, and conscious end-of-life options. No two lives are the same, and no two deaths should be either.