The Heart Behind The Hollow
About Our Founder
Anica Marcum is the founder of The Hollow Grief Collaborative, an organization dedicated to helping workplaces build compassionate, inclusive bereavement policies and grief-informed environments. Her passion for this work is deeply personal—after losing her mother in 2004 at the age of 20, Anica’s experience with grief reshaped her life and ultimately inspired her professional path.
With a bachelor’s degree in Human Resources and over six years of dedicated grief work across education, operations, and advocacy, Anica brings a rare integration of HR expertise and clinical insight. She recently completed her Master’s degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling, further expanding her capacity to support both individuals and organizations navigating grief and loss with depth, clarity, and compassion.
Above all, Anica considers her most important role to be that of a wife and mother of two. Through The Hollow Grief Collaborative, she bridges lived experience, professional training, and systemic advocacy to help employers meet grief with humanity, intention, and informed support.