A Life Devoted to Faith, Wisdom, and Service
Dr. Gloria Thomas Anderson is an interdisciplinary scholar and licensed master social worker whose work bridges faith, emotional wellness, cultural understanding, and ethical decision-making.
She holds:
- PhD in Curriculum & Instruction & Educational Leadership, Policy, and Foundations
- Master of Social Work (MSW)
- Licensed Master Social Worker (LMSW)
Her academic and professional career spans higher education, healthcare, community leadership, ministry, and national advocacy. She is widely recognized for her culturally grounded approach to end-of-life care, grief support, spirituality, and relationship health, offering insight that is both deeply human and spiritually anchored.
Dr. Gloria does not rush people through healing or growth. She walks with them—helping them rediscover gratitude, clarity, and meaning in every season of life.
Written Works That Encourage, Equip, and Endure
Dr. Gloria is the founder of Heart Tones™, home to her published books and inspirational resources. Her work includes the nationally recognized and CDC-recommended:
The African-American Spiritual & Ethical Guide to End-of-Life Care:
“What Y’all Gon’ Do With Me?” (9th Edition)
Her writing addresses spirituality, ethics, relationships, prayer, and meaning—offering readers wisdom that is practical, compassionate, and deeply rooted in faith.
projects and Initiatives
Heart Tones™
Dr. Gloria is the founder and President of Heart Tones™, a ministry that provides customized, educational workshops and resources related to healthcare decision-making, end-of-life, and cultural competency. Heart Tones™ started in 1986 and over the years has evolved into the source of many other projects and initiatives. Even though the goals of each project may be different, they all share the same mission of providing of hope, peace, and purpose.
End-of-Life Care Guide
The African-American Spiritual and Ethical Guide to End-of-Life Care can help families talk about and make a plan in advance so that your doctors and one’s family can know what an aging family member would want in a medical emergency situation. The Guide offers trusted and relevant information, complete with helpful resources and free access links to advance care forms by State. Dr. Gloria wrote the first edition of The African-American Spiritual and Ethical Guide to End-of-Life Care in 2006 after receiving a grant to produce her research findings into a patient education resource to offer relevant information about end of life care specifically for African Americans. The Guide is a CDC-recommended advance care planning resource book. It walks readers through the practical and legal considerations in advance care planning and provides an inviting way to talk about what one’s wishes would be if they were unable to speak for themselves due to a life-threatening accident or illness.
End-of-Life Care Guide
The African-American Spiritual and Ethical Guide to End-of-Life Care can help families talk about and make a plan in advance so that your doctors and one’s family can know what an aging family member would want in a medical emergency situation. The Guide offers trusted and relevant information, complete with helpful resources and free access links to advance care forms by State. Dr. Gloria wrote the first edition of The African-American Spiritual and Ethical Guide to End-of-Life Care in 2006 after receiving a grant to produce her research findings into a patient education resource to offer relevant information about end of life care specifically for African Americans. The Guide is a CDC-recommended advance care planning resource book. It walks readers through the practical and legal considerations in advance care planning and provides an inviting way to talk about what one’s wishes would be if they were unable to speak for themselves due to a life-threatening accident or illness.
Advance Care Planning for African Americans (ACP for AA™)
ACP for AA™ is a nationwide educational outreach initiative partnering with organizations to help bridge the racial disparity gap in healthcare delivery by:
- Providing credible and culturally relevant healthcare-related information and resources
- Promoting conversational engagement about advance care planning options and preferences
- Preparing the necessary steps to complete advance care documents and choose a healthcare advocate, if unable to speak for oneself.
Timeline
2006
- Guest Lecturer: Park University Bachelors Social Work Program, Parkville, MO; Cultural End-of-Life Care.
- Invited Speaker: University of Kansas School of Medicine, Student National Medical Association; Cultural End-of-Life Care.
- Invited Speaker: UMKC Women’s Council Board of Directors; Cultural End-of-Life Care.
- Invited Presenter: North American International Conference of Spirituality & Social Work, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada; Cultural End-of-Life Care.
2008
- Invited Presenter: Children’s Mercy Hospital, Kansas City, MO; Cultural Awareness in End-of-Life.
- Invited Presenter: National Association of Social Workers (NASW) Osage Beach, MO; Cultural Awareness in End-of-Life Care.
2009
- Duke Institute on End-of-Life Care, APPEAL Conference faculty training, Duke University, Durham, NC. (Curriculum development and facilitator)
- Hospice Foundation of America, National Teleconference; Kansas City, MO.
- Invited Presenter: Social Work Empowering People Investing in the Profession, National Association of Social Workers (NASW)-Missouri
- Invited Presenter: Missouri Institute on Minority Aging, Lincoln University; Jefferson City, MO.
2010
- Guest Speaker: Highland Nursing Home and Rehab; Kansas City, MO.
- Invited Keynote Speaker: Hospice of the Valley; Youngstown, Ohio.
2011
- Invited Presenter: Center for Family Strengths: National Title IV-E Roundtable Child Welfare Conference-University of Houston Downtown.
- Guest Speaker: American Business Women’s Association, KCMO Chapter Awards Event.
- Original Monologue Reading: National Library African-American History Event, Kansas City, MO.
2012
- Community Presenter: Grief and Loss—Mental Health America of the Heartland, Kansas City, KS.
- Race Relations Panel Speaker: William Jewell College, Liberty, MO.
- Saint Luke’s Home Care & Hospice, 8th Annual Spirit-Filled Care of the Dying Conference: Panelist-Cultural End-of-Life Care.
2013
- National Association Multicultural Education: Poster Presentation: Cultural Responsiveness to Urban Children and Youth Affected by Loss.
- National Council Black Studies, Indianapolis, IN; Presenter: Topic: Healthcare, Spirituality and Decision-Making.
- Invited Presenter: Montgomery Hospice, Silver Springs, MD; African Americans & End-of-Life Care CEU Training for 150+ healthcare professionals (community-wide event).
2014
- Expert Panelist: Public Television KCPT, Live Broadcast “Consider the Conversation” program documentary on death and dying.
2015
- Expert Panelist and Presenter: Funeral Consumers Alliance-GKC, Kauffman Foundation.
- VITAS Healthcare- Keynote Speaker: National Missing Our Mothers Event, Kansas City, MO.
2016
- Discussant: Interfaith and Diversity Workgroup (Disparities and Equitable Care for the Seriously Ill)
- Coalition to Transform Advanced Care (C-TAC), Washington, DC
- Curriculum Development and Facilitator: Center for Practical Bioethics/VITAS Healthcare: The National African-American Advance Care Planning Initiative.
- Paper Presentation: Poos, B., Caruthers, L., Friend, J., & Anderson G. (2016, March).
Voices of early college academy students in a mid-western urban school setting: An innovative school program. Critical Questions in Education, San Antonio, TX.
2017
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Annual International Congress of Qualitative Inquiry (May 17-20)
Presentation Title: Use of Self as a Tool for Culturally Responsive Social Work: A Qualitative, Phenomenological Case Study
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Montgomery Hospice Center for Learning: Keynote Speaker (Oct 21)
Topic: Grief, Loss, Grace & Nurturing: An African-American Perspective
2018
- Presenter: Research Association Minority Professors (RAMP Conference) (Feb 2) Topic: Social Workers’ Use of Self for Culturally Responsive Client Engagement and Change Agency in Urban-Based Communities
- Discussant: Coalition to Transform Advance Care (C-TAC) Conference, Denver, CO; Interfaith and Diversity Workgroup (Disparities and Equitable Care for the Seriously Ill)
2019
- Expert ACP Panelist: C-TAC National Summit on Advanced Illness Care, Minneapolis, MN; Interfaith and Diversity Workgroup Conference Session
- UNCP Library Poster Presentation on Cultural Sensitivity in Grief and Loss