About - Critical Info

Values and qualities

Open

Empathetic

Available

Honest

Sustainable

Safe

Affordable

Flexible

Our commitment

United Nations - Sustainable Development Goals

Critical Info aligns its business practices to strive towards the following United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs Sustainable Development

Goals:

Education
No poverty (funeral)
Good health and wellbeing (focus on improving grief outcomes)
Gender equality (access for all and inclusive language use)
Reduced inequalities
Sustainable communities
Responsible consumption

Charity support

We encourage the financial support of charities and not-for-profit organisations that alleviate funeral poverty, support the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities and their connection to homelands and country as well as the importance of LGBTQIA+ and kink-friendly organisations in our deathcare community.

Research funding

As part of our social purpose, we are funding research into end-of-life planning, funeral poverty and the economic cost of death administration to the Australian community.

Social enterprise

We are a certified social enterprise with Social Traders. We commit providing Australians with clear, unbiased support for deathcare, estate management, and bereavement. We do this by reinvesting 50% or more of any annual profits towards achieving this social purpose.

Image of critical info founder - kathryn

“..Both brought me face-to-face with the crucial importance of end-of-life planning, and made me determined to establish a secure platform that would empower people with the knowledge and tools they need for informed decisions and comprehensive preparation..”

Founder story

Catherine Ashton

Catherine Ashton is the founder of Critical Info, a fully independent, certified social enterprise helping Australians improve death literacy, live with peace of mind, and support better grief outcomes for the bereaved. Catherine created Critical Info following two life-changing events: surviving a serious car accident in 2019 and the sudden death of a close friend in 2023. Both events revealed a confronting truth - most Australians are unprepared for death, and their families often suffer unnecessary confusion and stress as a result.

Catherine responded with bold action, launching Critical Info Platform, a secure, grief-informed, multimedia planning tool that guides users across 15 essential life areas. It empowers people to document their wishes, store important personal details, and communicate legacy messages through text, audio, or video. Now adopted by aged care providers, the Platform is transforming how individuals, families, and professionals plan for end-of-life. Catherine also developed the national guide My Loved One Died, What Do I Do Now?, and hosts the podcast Don’t Be Caught Dead, which has exceeded 7,000 downloads in its first year and continues to drive courageous conversations across the country.

Under Catherine’s leadership, Critical Info was certified by Social Traders in 2025, and has grown a trusted directory of over 260 organisations in end-of-life planning, deathcare, and bereavement—all without financial incentives or referral fees. She is a sought-after speaker and educator, having collaborated with Griefline, the Sustainable Funerals Group, Melville Cares, Western Suburbs Cares, and numerous local councils to deliver workshops, community events, and workforce training that build empathy and capability.

Catherine’s work has been recognised nationally for its leadership, innovation, and social impact through multiple awards and honours.

Her mission is clear: to ensure no one is caught off guard when death happens. Catherine believes end-of-life planning should be treated as a core life skill—just like budgeting or first aid—and she’s actively advocating for its inclusion in Australia’s education and health systems. She brings a powerful combination of lived experience, project management expertise, and strategic vision to her work, helping Australians reclaim agency, dignity, and connection in one of life’s most universal yet overlooked moments.

Building a better way to die — with systems, soul, and social impact.

Vokke

Critical Info’s Development Partner

Vokke is the chosen development partner behind the Critical Info Platform. Based in Melbourne, Victoria, Vokke specialises in technology-driven transformation—custom application development, integrations, AI, cloud management and security—delivering robust, scalable software for mission-critical products. Their portfolio spans health, finance, and logistics, encompassing secure patient data and workflow systems, which provides deep experience in privacy-aware design and dependable operations. Vokke is also dual ISO certified (ISO 9001 Quality & ISO 27001 Information Security), underscoring their commitment to best-practice quality management and data protection.
Vokke provides ongoing application management and technical support, ensuring the Critical Info Platform remains reliable, secure, and continuously improved for our community. Together, we’re committed to a safe, stable, and user-friendly experience that helps Australians plan with confidence. Learn more about Vokke.

Andrea Cosentino, MA, BA (Hons)

Evaluation & Grants Lead

Andrea Cosentino brings a strong research background and practical expertise in evaluation and grant development to her role as Evaluation & Grants Lead at Critical Info. With a Master’s and Honours BA in the social sciences, Andrea is passionate about evidence-based impact and building capacity in community-focused initiatives. She leads the organisation’s outcome measurements, funding strategy, and resources development ensuring everything Critical Info offers is both meaningful and measurable.

Dr. Renee Stamation

Emergency Medicine Physician

FACEM CCPU MBBS Masters Clinical Education (Candidate)

Clinical Lead Critical Care SRMO Program

PMCV Clinical Educator of the Year 2023Clinical Advisor (Emergency Medicine)

Dr Renee Stamation is a Specialist Emergency Medicine Physician who brings a unique blend of clinical experience, educational leadership and operational insight to her role as Medical Advisor for Critical Info. With a distinguished medical career that includes roles such as Co-Director of Emergency Medicine Training for the Australasian College for Emergency Medicine, Clinical Lead for Medical Education & Ultrasound, and clinician educator, she is dedicated to driving high-impact improvements in patient care, teaching and system performance. In recognition of her educational leadership, she was awarded the 2023 PMCV Clinical Educator of the Year. She also spearheaded the development of the University of Melbourne Echuca Clinical School—a testament to her vision for rural medical education and workforce development.

Clinically, Dr Stamation provides care for patients at Monash Health Casey and the Victorian Heart Hospital, and privately for Epworth Healthcare and Peninsula Private Hospital. Renee’s work at Critical Info is motivated by her provision of front line care for critically unwell patients in the emergency department, often unexpectedly at the end of their life without adequate planning, having had limited discussions with their family about their wishes, leaving the burden of critical decisions on their family and loved ones. Personally, Renee has had similar experiences with the unexpected death of her own father, the weight of decisions and conflicting opinions creating a rift in her family as they navigated the complexities of losing a loved one. Renee gives gratitude that her family were able to navigate this turbulent time, and repair the damage that her father’s lack of planning inadvertently created.

In her role at Critical Info, she applies this rich blend of clinical credibility, and personal experience to support the organisation’s vision of empowering individuals and organisations to manage critical information, plan for end-of-life matters, and create systems that reduce burden, improve clarity and promote dignity. Working within an enterprise that reinvests 50%+ of profits into death-literacy, grief-outcome change and community education, she aligns her own mission of system improvement and meaningful impact with an organisation devoted to helping people prepare for what matters most.

What we do

Critical Info Platform

Critical Info Platform allows you to document your life, your wishes, and your legacy to share with your loved ones.

Don't Be Caught Dead Podcast

The thought-provoking podcast that will challenge your perspective on life…… and death.

Listen to soul-stirring stories told by people who have experienced the death of a loved one. Learn from interviews with experts in the deathcare industry, from funeral directors to trauma cleaners.

My loved one has died, what do I do now?

The guide covers the first hours, days, weeks and months after a loved one dies, stepping you through a prioritised list of tasks you will need to complete, from the funeral arrangements to finalising the estate.

Support

Learn about end-of-life choices and connect with over 260 trusted organisations across Australia for planning, deathcare, and bereavement support—ready to assist whenever you need them.

Get in touch

Supporting the Critical Info community

We work with industry experts to provide a sound knowledge base for our users. We’d love to hear from you.

Investors

Want to invest in Critical Info? Get in touch with us.

Supporting organisations

Do you support people in end-of-life planning, deathcare or bereavement? We would like to hear from you.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander viewers are warned that the following website may contain images and voices of deceased persons.

Join the Critical Info Community and be Rewarded!

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