People often ask what drew me to conflict resolution work. The truth is that the work found me when I was ten years old. Back then life was feeling very tumultuous…lots of conflict/upheaval on the home front and in the background my growing awareness of the war in Vietnam. So much discord and destruction. These were the forces that gave birth to the peacemaker in me. Little did I know that my childhood inclination to “keep the peace” would lead to a career as a Conflict Resolution Consultant. Like many life experiences, my path to conflict resolution work was not a straight line. I spent a decade as CFO at the Vermont Community Foundation then moved onto an eighteen-year career at Middlebury College as a Senior Budget Analyst and Organizational Ombudsperson. Working in an institute of higher education inspired me to pursue an advanced degree in Mediation and Conflict Studies. This was the catalyst for transforming an early life penchant into a meaningful life path.
My commitment to conflict resolution work has grown out of years of work and life experience. I have immersed myself in learning and practicing the tools and techniques of mediation, facilitation and conflict coaching: to give people and organizations their best chance to emerge from a dispute equipped with their own workable solutions. During the past decade, I have helped individual, couples, families, organization, and communities navigate conflict situations and transitions.
Above all, I am passionate about helping people communicate with each other to find what works. I draw from a wide range of strategies because every conflict situation is unique and personal. As my client you will always experience respect for where you are now and for what you'd like to accomplish. Whether you're an adult sibling trying to find family agreement on elder issues, a business owner seeking greater buy-in on a new direction, or a couple working through divorce/parentage issues; I can guide you through conversations that will uncover the best solutions for you.
I am a mediator with the Vermont Family Court Mediation Program, an Assistance Panel Member of the Vermont Board of Professional Responsibility, a member of the Vermont Bar Association, and member of the Association of Family and Conciliation Courts.
MS Mediation & Conflict Studies
Vermont Family Court Mediation Program Mediator