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  • ACRGNY 2021 Conference Schedule and Speakers

20th ANNUAL ACRGNY CONFERENCE

LemonADR


CONFERENCE SCHEDULE



  • This conference is hosted on the platform, Whova.
  • Instructions for conference access are included in the registration confirmation
  • and conference reminder emails.

  • *Scholarships available contact conference@acrgny.org to apply.*

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CONFERENCE PROGRAMS



TUESDAY, JUNE 1



CONFERENCE KICK-OFF EVENT AND AWARDS PRESENTATION, 6PM.


We’re thrilled to announce the 2021 ACR-GNY Achievement Award honorees: Dr. Kabir Duggal and Supported Decision-Making New York. Join us as we learn more about them and their impact on the field of conflict resolution. We will also hear from Warren Hyer, Executive Director of the Central Ohio Youth Orchestra who will present a brief, interactive exercise about rhythm, communication, collaboration, and resiliency.



WEDNESDAY, JUNE 2



SESSION #1, 9:00 AM:      Building Your Resiliency.


"Resiliency is the single most important strength to build, giving you the capacity to recover quicker and stronger from challenge and adversity" This  90 minute program covers nine key areas of resiliency. Craig Coldstream and Mal Winnie will talk about defining resiliency and the benefits of struggling, reframing negative exeperiences, the characteristics of highly resilient people, setting helpful boundaries in your life, and tools to help you quickly bounce back into more resourceful emotional states. This program will both educate and empower you to make the necessary changes in your life so that you can feel more resilient, happy, successful and fulfilled. Join them for an interactive and insightful program. Suitable for anyone, any level or any organization.



SESSION #2, 11:00 AM:    It Can Take 3 to Tango: The Dance of ADR, the Courts, and the Pandemic.


There has always been a give and take between the world of ADR and the Court system. These two areas often function with different philosophies and goals. Samantha Adler, Nicholas Schmitt, and Cai Phillips-Jones will look at the way they each adapted in order to work together and create Court ADR programs prior to the pandemic in NYC, and the influence the pandemic has had on this relationship, as well as the ways they have influenced each other. We will also discuss some of the lessons we can take from the way ADR and the courts have worked together during the pandemic, and which lessons are worth carrying over when the pandemic ends. This presentation will answer the question: what has collaboration looked like between Courts and ADR during the pandemic and what should it look like moving forward?



SESSION #3, 1:00 PM (1.5 CLE ):     You’re on Mute: Mediating Employment Discrimination Disputes at the U.S. EEOC during the Pandemic.

1.5 CLE - Ethics and Professionalism - Appropriate for New Attorneys


Panel: David Reinman, Esq, Deborah Reik, Esq., Ralph Charles, Elizabeth Marcus, Esq., Joy H. Kemppainen, Esq.


The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) is responsible for enforcing federal laws that make it illegal to discriminate against a job applicant or an employee because of the person's race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, transgender status, and sexual orientation), national origin, age (40 or older), disability or genetic information. The U.S. EEOC’s Mediation Program offers parties to a charge the opportunity for a fair and efficient means to resolve their employment disputes. Mediation at the EEOC is cost-free to the parties, and participation in mediation at the Agency is always voluntary.


As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, the EEOC ceased conducting in-person mediation sessions and transitioned to holding sessions entirely through virtual platforms. Despite this change in operations, EEOC mediators continue to provide valuable mediation services to the public. Please join us for a lively discussion of the many pros and cons of remote mediations, best practices in mediating employment discrimination disputes in a virtual environment, and other challenges these EEOC mediators encountered which are unique to this federal agency.



SESSION #4, 3:00 PM (MICROSESSION):    Zoom Techniques I Learned From Actors.


At a Zoom hearing or conference, as attorneys, our clients still expect us to present ourselves and to issue "compelling performances" as if we were actually in court. Actors have learned how to do this via digital platforms and Jon Probstein will lead a discussion about what what attorneys can learn from them.



SESSION # 5, 3:30 PM:     Workplace Conflict - in a Conflict Resolution Workplace.


If therapy patients are the most likely to become therapists, are people in need of conflict resolution support most likely to become conflict resolution practitioners? And what does that mean for how we manage conflict in our conflict resolution workplaces? And with our clients? And among ourselves?! So many questions to consider in an increasingly challenging and ever evolving professional landscape. Thankfully, as conflict resolution practitioners, there are also a number of tools and techniques we can utilize and keep close at hand for these moments. In this session, Leslie Funk will discuss a variety of approaches and resources for how to manage potential workplace conflicts and you'll be that much more prepared for future challenges.





THURSDAY, JUNE 3



VIRTUAL ROUNDTABLE BREAKFAST, 8:00 AM: THE WAY OUT: How to Overcome Toxic Polarization.**


Social psychologist Peter T. Coleman explores how conflict resolution and complexity science provide guidance for dealing with seemingly intractable political differences. Deploying the concept of attractors in dynamical systems, he explains why we are stuck in this rut as well as the unexpected ways that deeply rooted oppositions can and do change.

**This event is free, but requires separate registration. Click here to attend.



SESSION #6, 11:00 AM (1 CLE Credit):     Navigating the ADR World: Speed bumps in Starting a Practice.

Panel: Diane O'Connell, Tiffany Ngeo, and Edward Lenci.

1 CLE Credit: Law Practice Management- Appropriate for New Attorneys


What does it take to build an ADR practice? The advice across the board is "don't quit your day job". And while this may be true it does not help in planning what steps to take, what works and what doesn't, and how you can navigate the complex arena of the ADR world as a newbie. This program will discuss the many resources available for newcomers and diverse individuals, how a command of technology can help pave the way, and how marketing your unique skills can make a difference, all from the perspectives of those of us who are still figuring it out.



SESSION #7, 1:00 PM (1.5 CLE Credit):      Family Business Mediation -- Addressing Unspoken Factors Driving Business Challenges.

1.5 CLE Credit: Ethics and Professionalism - Appropriate for New Attorneys


Richard Lutringer, Jack Wofford, Jane Beddall, and Natalie McVeigh explore how mediating issues among family members who are also owners of a business requires an awareness of both family dynamics and commercial realities. Often by sensitively uncovering issues that may never have been addressed within the family, including such things as addiction, adoption, bullying and scapegoating, a level of openness can be reached that will allow trust to develop.



SESSION #8, 3:00 PM:      Tools for Coercion (in all of its forms).


Conflict resolvers must support self-determination, but coercive dynamics can make it impossible for parties freely make choices. When the problem isn’t severe enough to screen out the case, we are often left navigating coercive behaviors during our sessions. What do we do? Recently, a project was launched to provide conflict resolvers with tools to address many kinds of coercion. In this workshop, Dan Berstein will share tools and best practices for addressing discrimination, workplace bullying, and dominating relationships. You will leave this program empowered to face the full spectrum of coercion, from subtle signs to case-ending events.



CONFERENCE HAPPY HOUR, 6:00PM:     ACR-GNY Celebrates Pride with Drinks and Dialogue.

Join ACR-GNY in celebrating Pride month with an evening of socializing and networking of
sharing a drink and discussion with our ADR community. Come enjoy a happy hour style,
fresh lemon cocktail demonstration with Board President Genesis Fisher, followed by an engaging presentation and discussion with Ingrid Galvez Thorp. Come and share an opportunity to discuss, network, and support our community.





FRIDAY, JUNE 4



SESSION #9, 9:00 AM:   Emerging Trends in International ADR.

Moderated by conference honoree Dr. Kabir Duggal.

Panelists: Nancy Thevinin, Esq., Verlyn Francis, Esq., Tai Heng-Cheng, Esq., Dana MacGrath, Esq., Aaron Murphy, Esq.


This roundtable, panel will discuss new trends, recent law changes and other ADR updates that will take us to 2021 and beyond. Following the panel, there will be a breakout networking session to allow the guests to have a more intimate discussion with the panelists.



SESSION #10, 11:00 AM (CLE):    The Winning Edge: Resolving High-Stakes Sports Conflicts in ADR.

Moderated by Hon. Ariel E. Belen (Ret.).

Panelists: Hon. Hugh L. Fraser (Ret), Jill Pilgrim, Mark L. Irvings


Judge Belen will moderate a panel of mediators, arbitrators and sports law experts who will share their views on the use of mediation and arbitration in resolving sports-related disputes, discuss recent developments in sports law conflicts, and address changes and lessons arising out of the worldwide pandemic.

While the financial and legal impact of COVID-19 has not yet been fully realized, sporting events have been heavily impacted. This panel will examine challenges faced by amateur and professional athletes, sports clubs and leagues, and commercial markets involved in the world of sport. Speakers will consider how preventing, managing and resolving these disputes using mediation and arbitration can benefit all parties and the industry at large. Panelists will address issues ranging from multi-million-dollar employment battles, to high-profile eligibility challenges, to the implementation of diversity, equity and inclusion commitments.



CLOSING EVENT, 1:00 PM:     Facilitated Community Dialogue: Conflict Resolution, Anti-Violence and Resiliency.

Facilitators: Andrew Sta. Ana, Linda Tepedino, JoAn Pangilinan-Taylor


Looking back to 2020's ACRGNY conference, so much has happened in this country over the last 12 months. We've seen isolation, vulnerability, enormous economic insecurity, confusion, trauma, pain, and an increase in violence against marginalized communities. We've also seen people support one another, protest in the streets, and rally together for a common good.


ACRGNY's mission is to promote the field of conflict resolution and encourage opportunities where people can collaborate, explore, and learn from one another. We want to provide a space where conference attendees can talk about what's happening in the world, how it's impacting them, and what they see are opportunities for growth and change. During this forum, three facilitators will help attendees share their stories, connect themes, and explore resiliency.

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CONFERENCE PRESENTERS

(please bear with us, we update this information weekly)


 


Samantha Adler - 'It Can Take 3 to Tango: The Dance of ADR, the Courts, and the Pandemic'

Samantha manages the Civil Court diversion program, the Community program and Lemon Law arbitration program for New York Peace Institute. She earned her B.A. in Political Science at the University of Delaware. She then earned her M.S. at NYU studying Global Affairs and concentrating in human rights, international law, and conflict resolution. Samantha wrote her graduate thesis on unusual forms of international and local conflict resolution.



 

Jane Beddall

 Jane Beddall - Family Business Mediation -- Addressing Unspoken Factors Driving Business Challenges

Jane Beddall, M.A., J.D., is the founder of Dovetail Resolutions, LLC, where she focuses on preserving and improving relationships in extended families and family enterprises. Jane is a certified CINERGY® Conflict Management Coach, seasoned mediator, facilitator, and consultant. She is also a certified Conflict Dynamics Profile® Practitioner.  Jane hosts the weekly podcast Crafting Solutions to Conflict, launched in January 2019.  She is a past president of NEACR.




 

Hon. Ariel E. Belen (Ret.), FCIArb (Moderator) - 'Hot Topics in International ADR'

Judge Belen joined JAMS in 2012 and serves as an arbitrator and mediator in complex domestic and international disputes spanning a wide array of practice areas. During his nearly eighteen-year tenure on the bench he served as an Associate Justice of the Appellate Division, Second Department and as Administrative Judge of the Supreme Court, Kings County (Brooklyn). Judge Belen also helped create and presided over the Commercial Division in Brooklyn. Judge Belen has earned a reputation as a calm, intelligent, fair, and hardworking professional while facing the many complicated issues that may arise in a dispute.

Judge Belen is a highly experienced international mediator and arbitrator. He has presented at ADR training programs for judges, attorneys, and business leaders in Guatemala, Puerto Rico and Mexico. Judge Belen is a fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, a member of the Advisory Council of the CPR International Institute for Conflict Prevention and Resolution, and a member of the International Mediation Institute. Judge Belen is a member of the Board of Advisors of the Scheinman Institute on Conflict Resolution of the Cornell University School of Industrial and

Labor Relations.

Judge Belen was appointed as the Federal Facilitator to guide the Joint Remedial Process in the New York City stop and frisk and trespass enforcement class action settlements as described in the Remedies Opinion in Floyd v. City of New York, 959 F. Supp. 2d 668 (SDNY 2013). In this program, Judge Belen was charged with assisting the City of New York and its residents with developing sustainable reforms to the stop and frisk and trespass enforcement practices of the New York City Police Department through a community based civic engagement process. Judge Belen filed his Final Report and Recommendations with the Southern District of New York in May 2018.



 


Dan Berstein - 'Tools for Coercion (in all of its forms)'

Dan Berstein, MHS is a mediator and mental health expert living with bipolar disorder. He is the Co-Chair of the Diversity Committee of the American Bar Association Section on Dispute Resolution, the co-founder of the Dispute Resolution in Mental Health Initiative at the CUNY Dispute Resolution Center, and the founder of MH Mediate, a company that has helped thousands of families and workplaces learn to resolve conflicts, address challenging behaviors, and talk about mental health. Seeing a need for tools to help conflict resolvers address coercive behaviors, Dan created a project called Conflict Resolvers Overcoming Coercion to collect these resources.



 

Beryl Blaustone (Honoree, SDMNY)

Beryl Blaustone is a Professor of Law, a Founding Faculty Member, and Founding

Director of the Mediation Clinic, Main Street Legal Services, Inc. at CUNY School of Law. Since the beginning of the School, she has contributed to the multidisciplinary design of the curriculum. She teaches Mediation, Lawyering, and Evidence. She is internationally regarded as a leading expert in clinical legal education and clinical supervision. She serves as Visiting Professor of Teaching and Learning at Northumbria School of Law in England. A practicing mediator since 1983, she is recognized as a leading authority as well as a published author in the areas of dispute resolution theory, professional role theory, and professional skills theory. She received her B.A. magna cum laude, in Latin American & Chicano Studies from the University of Minnesota in 1971, and graduated as a member of the founding class of Antioch School of Law in 1975.



 

Kristin Booth Glen (Honoree, SDMNY) 

Kristin Booth Glen is the Project Director of SDMNY and currently University Professorand Dean Emerita at CUNY School of Law. In 2012, she retired as Surrogate Judge of New York County, where she had jurisdiction over guardianships of persons with intellectual disabilities and wrote several groundbreaking decisions in that area. She has written and lectured widely on the human right of legal capacity and supported decision-making, serves on the Advisory Boards of the National Center on Supported Decision-Making and the Center for Public Representation/Nonotuck Supported Decision-Making Pilot Project, the New York State Bar Association Disability Rights Committee, was a Commissioner on the American Bar Association Commission on Disability Rights, served as an ABA observer to the Uniform Law Commissioners’ revision of the Uniform Guardianship and Protective Procedures Act (UGPPA), and as an expert at the United Nations Commission on Human Rights in Geneva, Switzerland.



 


Susan Bryant (Honoree, SDMNY)

Susan Bryant is a Professor at CUNY School of Law Professor who received both a J.D. and an LL.M. from the Georgetown University Law Center, where she was a Prettyman Fellow, and began her practice as a lawyer at the Defender Association of Philadelphia. An early advocate of clinical education as a pedagogical program for teaching law students the practice of law,

Professor Bryant has served as a consultant and trainer for the Association of American Law Schools, the Legal Services Corporation, and the United States Department of Education. She has played an important role at CUNY Law, developing and directing their nationally-recognized clinical programs, as well as teaching in both the Battered Women’s Rights and the Immigrant and Refugee Rights Clinics.



 


Ralph Charles - 'You're on Mute: Mediating Employment Discrimination Disputes at the U.S. EEOC during the Pandemic'

Ralph Charles is a Staff Mediator with the U.S. EEOC’s Newark Area office. Mr. Charles is primarily responsible for mediating cases, which originate in the northern thirteen counties of New Jersey. In addition, he provides outreach and trainings on mediation to businesses, and is often a guest speaker to law schools in New Jersey and New York. Prior to coming to the U.S. EEOC, Mr. Charles served on the mediation panels of the Civilian Complaint Review Board – mediating cases between NYPD and civilians; and NYC Family Court. He earned his basic mediation training from Fordham Law's Mediation Clinic. Although Mr. Charles studied economics at Columbia University, he concentrates most of his current reading on neuroscience and psychotherapy.



 


Craig  Coldstream - 'Building Your Resiliency'

Craig is based in Boston, ex NZ or "Kiwi", washed up in America some 10 years ago after marrying a lovely American lady. Craig has 25+ years leading teams across diverse organizations with a focus on drive for results, resilience and performance improvement across people, process, technology, systems and risk. Craig is also the current Treasurer for ACR-GNY.



 

Joan Cornachio (Honoree, SDMNY) 

Joan Cornachio is the NYC Site Coordinator for SDMNY. She has been an advocate and private consultant to families of students with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) and autism in New York and Massachusetts, helping students to access and navigate resources and services through their local school districts. She served as the director of the Berkshire Hills Music Academy Summer Program in South Hadley, MA, where she developed and supervised programming for young adults with I/DD in a residential setting. Joan has also enjoyed a long career as a music educator and program director in both mainstream and adaptive settings. She views music as a pathway for awareness and acceptance of disability as diversity, having directed inclusive choirs for young people in performances and showcases. She holds an M.S. in ducation from Syracuse University with a concentration in Disability Studies. As the mother of two children, including a young adult with I/DD, she has witnessed first-hand the viability of supported decision-making as an alternative to guardianship.



 


Dr. Kabir Duggal (Honoree and Moderator)

Dr. Kabir Duggal is an attorney in Arnold and Porter's New York office focusing on international investment arbitration, international commercial arbitration, and public international law matters, serving both as arbitrator and counsel.  Dr. Duggal is also a Lecturer-in-Law at Columbia Law School, teaching "International Investment Law and Arbitration" and is also a Course Director and Faculty Member for the Columbia Law School-Chartered Institute of Arbitrators Comprehensive Course on International Arbitration.  He also acts as a Consultant for the United Nations Office of the High Representative for Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and Small Island Developing States (UN-OHRLLS) on the creation of a novel "Investment Support Program."  He has conducted training and capacity-building sessions for several Governments including Colombia, Saudi Arabia, Myanmar, India, Philippines among others on public international law and dispute resolution matters. He also serves on the Federal Republic of Somalia’s New York Convention Task Force as well as the WTO Negotiating Team (International Board).  He has published over 50 articles and has spoken at over 300 arbitration events all over the world. He is also the Co-Founder of REAL (Racial Equality for Arbitration Lawyers), a non-profit seeking to create greater representation in international arbitration.  He is a graduate of the University of Mumbai, University of Oxford (DHL-Times of India Scholar), NYU School of Law (Hauser Global Scholar), Leiden Law School (2019 CEPANI Academic Prize), and is currently pursuing an SJD Degree from Harvard Law School. 

 


 


Verlyn Francis - Hot Topics in International ADR


VERLYN FRANCIS is an experienced arbitrator and mediator in Commercial, Civil, Estates, Family, and Disability disputes. She is the Principal Consultant, and the Culture, Diversity and Inclusion Specialist at Isiko Dispute Resolution Consultants Inc.

Ms. Francis has used her technological expertise to conduct hearings by videoconference since 2015. In addition to her independent arbitration and mediation work in Canada, she is a roster arbitrator and mediator on the Global and general commercial panels of CPR Panels of Distinguished Neutrals (CPR), Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA), and the National Bar Association (NBA).


 


Genesis Fisher, Esq.  - 'Facilitated Community Dialogue: Conflict Resolution, Anti-Violence and Resiliency'

Genesis Fisher is the founder and Principal Attorney of Fisher Law Practice, P.C. which provides onsite conflict resolution to help businesses and NGOs deal with tough issues and keep employees focused on work, not office disputes. Through mediation, one-on-one coaching, and conflict resolution training, she gets people talking so they can share their frustrations, address differences and repair trust. Her workshops have helped over 1500 people in six countries communicate better and create effective solutions.

Ms. Fisher is a JAMS Diversity Fellow. She is also President of the Board Directors for the Association for Conflict Resolution, Greater New York. She has been an Adjunct Professor since 2014, and taught over a dozen courses from Advanced Legal Methods (legal writing) to Negotiation, Counseling and Interviewing to a Sociology Practicum on Conflict Resolution and Mediation at Rutgers Law School. Ms. Fisher currently teaches the Fall Mediation Clinic at New York Law School. She is a Certified Mediator, a FINRA Arbitrator and a member of the Eastern District of New York Mediation Panel.

Prior to starting the firm, Ms. Fisher spent eight years fighting for the rights of indigent clients as a public defender with the Legal Aid Society. Ms. Fisher started her legal career at the Southern Poverty Law Center, where she worked on national civil rights issues and Alabama jail and women's prison reform.

Ms. Fisher graduated from Smith College and New York University School of Law.

                                                  


 


Leslie Funk - 'Workplace Conflict - in a Conflict Resolution Workplace'

Leslie Funk is Queens-based and originally from Massachusetts. She earned her JD from Hamline University School of Law and her BA from the University of Connecticut. Leslie mediated in Massachusetts, moved to NYC to work at Community Mediation Services, and now does diversity, equity, and inclusion work at the Tanenbaum Center for Interreligious Understanding, consulting with workplaces on navigating religious diversity. Leslie is a volunteer mediator at NYPI and Chair of the Board Development Committee of NYSDRA. Pre-pandemic Leslie traveled frequently and, since the pandemic, she has become an avid baker.



 

 

Tai Heng - Cheng - Hot Topics in International ADR


Tai-Hang Cheng is global co-head of international arbitration and trade at Sidley. Clients turn to him to solve their most significant legal problems. He has won and collected nine-figures awards for clients both in commercial and investment-treaty arbitrations. With over 20 years of experience, he is also a trusted advisor to companies, boards, and government on issues beyond business disputes. He uses a full range of subject matter specialists at Sidley to devise and execute strategies that efficiently achieve his clients goals.  

  Warren Hyer - Kick Off Event: Rhythm, Resiliency, and Collaboration

Warren W. Hyer serves as Executive Director of the Central Ohio Symphony based in Delaware, Ohio. A 1976 graduate of The Ohio State University with a Bachelor of Music in Percussion Performance, he has spent the last thirty plus years performing professionally throughout Ohio, including as percussionist with the Mansfield Symphony since 1981 and as timpanist for the Choral Arts of Springfield. He is a member of the Percussive Arts Society (PAS), and the past vice-president of the Ohio chapter of PAS.  He has been appointed as a board member of KV 265, a new non-profit associated with the Adler Planetarium in Chicago that is developing programs blending science and art presentations and education. Warren is a member of the Mental Health Dockets Joint Advisory Committee for the Delaware Municipal and Common Pleas Courts. He was founder and first board president of the Delaware County Convention and Visitors Bureau and has served on several local and state-wide commissions and boards. He is also a builder and tuner of custom percussion instruments for bands and orchestras.   



 


Joy H. Kemppainen, Esq. - 'You're on Mute: Mediating Employment Discrimination Disputes at the U.S. EEOC during the Pandemic'

Joy H. Kemppainen, Esq. has served as a pro-bono mediator for the EEOC since February 2015. Before becoming a mediator, Joy was responsible for compliance in the New York office of an investment advisor managing over $380 billion worldwide and earlier served as General Counsel to a $3 billion investment adviser in Washington D.C.  She has served on the staff of the Securities and Exchange Commission, held compliance positions in Hong Kong, and worked in the securities litigation departments of two law firms. Prior to becoming a lawyer, Joy worked for FINRA, and previous to that worked as a CPA.  Joy earned her B.A. in Business Administration from the University of Washington, with an emphasis in accounting. She obtained her J.D. from the University of Washington in 1990 and was admitted to the Washington State Bar that same year.



 


Edward Lenci - 'Navigating the ADR World: Speed bumps in Starting a Practic'

Ed Lenci litigates and arbitrates business disputes and defends businesses sued in class action lawsuits.  He is now an arbitrator, too, and brings to that role over three decades’ experience as an advocate in many arbitrations and the judicial proceedings that often follow. Drawing on his deep experience with domestic and international arbitration, Ed drafts arbitral provisions tailored to the unique needs of each client and co-authored the ARIAS-U.S. International Arbitration Form.  Ed serves also as the Chair of Reinsurance Section of Hinshaw & Culbertson’s highly esteemed global Insurance Services Practice Group.


 


Richard Lutringer - 'Family Business Mediation -- Addressing Unspoken Factors Driving Business Challenges'

Richard Lutringer, with a background in law, dispute resolution and family business advising currently practices exclusively as a mediator. Chair of the Mediation Practice Group of the Family Firm Institute, member of the mediation panels of NY, NJ and federal courts, CPR, AAA, CEDR  and certified by MC3. Former member of board of ACR-GNY and NYSDRA.



   

Dana MacGrath - Hot Topics in International ADR


Dana C. MacGrath is the President of Arbitral Women and is an independent arbitrator based in New York with decades of experience in international arbitration as an arbitrator, arbitration practitioner, and in-house counsel (as investment manager and legal counsel focusing on arbitration finance). She has been recognized as a leader in international arbitration in various directories including Chambers USA and Who's Who Legal: Arbitration as well as a thought leader in arbitration finance. She is on the arbitration rosters of the American Arbitration Association (AAA) and the International Centre for Dispute Resolution (ICDR) and has experience in disputes involving a variety of industries.

Prior to becoming a full-time arbitrator, she was an international arbitration practitioner at Sidley Austin LLP, Allen & Overy LLP and O’Melveny & Myers LLP, having started her career in the Litigation Department of Sullivan & Cromwell LLP. Dana also served as investment manager and legal counsel at Omni Bridgeway where she was responsible for leading the company's investments in international arbitration matters out of the United States.



 


Elizabeth Marcus, Esq. - 'You're on Mute: Mediating Employment Discrimination Disputes at the U.S. EEOC during the Pandemic'

Elizabeth Marcus, Esq. is a Staff Mediator with the U.S. EEOC’s Boston Area Office. Since completing her formal education at the University of Connecticut and New England Law Boston, Elizabeth has worked exclusively in the area of employment law, first with the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination (MCAD) and then with the EEOC. Elizabeth mediates both public and private sector cases for the EEOC. She has completed formal mediation training with New York University School of Law, Cornell University’s School of Industrial and Labor Relations, and Mediation Works, Incorporated. She is a regular presenter in discrimination and mediation forums including EEOC Technical Assistance Programs, the Harvard Program on Negotiation, the Massachusetts Bar Association and the Boston Law Collaborative. 



 


Natalie McVeigh - 'Family Business Mediation -- Addressing Unspoken Factors Driving Business Challenges'  


Natalie McVeigh is an executive and entrepreneurial coach and practitioner in neuroscience, specializing in Conversational Intelligence (C-IQ). She has expertise is in complex conflict resolution, with a certificate in mediation, specializing in interest based negotiation trained at Harvard Law School’s Program on Negotiation. Natalie is a Certified Happiness Trainer and has experience in building and developing cohesive teams through utilizing assessments and creating training curricula.



 

Naomi Miller (Honoree, SDMNY)

Naomi Miller is SDMNY’s Education Campaign Coordinator and has served nonprofits, educational institutions, artists, and small businesses for over 25 years, specializing in administrative support, strategic planning, and project management. With SDMNY’s staff, she has developed and produced materials to educate legislators and policy-makers about the benefits of SDM and SDMAs that are reached through a facilitation process. She also co-manages the first comprehensive arts-and-cultural asset mapping project in Newburgh, NY, and has served as Operations Manager at University of Chicago’s Place Lab, Programs Manager at The New School’s Vera List Center for Art + Politics, and Program Coordinator at Artadia. Naomi earned an M.F.A. from San Friancisco Art Institute

and her B.A. in English and Studio Art at Clark University.



 


Tiffany Ngeo - 'Navigating the ADR World: Speed Bumps in Starting a Practice'

Tiffany Ngeo, Esq. is currently a mediation apprentice at the Institute for Mediation and Conflict Resolution, Inc. (“IMCR”), which is a Bronx County non-profit organization that provides mediation, arbitration, restorative justice, conflict coaching and anger management services. Prior to her apprenticeship, she practiced law for more than twenty years. She first started at boutique law firm Lambert & Weiss, LLP. Tiffany then transitioned to becoming in-house counsel for Fortune 500 company Chubb Group on Insurance Companies. Thereafter, Tiffany practiced law at Wilson Elser, LLP where she specialized in the area of Architects and Engineers insurance defense and coverage. Tiffany then joined Fortune 500 company American International Group, Inc. (“AIG”) as a Complex Claims Director in the Fidelity Bonds Department and then later became In-House Counsel at AIG in the Financial Lines Department. Tiffany was on the cover of the 2006 AIG Shareholder Annual Report. During her legal practice, Tiffany has appeared as a party in more than 300 mediations as a party and settled more than 100 cases during mediation. She earned her B.A. in Economics and Political Science from Columbia University and obtained her J.D. from Boston University School of Law. Tiffany is a licensed insurance adjuster in more than twenty states and is admitted to the practice of law in New York and the District of Columbia.



 


Diane O'Connell - 'Navigating the ADR World: Speed Bumps in Starting a Practice'

Diane O'Connell practices international corporate and business development law, focused on negotiations and risk management, predominently as in-house counsel for 16 years. She has practiced at the New York Mercantile Exchange, Paul Hastings and PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP. She is the immediate past chair of the NYSBA International Section and am on the House of Delegates for NYSBA. Her interests include developing new talent, diversity and inclusion, developing solutions to complex issues, and helping others develop their skills. She has been shifting my practice to ADR for the past year and have a fresh perspective on the challenges and rewards of these pursuits.



 

JoAn Pangilinan-Taylor 

Since January 2017, JoAn has worked with the CDRC (Community Dispute Resolution Services) network - Community Mediation Services and New York Peace Institute, in leading and supporting mediation and training programs.  She has supervised and developed mediation programs in Civil Court, Surrogate's Court, Housing Court, Family Court, Community Mediation, Special Education Mediation, Divorce Mediation and Lemon Law Arbitration.  She also oversaw the growth and development of training programs including the Basic Mediation Training, Apprenticeship Training, Custody/Visitation Mediation, Child Support Mediation and Restorative Justice Practices.  As a mediator, JoAn has mediated over hundreds of civil, community, and family mediation cases.  She received her Juris Doctor degree from Northern Illinois University in 2004 and is a member of the Illinois State Bar since 2005.  JoAn is thrilled to begin a new chapter in her mediation journey, beginning May 24, 2021, JoAn will be working at the United District Court Southern District of New York as their ADR Program Coordinator.

 


Cai Phillips-Jones 'It Can Take 3 to Tango: The Dance of ADR, the Courts, and the Pandemic'

Cai Phillips-Jones is a student at the Cardozo School of Law in New York City. He has worked in ADR programs both in and outside of courts, including at the New York Peace Institute and at the Eastern District Court of New York’s ADR office. During the last year, Cai has spoken with dozens of mediators about their experiences in moving to remote mediation and loves thinking about the intersections of conflict resolution and technology.

 


 


Jon Probstein - 'Zoom Techniques I Learned from Actors'

Since 1977, Jon Michael Probstein has been representing and assisting people and businesses in all matters, and since 1985, he has also been a professional actor in TV, Film & Stage as Jon Avner.



 


Deborah Reik - 'You're on Mute: Mediating Employment Discrimination Disputes at the U.S. EEOC during the Pandemic'

Deborah Reik, Esq. is a Staff Mediator with the U.S. EEOC’s New York District Office. Deborah previously served as a trial and an appellate attorney with the Agency. Deborah has mediated more than two thousand cases. Deborah has won several awards as a mediator, including the Federal Executive Board Distinguished Government Service Award, New York Federal Executive Board Alternative Dispute Resolution Award, and the Congressional Certificate of Achievement. Deborah is on the panel of mediators for the U.S. District Court, EDNY and the AAA panel for Hurricane Sandy mediations. She is a graduate of Case Western Reserve University, magna cum laude, and the University of Connecticut Law School.



 


David Reinman - - 'You're on Mute: Mediating Employment Discrimination Disputes at the U.S. EEOC during the Pandemic'

David L. Reinman, Esq. is the Supervisory ADR Coordinator for the U.S. EEOC's New York District Mediation Program. David previously worked as a Staff Mediator with the EEOC. He has mediated hundreds of charges involving allegations of employment discrimination. David served in the U.S. Marine Corps and worked for the U.S. Department of Justice. David earned his J.D. from California Western School of Law and his LL.M. in Dispute Resolution from Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law. He received his B.A. from Rutgers University. He conducts trainings and frequently guest lectures on negotiation, mediation and employment law.



 


Nicholas Schmitt - 'It Can Take 3 to Tango: The Dance of ADR, the Courts, and the Pandemic'

 Nick manages and administers the court-annexed mediation programs in Manhattan, Brooklyn, and Harlem courts for New York Peace Institute. He graduated from Cardozo School of Law in 2015 where he studied under the tutelage of renowned mediator, trainer, and professor, Lela Porter Love, in the Kukin Program for Conflict Resolution. He is the co-author of a paper on mediating Intellectual Property disputes and was one of the subjects of a U.S. News & World Report article on the changing landscape of lawyering skills in law school. Nicholas is also on the panel of mediators for the Civilian Complaint Review Board.


 

Andrew Sta.Ana

Andrew Sta. Ana is the Director of Law and Policy at Day One. Based in New York City, Day One partners with youth to end dating abuse through community education, supportive services, legal advocacy and leadership development. Through direct legal services and advocacy, Andrew works to amplify the voices of young survivors and to promote healthy relationships Nationwide, Andrew trains on dating violence, the rights of young people, serving LGBTQ survivors, and cyber harassment. He has served as an expert trainer with the American Bar Association’s Commission on Domestic and Sexual Violence. 

In 2018, Andrew was appointed to the Biden Foundation’s advisory council on Violence against Women. Previously, Andrew served as a co-chair of the New York based Lawyer’s Committee Against Domestic Violence, which comprises over 100 anti-violence attorneys and advocates in the New York City area.  In 2016, Andrew became an adjunct clinical professor at New York Law School to direct the nation’s first law school based legal clinic to serve victims of cyberharassment. In 2015, Andrew was named a Movement Maker by the NoVo Foundation's Move to End Violence. In 2011, he was awarded a Courage award from the New York City Anti-Violence Project. He served as founding board member of the Pride Center of Staten Island. In 2007, to launch his legal career, Andrew was awarded an Equal Justice Works fellowship to serve LGBTQ victims of domestic violence. He and is a proud graduate of the City University of New York School of Law and a born and raised New Yorker.



 

  

Nancy Thevenin - 'Hot Topics in International ADR'


Nancy M.Thevenin is an international arbitrator and mediator based in New York City. She is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, an adjunct professor of the International Commercial Arbitration course at St. John's University School of Law, a past chair of the New York State Bar Association’s International Section, and a Member of the ICSID Panel of Arbitrators for the Republic of Haiti.  Ms.Thevenin also serves as a general counsel for the United States Council for International Business (USCIB/ICC USA), the U.S. national committee to the ICC International Court of Arbitration© and manages its Arbitration & ADR Committee, which, inter alia, provides assistance in the nomination of U.S. arbitrators, makes referrals to parties seeking arbitration practitioners and arbitrators, and serves as a resource for the U.S. business community about the ICC’s dispute resolution services. Aside from general corporate counsel duties, Ms.Thevenin also manages requests for USCIB to participate in amicus brieffilingson issues of relevance to USCIB’s membership.


 


Ingrid Galvez Thorp  - Pride Celebration - Drinks and Dialogue


She is driven to bringing perspective on the “Value of Diversity & Activating Inclusion” in the workplace. Ingrid’s strength is in her personal mantra “Cultivating Collaborative Communities”. She combines her professional expertise and her personal passion to help individuals and teams find their personal power, step into leadership, develop and inspire others. Her expertise in strategic planning and team dynamics is used to increase the performance of organizations by engaging members to align individual talent, team strength and business units to the collective goals. 


She is dedicated and committed to ensuring the business community is representative of the collective diversity that makes up the workforce at large. In 2019 she was named Chair of Diversity & Inclusion Special Interest Group (SIG) at NYC-SHRM. The Diversity and Inclusion SIG promotes the best workplace diversity and inclusion practices and management principles. It advocates respect for workforce differences including, but not limited to, gender, age, race, ethnicity, physical and mental ability, military or veteran status, parental and pregnancy status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, and religious beliefs and practices. The Diversity and Inclusion SIG’s activities, events and educational programs focus on enhancing a workplace where employees are treated fairly, are encouraged to contribute to the organization’s success, and have equal opportunity for personal growth and advancement. In 2020, Ingrid was appointed to teach SHRM’s Inclusive Workplace Culture: Leading and Sustaining a Culture Transformation, Specialty Credential Certification Course.


She has studied Marketing: International Trade at SUNY Fashion Institute of Technology, Human Resource Management, Leadership and Organizational Development at New York University, Diversity & Inclusion at Cornell University. She is a certified consultant with MBTI and Kolbe. Other certifications include, SHRM-SCP, Veterans at Work, Abilities at Work, Inclusive Workplace Culture. 


As an active member of the vibrant NYC LGBTQ+ community she has served on the Leadership Council of In the Life Media, GLAAD, Baily House, Live Out Loud and The Center. She served on the Executive Committee at nglccNY, establishing the first D&I role within the organization. The Board of Directors for Tyler Clementi Foundation, Rainbow Fashion Week, and I’m From Driftwood.


 


Mal Winnie - 'Building Your Resiliency'

Mal is a highly respected and sought-after resilience trainer, facilitator, key-note speaker and high performance coach. He is driven by achieving real world practical results for his clients that deliver a significant return on investment. Mal brings a practical understanding and application of psychology, neuroscience, and human development.

Mal has outstanding success across NZ, delivering resilience and high performance coaching across public and private sectors. He has also worked across high performance sport in New Zealand with international acclaimed teams such as the All Black sevens rugby team.


 


Jack Wofford - 'Family Business Mediation -- Addressing Unspoken Factors Driving Business Challenges'

Jack Wofford, mediator, facilitator, arbitrator, and family business and organizational consultant based in Cambridge, Massachusetts, has mediated over 500 matters in a wide range of subject areas, including extensive experience helping family enterprises manage conflict.  He has had policy-level positions in federal and state government and a university, and was a partner in the real estate department of a Boston law firm.  He has mediated and facilitated a number of major environmental and infrastructure disputes.  He is the author of “Simple Tools for Complex Conflicts: Cross-Over Concepts from Environmental and Family Enterprise Mediation,” published in the Quarterly Magazine, ACResolution, of the Association for Conflict Resolution (Winter 2015). A Fellow and former board member of FFI, he graduated from Harvard College, Harvard Law School, and Oxford University, where he was a Rhodes Scholar.


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