Mediator Resume

Center for Mediation and Collaboration of Rhode Island Center for Indigenous People's Rights

Environmental Protection Specialists, Environmental Attorney, Risk Assessor (Human Health/Ecological), Wetlands Protection, Federal Indian Law, Data Management/Visualization

Mediator for Shared Neutral Program, Greater Boston Federal Executive Board (Group of federal agencies that share neutrals to mediate and facilitate employment related matters), 2012 - Present; Management Analyst (including Management Integrity Coordinator, Audit Follow-up Coordinator, Davis/Bacon Coordinator), Grants Management Compliance, 2011 - Present; Volunteer Mediator for Small Claims Court mediation program, Martha’s Vineyard Mediation Program, 2010 - 2011; Grants Policy Adviser and Communications Expert, 2010 - 2006; Senior Indian Program Specialist, 1998 - 2006; Environmental Compliance Coordinator, Mashantucket Pequot Tribe, 1995 - 1998; Environmental/Land Use Practitioner, Brown Jacobson Tillinghast Lahan & King, 1994 - 1995; Environmental/General Practitioner, Law Offices of Steven A. Tomeo, 1993 - 1994; Environmental/Land Use Practitioner/Associate, Pepe & Hazard, 1992 - 1993; Chief of Enforcement, Narragansett Bay Commission, 1990 - 1992; General Practitioner/Associate, Peck & Tuneski, 1988 - 1990.

Federal, Tribal, State and Local Environmental Law and Regulation; Federal Indian Law; Wetlands Protection; Grants Management - Assessing Financial Compliance; Federal Management Integrity Act- Assessing adequacy of Internal Controls; Audit Management; Ecological and Human Health Risk Assessment; General Law Practitioner; Equal Employment Opportunity Law Mediation; Small Claims Court Mediation; Facilitating Strategic Planning; Serving on Local Boards and Commissions, i.e., Foxboro Conservation Commission, Warwick Planning and Lincoln Zoning Boards; Data management and visualization; Developing trainings on various complex topics; Developing SharePoint sites and Microsoft Teams sites; Proficient in excel, Power Point, Microsoft, Qlik, GIS, and RStudio. Has extensive experience reading plans as a Foxborough Conservation Commissioner, Warwick Planning Board member, and currently is a Lincoln Zoning Board of Review member.

Over the past 27 years, engaging in an extensive variety of alternate dispute resolution trainings provided an opportunity to learn how to handle a wide variety of disputes and develop effective strategic planning sessions. Mediation training ranging from environmental negotiations to divorce mediation, tenant/landlord negotiations and facilitation provided the opportunity to accumulate a large toolbox of skills for keeping conversations moving forward. As a Construction Industry Arbitrator for AAA, attending annual CLE classes and completing 54 hours of basic and advanced mediation training provided the opportunity to learn techniques and best practices for helping parties reach resolution to their disputes. Serving as a member of the Martha’s Vineyard Mediation Program (MVMP) and as a volunteer mediator for the Edgartown MA Small Claims Court was a great forum for practicing a wide variety of mediation techniques and skills. Successfully co-mediating five cases for the Smalls Claims Court and routinely ranked by the parties as excellent with the mediator’s ability to understand the issues and successfully resolve the parties’ conflicts highlighted, helped to determine the effectiveness of the mediator’s skills. Serving as a member of the Greater Boston Federal Executive Board (GBFEB) Shared Neutrals Program provided an opportunity to learn how to mediate complex and challenging Equal Employment (EEO) cases and develop strong Strategic Planning skills. The GBFEB provides mediation services to federal agencies by maintaining a pool of trained and experienced mediators from among a number of different federal agencies. Facilitating numerous strategic planning meetings to address employee satisfaction ratings and several meetings to improve/repair employee relationships provided an opportunity to learn how to handle emotionally charged mediations and how to work with management to ensure their objectives for the meeting are achieved. Mediating, co-mediating 20 cases for the GBFEB over the years provided an invaluable opportunity to develop skills to bring resolution for the parties in a win-win environment. Working for the EPA, numerous opportunities for developing mediation and facilitation skills evolved including developing a national roll-out plan for EPA’s Tribal-Focused Environmental Risk and Sustainability Tool (T-FERST) that involved numerous brainstorming sessions with regional programs and developing an action plan for rolling out the tool. In addition to attending EPA’s Problem-Solving training that taught staff how to conduct EPA Lean Management System (ELMS) activities to help find efficiencies in EPA’s processes and facilitating sessions for the Southeast New England Program 2022 Symposium, facilitating several strategic planning sessions for EPA Region 1’s Grants Office and EPA’s Region 1 Regional Science Council, and attending a Leadership Development Course that taught non-supervisory EPA employee’s tools and knowledge needed to become a stronger leader. This course taught tools for effectively effective communicating and facilitating conversations in difficult situations. Gaining knowledge and networking with co-mediators is a critical part of becoming an effective mediator/facilitator. Serving as an in-house facilitator for EPA region 1, as a member of EPA’s national Environmental Conflict Resolution Community of Practice, as a member of the Association for Conflict Resolution-New England Chapter for several years, and as a member of EPA’s national Continuous Improvement Community of Practice provides numerous networking and training opportunities for further strengthening mediation and facilitation skills.

Volunteer mediator for Small Claims District Court for Rhode Island and Martha's Vineyard. Mediated EEO cases for the Greater Boston Federal Executive Board as a shared neutral for over a decade. Extensive experience with mediating cases that involve employee discrimination and monies owed to a party for services rendered.

As a mediator, my philosophy is to provide a neutral, confidential atmosphere that allows the parties to engage in discussions to resolve disputes. I see my role as assisting the parties to understand each other's view with regard to the conflict so that they can reach a settlement that will address the concerns that both parties have with regard to the conflict. I strive to assist the parties by keeping the mediation process moving forward as long as is feasible. The goal I strive to reach is that a resolution is reached that is a win-win situation for both parties. I take great pride in helping people resolve conflicts through mediation.

Data management and visualization instructor for Data Carpentry. Proficient in excel, Posit (aka Rstudio), Qlik

Bridgeport School of Law (JD, Award for Excellence in Clinical Tax Work-1988); VT Law School (1987); Connecticut College (BA, Human Ecology, Dean's List-1983).

Admitted to the Bar: Connecticut (1988), Rhode Island (1991); Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Court; U.S. District Court: District of Connecticut. Certified Environmental Auditor, National Registry of Environmental Professionals; Registered Environmental Manager, National Registry of Environmental Professionals. Certified EPA Risk Assessor, EPA Facilitator; Hands On Indian Country, Salish Kootenia College; Advanced Title V, an American Indian Air Quality Training Program, EPA & Northern Arizona University; Inspector of residential window, door, wall and ceiling installations and residential energy auditor.

American Bar Association; Connecticut Bar Association; Rhode Island Bar Association; New England Association of Conflict Resolution; Martha's Vineyard Mediation Program; Data Carpentry

Speaker: 9/2016 Connecticut College – Invited by the Connecticut College Law Society to speak as a panelist regarding Alumni working in public service and government. "Permitting in Indian Country," Air and Waste Management Association symposium and courses; working group member, NATIONAL AIR AND RADIATION INDICATORS PROJECT, Environmental Protection Agency document; "Environmental Enforcement Trends for the 1990's," CONNECTICUT ENVIRONMENTAL COMPLIANCE UPDATE; "EPA Withdraws Proposed Hazardous Waste Identification Rule," CONNECTICUT ENVIRONMENTAL COMPLIANCE UPDATE; "Farmanek v. United States, Denial of Clean Water Act Permit May Constitute a Taking," CONNECTICUT ENVIRONMENTAL COMPLIANCE UPDATE; "Arbitrators Announce Pilot Resolution Program," CONNECTICUT ENVIRONMENTAL COMPLIANCE UPDATE; "EPA Provides Advice to Hazardous Waste Generators," CONNECTICUT ENVIRONMENTAL COMPLIANCE UPDATE; ANALYSIS OF A SOLAR DOMESTIC WATER HEATING SYSTEM, Arizona Public Service Company. Publications: 2014 ATSDR Public Health Assessment, Review of Sediment and Biota Samples: PENOBSCOT RIVER, PENOBSCOT INDIAN NATION, MAINE, JULY 18, 2014; contributing author. 2015 The Penobscot River and Environmental Contaminants: Assessment of Tribal Exposure Through Sustenance Lifeways; EPA Publication # EPA-901-R-15-002; lead Author. (Note: Presented study to FSTRAC in 2017) 2015 Survey of the mutagenicity of surface water, sediments, and drinking water from the Penobscot Indian Nation, Chemosphere 120 (2015) 690–696; co-author.

Hourly Rate: Not provided Daily Rate: $1,225.00 Study Rate: $175.00/hr Cancellation: Not provided Cancellation Period: 14 Days Comment:

English; French

United States of America

Lincoln, Rhode Island