SCMA 2011 Annual Conference

Sun, Surf, & SCMA! Hosted on the incomparable Pepperdine University Malibu campus, the Southern California Mediation Association's upcoming 23rd Annual Fall Conference on November 4-5 has all the fixings for a combo professional development/personal rejuvenation opportunity bar none!

Featuring such ADR all-stars as Ken Cloke, Tom Kosakowski, Forest (Woody) Mosten, Colin Rule, and many others, this conference will abound with brilliant minds offering the latest insights into our field. The complete schedule [pdf], including two pre-conference sessions, a visionary keynote speaker, a time-traveling plenary, ten engaging panel presentations, and an attendee reception round out this year's can't-miss Southern California conference.

Heeding our own endorsement, NAFCM is thrilled to be participating in this exciting event! We will have Board members on-site to greet volunteer mediators and others at our Exhibitor booth during November 5th. We invite all those in attendance to stop by and learn more about the rich community mediation field and NAFCM's role as its active convenor and proud voice.

In community,

Justin R. Corbett

Executive Director, NAFCM

OMA 2011 Annual Conference

With over two decades under their belt hosting exceptional conferences, the Oregon Mediation Association's upcoming Silver Anniversary Fall Conference is sure to be a grand event! Taking place November 4-5 in Portland, OMA has announced an impressive lineup of speakers and events, including Keynote Speaker Ray Shonholtz, former ten-year President of Community Boards in San Francisco.

Appealing to the varied professional focuses represented amongst OMA's membership, the conference offers  a particularly promising time for community mediation folks. Program administrators from throughout the broader Pacific Northwest will have access to informative sessions on community reconciliation, cross-cultural alliances, public policy engagement, restorative justice within the government sector, and entire program-relevant tracks, including mediator skills development and quality assurance. All told, OMA has crafted an accessible soirée offering eleven hours of professional development with plenty of opportunity for re/building personal connections thrown in for good measure.

Of further import to community-oriented attendees will be the presentation of OMA's Shannon Stewart Award of Excellence and its distinguished kin, the Brian Johnston Award of Excellence, which, respectively, honor notable volunteers and staff members at community dispute resolution centers and other public-benefit entities.

Gleefully correcting a too-long absence from PNW ADR events, NAFCM will proudly be in attendance! We look forward to reconnecting with our friends and colleagues working in one of the most active and consistently impressive regions of the country. We invite all in attendance to visit us at our Exhibitor booth where you can score your very own "Community Mediator" conference ribbon and check-out the latest community mediation resources. Be sure, also, to plug-in to NAFCM's Facebook and Twitter accounts, which will feature a stream of real-time, community-focused ideas and resources during the event. Following the conference, we'll post a conference recap to "The Community Mediator," NAFCM's blog.

Hope to see many of you in Portland this Fall!

In community,

Justin R. Corbett

Executive Director, NAFCM

ACR 2011 Annual Conference

Join NAFCM and community mediation colleagues from across the globe at the Association for Conflict Resolution's 2011 Annual Conference in San Diego, during October 12-15. Now celebrating its 10th successful year, ACR is preparing to host another exceptional conference featuring cutting edge presentations, field-renowned speakers, and ample opportunities to re-connect with colleagues from every geographic and professional corner of our diverse ADR landscape.

Community mediation colleagues, specifically, have a lot to look forward to at ACR this year. First, the organization's Community Section will host a half-day pre-conference session on Wednesday, October 12th, entitled "Surviving and Thriving in these Tough Economic Times" [pg. 19], featuring informative presentations by Karmit Bulman, Cheryl Cutrona, and Caroline Harmon. The Section will also host a lunch meeting providing its members with an update on the Section's recent activities, including the always helpful collection of Conference Accessibility Resources. 

During the regular conference, community-focused practitioners will be able to choose from amongst a large number of illuminating and provocative sessions. Community programming that focuses on conflict coaching, large-group facilitations, peer mediation, police/citizen conflicts, and prisoner re-entry; performance-based evaluation; various restorative practices;  and community training models are but a few of the tantalizing topics entreating this year's attendees.

Throughout the conference, NAFCM will be on hand to connect with friends new and old. We invite you to stop by our exhibitor booth where you can catch-up, snag your own "Community Mediator" conference ribbon, and explore all the latest community mediation resources we'll have on hand. Plug into our Facebook and Twitter accounts during the conference to receive real-time updates with fresh resources and pithy quotes from around the conference. Daily community-focused recaps are also on tap for our Blog 'The Community Mediator'. Finally, we invite you to connect with several NAFCM staff and Board members who will be on-site. Take the opportunity to reconnect and share your feedback on how we can continually grow as your professional resource.

With so much in store for community mediation program administrators and volunteers, we hope to see many of you in San Diego this October! And following the conference, be sure to register for our free Conference Recap Teleseminar scheduled for November 29th and featuring all the best of take-aways for community mediation practitioners.

In community,

Justin R. Corbett

Executive Director, NAFCM