There has been much said regarding the ability of parties to mediate in cases where there has been domestic abuse. While no one believes abuse is an issue that can be mediated, the parties may have issues that can be resolved through mediation. Our program will discuss issues including the benefits of mediation in these situations, the structure of such mediations and preparation of parties, and the mediator.

Christy Cumberlander Walker has over fifteen years of experience mediating family issues. She was previously a program coordinator for the Franklin county Domestic Relations and Juvenile Court, where she assisted in the development of the screening tools and processes for the mediation program. Her experience includes providing family, employment and community mediation as well as providing training in dispute resolution across the county. Christy was also a trainer for the Supreme Court of Ohio Domestic Abuse Issues for Mediators and Other Professionals.

Christy was a member of the Advisory Council for the Association for Conflict Resolution’s Family Section and currently serves on the Board of Directors for the organization. She is the co-chair for the annual conference “Making Peace Happen: New Normals” that will be held in Minneapolis Minnesota in October. Christy is employed at the Neighborhood Justice Center in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Zena Zumeta, internationally known as both a mediator and trainer of mediators. She is president of the Mediation Training & Consultation Institute, Zena Zumeta Mediation Services, and The Collaborative Workplace in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Zena is a lawyer and a former president of the Academy of Family Mediators. She is the recipient of the the Michigan Lifetime Achievement in Mediation Award; the National Education Association/Saturn Corporation Award for Union-Management Collaboration; the John Haynes Distinguished Mediator Award; and the Kumba Award from the National Conference on Minorities in ADR.