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Professionals in Conflict Resolution


A Warm Welcome from the Maryland Council for Dispute Resolution!

We are an organization dedicated to imaginative, empowered conflict resolution.

    Our outreach promotes and educates residents to a diverse set of non litigated solutions that can provide real benefits to the psyches of those in conflict, as well as to their wallets!  Our programs for professionals, including a nationally-recognized certification process, ensure that parties to conflict will have deeply knowledgeable professionals to guide them to creative, value-driven and mutual agreements.  We also serve as a guiding hand to new mediation practitioners as they navigate the field, and search for ways to build skills.


Announcing MCDR's Mentoring Program


     Over the past year we have made significant strides in developing a mentoring program for mediators;  I am both proud and humbled to serve as the first Chairman of the new Mentoring Program CommitteeFor more information about this Program follow these links: Mentoring Program and Mentor Candidate Chart

    Whether you are a practitioner, or seeking mediation services, we invite you to explore all the services of  MCDR as we build a better world -- one mediation at a time.  See below for more information.

                                                    Meet our 2024 President                

                                                                           Barry M. Weissman, CDFA


A Message from Barry Weissman:

    Programs:  The ZOOM format now allows MCDR's programs to reach out to our colleagues wherever they are.  C.E. Certificates are available on our website, free to members with only a modest charge to non-members to cover our costs.  We look forward to offering these hybrid presentations utilizing individual presenters and panel formats.   For in person programs, as in the past we will be utilizing local venues spread across the central Maryland counties.  Where permitted we will offer pot luck food and beverages.  The first half hour will be set aside to network, visiting with old friends and colleagues; getting to meet new mediators as well.

   Employment Opportunities:  Scheduled to launch shortly after May 1, 2024, our new MCDR Job Board will be located on the MCDR website. The Job Board, will be free of charge to all our  members and colleagues through the year.  We ask you to spread the word about our new MCDR Job Board both to colleagues and any employers looking for our unique kind of help.   

   Mentoring:  Stirling has shared that final aspects of the Pilot MCDR Mentoring Program has been successfully completed!  Please contact Stirling directly for information about becoming a Mentor or Mentee.  For more information and how to participate, click on the MCDR.org Mentoring  sub-tab under Training.

   Exhibits:  Stop by our booth at the June Mediator's Convention!  See Events below.

    Looks like we've got a very busy. exciting year ahead!

     Barry Weissman   

The 2023 - 2024 MCDR Board of Directors

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

President & Treasurer, Barry M. Weissman, CDFA

Vice President, David Lewis, Esq.

Secretary, Janne E Weissman, SPHR


COMMITTEE CHAIRS

Programs, Laverne Day

Certification Co-Chairs, Ramona Buck & Kate Cullen

Membership Co-Chairs, Janne E. Weisman, SPHR & Liz Salter

Mentoring, Stirling Phillips

Immediate Past President, Michael Sallustio

       Our Past President and Chairman of the Mentoring Committee, Stirling Phillips, Esq.

     First, I want to congratulate the new Board members on their election to the MCDR Board of Directors. Thankfully, most Board members are continuing to serve in this new term so there is significant experience at the helm of MCDR. Consequently, I believe these are exciting times ahead for MCDR as the Board will be at full strength as it starts its new term. Second, I want to thank the previous Board and MCDR members for your support and participation over the past year and when I served as President. It was an honor and a privilege to serve as President. We continue the tradition of providing high quality ADR/mediation education and professional training through our Quarterly meetings. 

     We continue to provide our unique independent peer reviewed certification processes which is a time tested and proven tool for the market to identify high quality mediators. Over the past year we have made significant strides in developing a mentoring program for mediators;  I am both proud and humbled to serve as the first Chairman of the new Mentoring Program Committee. For more information about this Program follow these links: Mentoring Program and Mentor Coaching Chart.   I am also proud of our success, receiving a MACRO grant helping launch the Feedback Assessment program, offering individualized constructive feedback to mediators.

Mentoring Program Overview

Mission Statement

   The Mentoring Committee has collaborated to develop a Program providing for the professional growth of early career mediators, referred to in this Program as Mentees.  For Mentees, this Program is in response to a gap in the ADR field.  This gap exists for new mediators between the completion of their training and transitioning to the practical application of that knowledge, doing mediations.  Putting the Program in perspective illustrates how MCDR is staying in tune with the needs of all ADR practitioners.  This Program also illustrates one of the many benefits of your MCDR membership.

Exactly what is Mentoring?

   Mentoring is the process of one person guiding and providing insight to another person to support self-learning, skill development, improved performance and realization of goals.  For a complete answer to this question, please click on the hi-lighted title above.

   MACRO and MCDR are at the forefront of setting mediator performance and ethical standards throughout the state of Maryland.  MCDR now can expand this effort by offering Mentors the opportunity to be paired with a Mentee over the course of  three months, offering advice, guidance, knowledge sharing, and discussion.

Mentoring Program

  Although success can never be guaranteed, this is a new program we strongly want to succeed.  To that end, MCDR implemented the Pilot Program which proved very successful. Therefore, we are launching the MCDR Mentoring Program. Each program will run for a period of 90 days  comprising three cohorts. Each cohort will consist of one Mentor and three Mentees.  All paired professionals will be given the opportunity to serve as a mediator, and provide valuable feedback as a role player. For more information, please click on these two links: Mentoring Program and Mentor Candidate Chart.

Orientation to Mentoring

   Mentors and Mentees will participate in a orientation session.

Matching Mentor/Mentee Pairs

   Mentors and Mentees will be matched based in part upon interests and expertise in such areas as for example, Family, Property or Employment issues.  The committee will also consider other factors when making a match including stated communication styles to best facilitate the ease of information and feedback transfer.

In-Person/Virtual Training

   Training and Mentoring sessions may be held virtually or in-person based on the cohorts desire.

   Please click on this link for an Application and more information about becoming a Mentee.  Please click on this link for an Application and more information about becoming a Mentor.  For more information about the up-coming Mentoring Programs and answers to your questions, please contact Stirling Phillips:


E-mail:  Stirlingmediation7@gmail.com

Telephone: (240) 316-1402

Please continue your support of MCDR.

Stirling Phillips, Esq.

MCDR Past President   

                                                              Upcoming EVENTS


                      Please click here for instructions:  How Non-Members can receive their participation certificate

Upcoming events

June 26, 2024 8:30 AM • Martin's Crosswinds, 7400 Greenway Center Dr, Greenbelt, MD 20770Greenbelt, MD

Training for Mediators

Work Shops and Master Classes

MCDR Master Classes

Being  revised for 2-hour ZOOM format.  Check back in June 2024. 

 

June 23, 2019

Sharon Pickett Award Presentation & 20th Anniversary Celebration

     The event was totally sold out!  The weather was beautiful.  The venue at the Sheraton Silver Spring was lovely.  The floral arrangements, centerpieces selected by Edie Guidice were perfect; food selected by Monette Goodridge, our Vice President was extraordinary in quality, presentation and quantity.  The stage had been set for a perfect event, flawless in execution.                                                


Cam Crockett the recipient of the Bi-Annual Sharon Pickett Award receiving the award plaque from MCDR President, Stirling Phillips

    The Award and all that happened around it was so wonderful and I cannot thank you enough for all you did to make it so very special.   It is rare in one's life when you get to gather so many people in one place that you have loved and worked with, and have the honor and joy of their appreciation.  I was deeply moved and touched by so much of what was said it was surprising that I didn't just sit there and weep.

     I thought that every part of the day went perfectly.  The food was delicious and the flowers were incredible.  Please accept my most sincere appreciation for this incredible labor of love that your wonderful team achieved. 

Cam Crockett

     In private practice over 35 years, Cam has mediated over 5,000 cases. She is affiliated with the Maryland State Bar Association, Montgomery County Bar Association, Women's Bar Association of Maryland, Association for Conflict Resolution (ACR), and Montgomery County Divorce Roundtable. Cam is a founding member and still active in MCDR.  She is both MCDR Certified and a Certification Assessor.  She was one of the original trainers for the Family Mediation Association (FMA), founded by O.J. Googler. FMA initiated divorce mediation in the United States.  Cam was one of the individuals working to develop a divorce education program & divorce mediation in the Montgomery County Circuit Court, now in operation for over twenty years.

     A few of the distinguished individuals invited to the podium to say a few words included Carl Schneider, Doug Brookman & Martin Kranitz (Shown Below), Rob Ketcham, Barb Williams, Harold Cohen, and the list goes on.  Clearly this was a very special time and touching memories were made.

      

     During the 20th Anniversary Celebration which followed, Martin Kranitz and others shared the history of MCDR.  They shared stories going back to the 1980s about the precursors of today’s MCDR.  Stirling remembered two individuals critical to the development of MCDR not with us today:  Roger Wolf and Sarah Grebe.

A truly a memorable event has been created


December 7, 2018:  MCDR was one of many exhibitors at the bi-annual Maryland Mediators Convention sponsored by the Maryland Judiciary, MACRO/MPME.

A Major "Thank You" Goes Out....

     To all our colleagues who stopped by speaking with us about Trainings, Certification, our Mentor/Mentee Initiative, upcoming Programs, Master Classes, and next summer's Sharon Pickett Award/20th Anniversary celebration!

     To all those mediators signing up as new members of MCDR.  And to those renewing their memberships. 

     To Janne, MCDR's Membership Chairperson & Barry, Treasurer for their work at the exhibit table.  To all MCDR past presidents, Stirling Phillips our current president, and past & present board members who stopped by to help.  We are especially pleased that so many MCDR members were in attendance. 

    To Officense and Minnesota Lawyers Mutual (MLM) for exhibiting at the convention and for their supporting MCDR by offering benefits to our membership.

     To all those individuals at MACRO for their exhaustive work over the past year creating and executing such a sophisticated, wonderful and exciting event.  You made us all proud.  Thank you.    

MCDR is proud to have sponsored via the Sarah Grebe Fund

three fully registered participants to the convention:  

     The Sarah Grebe Fund provides needs-based scholarships to those who might want to enroll or participate in ADR or mediation classes.  Sarah Grebe Fund can also be used for specific or special ADR mediation projects.  Each grant request made to the Sara Grebe Fund is reviewed and approved by a vote of the Executive Committee of the Board of Directors. 

     Contributions can be made using the "How to Make a Donation or Leave a Legacy" tab shown above or by sending your check to our Bethesda office.

            
Maryland Council for Dispute Resolution
10319 Westlake Drive, Suite 247
 Bethesda, Maryland   20817

 Professionals in Conflict Resolution
Send us an e-mail

     MCDR is the oldest membership-based organization in Maryland dedicated to promoting the use of mediation and supporting

the mediation profession.  We have a proud history of successfully advocating for allowing multiple professions to practice mediation,

halting attempts to restrict the practice some fifteen years ago.  MCDR is the first organization to establish performance based criteria

now in use as a national model, part of an ongoing dialogue on quality assurance and mediator credentials.

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     © Maryland Council for Dispute Resolution, 2019. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from the Maryland Council for Dispute Resolution is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Maryland council for Dispute Resolution with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.





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