Conflict Resolution Faculty Biographies

Nancy Baker, MA in Leadership and Adult Education, Cert.ConRes, RRM (Mediator on Mediate BC roster), MBTI certified, Trauma Informed practice and ability to work with High Conflict Disorders. Nancy worked at Sunshine Coast Community Services Society for 22 years developing a variety of community programs on the Sunshine Coast as well as working part time at the Justice Institute in Vancouver as a coach and trainer in the Conflict Resolution Program. Nancy started mediating privately with families in 1994 as well as spending time assisting not-for-profits to develop visions, missions, strong boards and to resolve conflicts. She has worked as a facilitator, mediator and consultant around the province of BC and across Canada with many not-for-profits organizations. In 2005, Nancy graduated with a Masters Degree from the Masters of Arts, Leadership and Training program at Royal Roads University and in 2012 she completed her Myers Briggs Typology Certification in California. She was the Mediation Advisor on contract with Mediate BC and based in the Provincial Court in downtown Vancouver from 2010 to 2015. Presently she holds an annual contract with the Justice Institute, is developing a roster and providing conflict resolution services for health services around the province as well as other private contracts for universities and businesses. In the past few years she has attended the Jungian Summit on Narcissism, have taken other training to assist with trauma and high conflict situations. Nancy offers workshops on Creating Leaderful Teams and Resolving Conflict from the Inside Out as well as Conflict and Leadership Coaching.

Sarah Belanger, MEd (Counselling Psychology), IFS Levels 1 & 2 (Internal Family Systems Therapy), Cert. ConRes (Negotiation; Mediation & Third-Party Intervention), BEd (Teacher Education), BSc (Global Resource Systems), is a therapist, educator, conflict resolution coach and mother of 2 delightful young children.  She is passionate about working with people across the lifespan in both educational and therapeutic contexts.  For Sarah, the joy of her work is supporting and witnessing clients’ and students’ increasing self-insight, theoretical understanding, and skill development, ultimately leading to greater ease and efficacy, both intra and inter personally, in their professional and personal lives.  Sarah joined the JIBC Faculty in 2012, initially as a coach and subsequently also as a roleplayer.  As a therapist Sarah had the honour of serving the Heiltsuk Nation in Bella Bella, B.C.  She has also worked locally with Vancouver Coastal Health supporting those in recovery from eating disorders as well as youth in fostering resiliency and preventing substance abuse.  Prior to that Sarah worked as a Career Advisor at the University of British Columbia (UBC) and also as a Coordinator at the UBC Farm.  A life long learner, Sarah’s current parenting chapter provides daily opportunities for gratitude, mindfulness, humour, emotional regulation, and practicing conflict resolution skills with 2 small but mighty forces.

Kathleen Bellamano, BSW, RSW, C. Arb, C. Med, FMCCert. CFM, has been a dispute resolution practitioner for 15 years.  She is a Chartered Arbitrator and Mediator, certified as a Comprehensive Family Mediator by Family Mediation Canada, is on the family and civil rosters of Mediate BC, the BC Hear the Child and Parenting Coordinator rosters and is a Restorative Justice Facilitator and Mentor.  She has a Bachelor of Social Work from the University of Victoria and is currently completing a Master of Social Work with a Clinical Specialization and a Certificate in Adult Education.  Kat received her Certificate in Conflict Analysis and Management and her Certificate in Family Mediation from The Institute of Conflict Analysis and Management with an emphasis on Conflict in Organizations and Group Facilitation Skills.  She received her Certificate in Arbitration from the ADRBC (formerly BCAMI).

Helen Cheng, B. Comm., LL.B., LL.M., is a lawyer and conflict resolution consultant.  Her practice focuses on institutional system design, leadership and management training. She was previously a crown counsel with the Department of Justice Canada and specialized in Charter litigation. Helen contributes on a pro bono basis to a number of organizations that promote grassroots empowerment, such as Women’s Legal Education and Action Fund, and is the founder of Yspace, a grassroots youth program that introduces ideas and skills indispensable to conflict resolution and peacebuilding.  Helen completed her Master of Law studies at Harvard Law School and her research on ADR theory is published in The Canadian Journal of Law and Jurisprudence.

Clare Connolly, BA, MA (Leadership), Cert. ConRes., is a facilitator, trainer and professional certified coach who specializes in conflict resolution and leadership development. Initially starting in restorative justice, Clare’s background now includes 15+ years as a trainer, coach and facilitator of difficult conversations at the organizational level and in her private practice, as well as being a crisis responder on a national crisis line.  A coach in the Centre for Conflict Resolution since 2008, Clare has more recently become a facilitator in the Centre for Leadership and Centre for Conflict Resolution. She is also a faculty member in the Centre for Community Living at the JIBC, where she helps build conflict resolution skills for those working with vulnerable populations. 

Dr. Raj Dhasi, DSocSci, M.A.  As a leading expert in conflict resolution, Raj has been providing invaluable intervention services to workplace organizations, school districts, families, and communities for over 20 years. Raj specializes in assessing and resolving complex multi-layer conflicts, with a keen attention to politics race, privilege, and intersectionality. She brings a toolbox full of intervention approaches including mediation, leadership and communication coaching, group facilitation, training and restorative justice processes. In addition to working in private practice, Raj is also a faculty member at the Justice Institute of B.C., Centre for Conflict Resolution. Raj holds a specialized degree in Adult Education, a Master’s degree in Organizational Conflict Analysis and Management, and a Doctorate in Social Sciences with a focus on resilience/health in the aftermath of trauma. As a skilled practitioner Raj brings a blend of empathy, spirit, and strategic thinking to each and every client.

Linda Dobson, MA (Applied Behavioral Science - Leadership), Master Certified Coach (Since 2003 - ICF), Cert. ConRes (Mediation/Negotiation), Associate Cert. Conflict Coaching, is an accomplished and passionate conflict specialist and speaker.  Linda helps leaders and teams in both private and public sectors secure resolutions to challenging personal and professional conflicts. Her works takes her across Canada(Turtle Island), as well as international work in Peacekeeping and Reconciliation (Uganda), Mexico (Ayuda a los Ninos), and India (National Law University: Mumbai).  Linda is on the roster with the Conflict Management Services and the Executive Coaching Rosters for government of BC.  Linda teaches with Justice Institute of BC, University of Calgary, and the National Law University in Mumbai. Her work is based on evidence-based theories, models, and strategic skills from dispute resolution, professional coaching,  neuro/behavioral science. 

Gillian M. Dougans, BA, LL.B., Cert ConRes.  Jill is a lawyer and mediator practicing in the areas of insurance defence, personal injury, employment, estate litigation and general commercial litigation.  She is a member of the Law Society’s Discipline Tribunal.  She is a past Adjunct Professor with UBCO having taught Issues in Contemporary Law for five years.  Her experience includes facilitating community conferences in a restorative justice program, mentoring young lawyers, organizing a student debate tournament and not-for-profit board governance.  She has been a coach with the Justice Institute since 2005 and enjoys working with students from all different backgrounds who are interested in expanding their conflict resolution skills. 

Michael Fogel, LL.B., J.D., MEd, CMed Since moving to Canada in 1985, Michael’s career has focused primarily on conflict intervention, negotiation, organizational transformation and leadership initiatives. While choosing to work less and with referrals only, he maintains his focus on mediating commercial and organizational disputes, multi-party and public policy conflict, family business disputes, and difficulties arising from significant organizational change. He also coaches (EQ Coaching™) with community groups and leaders, law firms (managing partners) and federally appointed judges in Canada, as well as judges in the U.S., New Zealand, Israel and other countries. He works with health care professionals, public and private sector management and union groups (often together) and Indigenous leaders and organizations. Michael, along with esteemed “conflict pioneers”, has been involved in the Justice Institute of British of Columbia's Collaborative Conflict Certificate Program since its inception and up to the present (the Capstone). He has designed and presented post-graduate university programs in mediation and negotiation as well as advanced mediation programs for practitioners. He has worked with peacemakers in the Middle East presenting advanced mediation and negotiation programs to Arab and Jewish Israelis and Palestinians who remain committed to a lasting peace in that region. Those relationships have continued for many years and during many very painful and difficult times. For Michael and his colleagues, mediation and engaging in meaningful, albeit, sometimes even acrimonious conversations can become "bridge-building" with the goal of long term relationship building, based on mutual understanding and clarity. He believes that shifting to a reciprocal, collaborative conflict approach can cultivate the most fertile ground upon which Emotional/Social Intelligence can thrive while evolving deeper and more meaningful relationships.

Mario Govorchin, Cert. ConRes., is a dynamic, energetic and entertaining speaker and trainer. Much of his work with organizations focuses on conflict resolution, leadership, team development, and change management. He is well regarded in his work as an interventionist for organizations experiencing high internal conflict, and has particular strengths as a mediator of multi-party disputes.

Vanessa Gray, BA, Cert. ConRes. is a front line conflict resolution practitioner with over 14 years of mediation and instructional experience.  She provides conflict engagement processes such as conflict coaching, third party facilitation, and assistance with harassment investigations at the organizational level.  As an instructor, Vanessa’s engaging and practical approach connects with audiences large and small. Vanessa has provided intervention services to both public and private sector organizations, sport at the national level, the family courts, Restorative Justice, parent-teen mediation, and schools throughout the lower mainland. 

Kelly Henderson, Cert. ConRes.  Masters degree in Counselling Psychology, Masters degree in Leadership in Health Care.  Works primarily in health care settings.  Has been affiliated with the JI program since the early 1990s instructing and coaching in Collaborative Conflict Resolution. Enjoys providing a solid focus on the relational dynamics of conflict.

Kent Highnam, Cert. ConRes., BA, MA, is an international educator and speaker with a background in international and public relations with the United Nations and the International Committee of the Red Cross. His work in public and private organizations, and in indigenous communities, includes education, mediation, facilitation and coaching in both English and French, to assist individuals and groups find meaning, purpose and compassion for themselves and others. As Dean of JIBC's School of Health, Community and Social Justice, Kent has extensive experience in educational leadership, labour relations, and social justice issues. He directs and teaches for the Centre for Conflict Resolution, the Centre for Leadership and also teaches for JIBC’s Law Enforcement Studies Diploma.

Stacey Holloway, Cert. ConRes., B.Sc.N., is an acknowledged and skilled interventionist in the fields of human relations and organizational development. She focuses on assisting people and organizations as they create and navigate change. Her work includes planning for strategic change management, organizational assessment, and analysis, developing people through training and coaching, intervention including mediation and facilitation, and keynote speaking. She delivers a range of workshops with content related to individual and team skill development and organization development.

Darrin Hotte, BA, MDiv, Cert. ConRes., FMC Cert. CFM, RRM, FEA has over 35 years of experience and specialized training in the areas of conflict, leadership, complex family systems, and relationships.  He is passionate about building, restoring, and preserving health within families, communities, faith-based groups and other organizations.  The focus of his mediation practice is Separation/Divorce, Family Business, and speaking/training, and has mediated, facilitated, or coached in over 800 family and civil disputes. Engaging learners on the topics of de-escalation, conflict and negotiation at places like the Justice Institute of BC and the Beedie School of Business (SFU), he is a sought after trainer and public speaker.  Darrin holds a certificate in Family Mediation (Justice Institute of BC) and Family Enterprise (Institute of Family Enterprise Advisors) as well as a BA in Psychology/Sociology (Concordia College) and an MDiv (Regent College). Darrin is married with two children, is an occasional jazz drummer and is an active Firefighter with Lions Bay Fire Rescue.

Jennifer Jasper, Faculty Bio not available.

Kel Kelly, Faculty Bio not available.

Paula Kueng, B.A., LL.M (ADR) has practiced in the field of conflict resolution since 2003. The first five years of her career were spent mediating family separation and the subsequent years have been spent mediating workplace disputes. In 2012 she became a faculty member at JIBC when she took on the roles of coach and instructor in the Conflict Resolution Program. She finds working with people in conflict a privilege and one that has taught her much about the capacity we have to come together in trying circumstances. When Paula is not at work she is at home with her partner and their young family.

Tim Langdon, has a BBA in International Trade and Finance and a BA with a focus on Human Resources.   Both his undergraduate studies have provided strong foundational skills in 35 years of experience in business running an engineering firm.  He has honed and applied his skills in cross-cultural communications through international sales and managing a team of 14 people.

Vanessa Lesperance, (she/her) is a mixed heritage Metis woman originally from Treaty 1 territory (Winnipeg). She holds a graduate diploma in business from SFU and a masters in leadership from Royal Roads University. Her work centres around reconciliation and decolonizing business. She has run programs and services for Indigenous women and non-binary entrepreneurs with the not-for-profit the Indigenous LIFT Collective and more recently has been working with the Indigenomics Institute to advance the $100 billion Indigenous economy. Vanessa has been published in SAY Magazine, Liisbeth magazine and World Federation Association of Teacher’s Education (WFATE) journal. Vanessa is also the founder of the Mindful Managers offering decolonial facilitation services, including holding regular “Indigenous Enough” circles.

Kenneth Markley, M.Ed., Cert. CFM(FMC) is a certified comprehensive Family Mediator. Ken has been in private practice for the past twelve years after retiring from his role as a social worker with the Ministry of Children and Family Development. Ken has been certified as a Separation and Divorce Financial Analyst but primarily specializes in child protection mediation. He has conducted over five hundred child protection mediations and family group conferences over the past twenty-two years. Ken has travelled extensively throughout B.C. doing mediation work and conflict resolution training. He has worked with a multitude of communities and First Nations throughout the province. He has presented at a variety of conferences on the subjects of child protection mediation and trauma-informed practice.

Graham McDonald, Cert. ConRes, is a retired mediator who has taught and coached the JIBC Conflict Resolution curriculum since 2003 in the Yukon, and since 2011 in Victoria. He entered the conflict resolution field after 25 years of experience in roles in and around government entities in the Yukon: Acting Chief of Staff to Yukon Government Leader; Executive Assistant to several Cabinet Ministers (2 of whom were indigenous), Executive Director to the Yukon Fish and Wildlife Management Board, a Yukon Land Claim co-management body; consultant to First Nations governments; and contract investigator and mediator for the office of the Yukon Ombudsman and Protection of privacy Commissioner. In Port Alberni, where he now lives, he has been active in Restorative Justice and property development initiatives. He remains active as a conflict coach for JIBC and individuals.

Julia Menard, MEd, PCC, Cert. ConRes specializes in helping to transform organizational conflict into a learning gift. She runs her own conflict consulting practice working with teams, leaders and employees in conflict within public and private organizations. Julia is the co-author of Hold On To Yourself: How to Stay Cool in Hot Conversations and the Canadian distributor and workshop creator for Mediator in a Box.

Linda Ohashi, M.Ed, Cert. ConRes, is an adult educator, family mediator, coach and restorative justice facilitator with over 20 years of experience in adult education. She is a strong proponent of healthy, engaged communities and works with a number of organizations to promote opportunity and change.  As a coach at the JI campus in New Westminster, she feels privileged to work and learn alongside outstanding faculty and students. 

Kerry Palmer,  is a Metis citizen from the Red River Valley of Manitoba. For the past 23 years Kerry has operated his consulting business, Integrative Mediation Services. His focus is in the areas of conflict resolution, mediation, facilitation, training, workplace improvement processes, team support, and executive coaching. Kerry is an instructor at Justice Institute of BC in the Conflict Resolution program, and for a time in the Aboriginal Leadership Program.  He has been part of the JI faculty for the past 21 years. Kerry’s work has taken him to various First Nations communities and organizations. Here he has provided training, facilitation, circle work, and mediation services to chief and council, band offices, employees, and community members. Kerry has certificates from the Justice Institute of BC in Conflict Resolution, Family Mediation, and a specialization in Restorative Practices. Kerry also has a diploma from VCC in Adult Education. Kerry had worked as a mediator in the area of Child Protection for 15 years and family mediation for 12 years. Currently Kerry works as a mediator/coach for the BC Public Service Agency. Kerry also works as a respectful workplace advisor for several Provincial Crown Corporations in B.C. In this role he provides respectful workplace training, mediation, team facilitation, workplace improvement processes along with coaching.

Lisa Richlen, B.A. (Jewish Studies), M.A. (Social and Emotional Learning), Ph.D. (African Studies).  A Canadian citizen through her mother, is a Seattle native. She was first trained as a mediator in high school and subsequently trained peer mediators, volunteered for a community mediation centre and was a small claims court mediator. Experience in classroom teaching and a commitment to emotional intelligence led her to complete an M.A. in Social and Emotional Learning. She lived in Israel from 2000-2021 and worked as an employee of and a consultant for tens of social change and human rights organizations. Simultaneously, she was actively engaged in Arab/Jewish and Israeli/Palestinian dialogue on the personal level and worked as a group process facilitator, a Jewish advisor of an interfaith program and, briefly, as coordinator for an Israeli-Palestinian mediation program. In 2021, Richlen completed a PhD at Ben Gurion University of the Negev in Israel where her research focused on refugee-led organizations. Since moving to Vancouver in 2021, she has taught courses on human rights, ethnicity and ethnic relations, non-violent social change, race and ethnicity and social inequality in Canada at the University of British Columbia, Simon Fraser University and Langara College. She currently serves as a Board Director with ISSofBC and is a member of a refugee sponsorship committee.

Lesley Shebib, M.A. (Conflict Analysis and Management), Cert. ConRes.,and Q.Med with ADRIC is a strong advocate of effective conflict resolution. With over 20 years of experience training, coaching and mediation, she is keenly interested in building capacity that allows for more honest and restorative conversations.  Currently she works primarily with local universities, family run businesses and not-for-profit organizations.  As a faculty member of the Justice Institute, she feels honoured to work alongside both staff and students and acknowledges the importance of lifelong learning.

Alan Simpson, (he,him) MA, HRC, CCR, ALCR, is a facilitator, instructor, and mediator with a rich background in conflict resolution and leadership development. Alan provides exceptional conflict engagement processes and customized training seminars for leaders and their organizations. He has logged over 30 years of experience in developing leaders and organizations in the critical areas of communication skills, change management, and conflict engagement. Alan has had the privilege of working with a diverse range of clients, including family businesses, school districts, non-profits, indigenous groups and government organizations. Alan is also an experienced online facilitator and in-person instructor/developer for JIBC for the past 15 years.  His strong facilitation and mediation skills has made him a trusted partner for many clients by supporting them in overcoming obstacles, fostering effective communication, and building a culture of collaboration.

Jim Skinner, Cert. ConRes, BGS, C.Med, C.Arb is a skilled professional with expertise in conflict resolution, workplace education, and organizational dynamics. Within his private practice, he provides an extensive selection of services tailored to enhance workplaces. These services encompass interpersonal mediations, conflict resolution training, fostering effective team dynamics through team-building initiatives, conducting formal harassment investigations to ensure a respectful work environment, performing comprehensive climate assessments, and offering specialized coaching for leadership development. Jim is on the roster of mediators at the Alternative Dispute Resolution BC office where he mediates Prohibited Action Complaints for WorkSafeBC. 

Pete Sperling, B.A., Cert. ConRes., Cert. Family Med (Family Mediation Canada), discovered the field of conflict resolution in 2008 after returning to Canada from living abroad in Australia, West Africa and Taiwan. He had a small private practice as a coach, facilitator and private mediator before joining the BC public service in 2012 as a full-time family mediator. He currently manages a team of family mediators at one of the provinces three Justice Access Centres. 

Colette Squires, M.A. (Criminal Justice), Cert ConRes, RSG.D. is a mediator, organizational consultant, and instructor in university and other settings.  She provides services to all levels of government, business and the not-for-profit sector, in mediation, coaching, research, governance, program design, and program evaluation. She also provides mediation for families in conflict.  A favourite project was assisting an Indigenous organization to design a housing-centred program for street-entrenched urban Indigenous women, to address substance use, trauma, and homelessness in a way that embraced their cultural roots and Indigenous identity.  As a mediator, her training and experiences have been shaped by Aboriginal and Restorative Justice, beginning with her years as the Executive Director of Abbotsford Restorative Justice. Her work continues to reflect the restorative and indigenous values of respect, dignity, and inclusion for all, value for healthy communities, and the importance of conflict resolution as a transformative encounter that can promote healing through interpersonal accountability, understanding, and support.  

Julia Szucs, BSc, CEC, ACC, Cert. ConRes, IFS Level One, specializes in team coaching, group process facilitation and conflict communication skills development. Julia’s diverse background includes work in environmental policy, documentary film production and outdoor leadership training. She has led  expeditions for the National Outdoor Leadership School, worked with students on traveling field studies and facilitated group processes in public and corporate boardrooms and higher education institutions. She is particularly drawn to facilitating experiential learning opportunities that build self-awareness, support reflective practice, contribute to personal growth, and bolster successful team performance. Julia coaches and facilitates graduate academic teamwork at Royal Roads University.

Tu Van Trieu, MSc (Conflict Resolution), Mediate BC Associate Civil Roster Mediator, RPC, BA, is a registered professional counsellor, coach and excited to mediate. She is also faculty in the Law Enforcement Studies program at the JIBC. Tu Van’s background includes restorative justice, international peacebuilding, and bullying and harassment prevention in high schools. She is passionate about supporting self-awareness and empowerment in managing conflicts. Additionally, she co-facilitates respectful relationship groups for men on probation, which supports them to break their cycle of violence.

Lee Turnbull, LL.B., MEd (Couns Psych), C. Med, FMC Cert. Comp. Fam. Med, has taught, assessed and coached in the JIBC Conflict Resolution Curriculum since 1992.  She maintains a diverse dispute resolution, mediation and facilitation consulting practice: commercial, workplace, governments, NGOs, schools, family disputes. Lee specializes in design/implementation for civil and family mediation practicum programs, and skill assessment processes. She has been the Senior Advisor and a Mentor for Mediate BC in the Court Mediation Program and Family Regional Mentoring Program. She currently does conflict coaching and coaches for the ADRBC National Mediation courses. She has served her Sunshine Coast community as elected West Howe Sound Regional District Director for 4 terms.

Deborah White, Cert. ConRes., BSW, MA (Applied Behavioral Science) works in organizations as a management consultant, conflict coach, mediator, facilitator and trainer. As a senior faculty member in the internationally recognized Centre for Conflict Resolution at the Justice Institute of British Columbia, Deborah enjoys teaching and interacting with participants wanting to learn how to bring constructive and collaborative processes to difficult situations. Having worked in the family meditation field in the early stages of her career, she brings that knowledge and experience to the work she does currently. With more than 25 years of experience in both public and private sectors, large and small organizations, her goal is to assist individuals and groups to have difficult conversations or negotiations in a way that the parties can reach mutually satisfactory outcomes while maintaining a workable relationship. When intervening in a conflict, Deborah focuses on understanding how power dynamics play a role in the situation. Having worked with Indigenous Communities, she brings awareness of how equity, diversity and inclusion impacts the success of any negotiation or mediation.

Gordon White, BSc, MBA, mediates one-on-one conflicts and facilitates group consensus in a wide range of contexts. Many of his clients have been in government, health care, and education. He has worked with clients who are indigenous, non-binary, neurodivergent, and those who may have been traumatized. Gordon has a particular interest in working with leaders to produce system change and develop conflict competent organizations. After 25 years in the field, he maintains an enduring belief in human potential and the capacity of groups and individuals to make progress with their differences. Gordon teaches at the Justice Institute of BC in conflict resolution and has also taught at the Centre for Leadership. He is an award-winning Associate Faculty member at Royal Roads University where he has been delivering his course on Conflict Management for 15 years. His easily searchable blog, https://www.theconflictjourney.com/, provides depth perspectives and practical advice on how to respond to conflict. In 2017, he teamed up with his colleague Julia Menard to create the https://www.onconflictpodcast.com/ through which they explore a diverse and expansive collection of conflict issues.