James Q. Pope, M.S.W., J.D.
Jim Pope is an attorney, mediator, and consultant in conflict management and other subjects related to workplace conflict, employee relations, civil disputes and divorce. Jim is currently an adjunct professor of mediation and arbitration at the Catholic University Columbus School of Law, and an adjunct professor of mediation at George Mason University School of Law, and has been a guest lecturer at George Washington University School of Law, Georgetown University School of Law and Howard University School of Law. He has conducted U.S. Department of State sponsored mediation trainings for the governments of Israel and Palestine, and has mediated and conducted conflict management, mediation and negotiation trainings for numerous public and private agencies and organizations, including the U.S. Postal Service, the U.S.D.A., the Department of the Navy, N.O.A.A., NASA, NEA, the F.A.A., the Air Force, the U.S. Forest Service, the World Bank and the Arkansas Supreme Court. Jim holds a J.D. from George Washington University Law School, an M.S.W. from Virginia Commonwealth University, and a B.A. from the University of Virginia.
Daniel Rainey
Daniel Rainey is the Director of the Office of Alternative Dispute Resolution Services (ADRS) for the National Mediation Board, and he is the agency’s Ombudsman. He directs the NMB’s alternative dispute resolution (ADR) program, which includes: 1) an ongoing training program offering courses in Facilitated Problem Solving and Grievance Mediation; 2) specialized training in topics such as teambuilding and System Boards of Adjustment; 3) third party work in grievance mediation, interest-based contract negotiation, and group facilitation; and, 4) Online Dispute Resolution (ODR). The ODR program includes the use of technology for contract negotiations, grievance mediation, arbitration hearings, and other work with parties in the airline and railroad industries. He is a member of InternetBar.org, an online dispute resolution organization addressing issues of justice involving cyber-law and cyber-transactions, he is a member of the planning committee for the United Nations Fifth ODR Conference (2007), and he is a Fellow of the Center for Information Technology and Dispute Resolution (CITDR) at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. He is an adjunct faculty member at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst and at Southern Methodist University.
Susan Shearouse, M.S.
Susan Shearouse has twenty years experience as a consultant, trainer, mediator and facilitator, helping people resolve their differences, improve their organizations, enhance their conversations, achieve stable partnerships, and lead more effectively. She earned a Master of Science in Conflict Resolution from George Mason University in 1988. In addition, Susan has served as Executive Director of the National Conference on Peacemaking and Conflict Resolution (NCPCR), as Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) Specialist for the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service (FMCS), and as adjunct faculty at Georgetown University’s MBA program. She served for ten years on the Advisory Board of the Institute for Conflict Analysis and Resolution (ICAR) at George Mason University.
Wendy Swire, M.A.
Wendy Swire is a trainer and mentor mediator for the NVMS (since 1994). She is also the founding principal of a training and management consulting firm based in the Washington, DC area. Ms. Swire has evaluated, designed and conducted management training courses, led group team-building exercises, facilitated large and small group meetings and conducted multi-party mediation sessions. Ms. Swire has provided conflict resolution training to both staff and senior management levels within organizations. A partial list of her clients includes: Agency for International Development, Capital One, National Institute of Health, The World Bank, Association of Homes & Services for the Aging, Search for Common Ground, Management Concepts, Public Risk Mgt. Association, Sheppard Pratt Health System, Scientific Application International Corporation/Department of Energy and US Postal Service. She is an adjunct professor at Montgomery College (Rockville, MD) in the area of Negotiation and Conflict Resolution. Ms. Swire received her Master’s Degree from the Fletcher School (Tufts/Harvard Universities) and her Bachelor’s degree cum laude from Mount Holyoke College in International Relations.
Jeannette P. Twomey, J.D.
Jeannette Twomey, J.D., is an experienced mediator, consultant, facilitator, and trainer in the field of conflict management and resolution. She has provided alternative dispute resolution (ADR) services since 1992, focusing on workplace, family, and elder issues. She has been certified since 1993 by the Judicial Council of Virginia to mediate court-referred cases and to deliver training required for the court system’s mediator certification program.
Ms. Twomey has provided training and facilitation to private organizations and government agencies including the U.S. Department of the Air Force, the U.S. Department of the Navy, the U.S. Department of Interior, the Federal Aviation Administration, and Fairfax County’s Department of Human Services.
She has successfully mediated and facilitated resolution in hundreds of two party and multi-party disputes. Ms. Twomey participated in the EEOC Washington Field Office’s pilot mediation program in the early 1990’s and has mediated EEO and workplace disputes for government agencies including The Corporation for National Service, The Central Intelligence Agency, The National Science Foundation, The World Bank, and the Washington Metropolitan Airports Authority. She also serves on the rosters of General District and Circuit Court mediation programs in Arlington and Fairfax Counties.
Ms. Twomey has been a leader in the dispute resolution field, serving on governing boards of both local and state ADR organizations. She regularly trains mediators in ethics and professional responsibility. She was named “Mediator of the Year” by NVMS in 1994. Ms. Twomey is a Mentor Mediator for the Virginia’s Mediator Certification Program and an appointed member of the Advisory Council for the Virginia Supreme Court’s Division of Dispute Resolution Services.
She was instrumental in designing the mediation program for Arlington County’s General District Court and has partnered with George Mason University’s Institute of Conflict Analysis and Resolution to design and deliver training and facilitation services to public and private clients.
Ms. Twomey served as President of Northern Virginia Mediation Service from 1996-1999 and was named the organization’s “Mediator of the Year” in 1994. She is a member of the Virginia Mediation Network, the Association for Conflict Resolution, and the Virginia Bar. She is an adjunct professor, teaching negotiation and mediation, at the American University’s Washington College of Law.