Embracing the Diversity of Dispute Resolution:
From Conflict to Cohesion
Monday, September 23 - Tuesday, September 24
9:00 AM - 2:30 PM
Virtual
DAYS TO GO
ABOUT THE CONFERENCE
Join us for the New York State Dispute Resolution Association's (NYSDRA) 2024 Annual Conference, themed Embracing the Diversity of Dispute Resolution: From Conflict to Cohesion. This year's event, scheduled for September 23 & 24, 2024, is designed to highlight the importance of embracing diverse philosophies and approaches within dispute resolution to foster a unified and collaborative practice.
NYSDRA's annual signature event is a clarion call for current and aspiring ADR practitioners across the state to come together with fellow practitioners, experts, and leaders in the field to build a stronger, more inclusive, and resolute dispute resolution community.
The conference draws content experts and key partners across the ADR spectrum. The focus of the event is on learning, networking, and sharing ideas and innovations to advance the field of dispute resolution, supporting practitioners, and enabling those seeking and promoting access to justice to connect with the individuals and organizations trained and prepared to provide quality dispute resolution services.
Explore Key Topics at NYSDRA's Annual Conference!
Community Responsive Court Programs, Dispute Resolution in a Politically Charged Climate, Conflict Resolution in a Post-Pandemic World, The Power of Peaceful Disruption, and so much more! We hope that you will join us for two days of engaging presentations, thought-provoking discussions, workshops, and interactive sessions designed to enhance your knowledge and skills in the field of conflict resolution.
In the coming weeks, more details on the conference agenda and registration will be shared. Be sure to stay tuned for updates on our website and social media channels!
Your Support Makes it All Happen!
Contact us at info@nysdra.org or (518) 687-2240 for more information on how to
Become a Sponsor, join the
Honorary Committee, or submit a
Speaker Proposal Request.
OPENING REMARKS
The Honorable Antonio Delgado
Office of the Lieutenant Governor of NYS
The Honorable Lawrence K. Marks
New York State Unified Court System
MEET OUR 2024 KEYNOTE SPEAKERS
DAY 1
John Lande, J.D., Ph.D.
The Isidor Loeb Professor Emeritus
University of Missouri School of Law
DAY 2
Lisa Courtney, Esq.
Director of the Division of Alternative Dispute Resolution
NYS Office of Court Administration
Andrew Thomas PeaceBuilder Award Recipient
Sarah Rudgers-Tysz
Executive Director, Mediation Matters
About the Andrew Thomas PeaceBuilder Award
The Andrew Thomas PeaceBuilder Award was established in 1996 to honor individuals and organizations that have promoted the field of dispute resolution.
The award was designed in 1996 in honor of its recipient Tekaronianeken Jake Swamp, Sub-chief of the Wolf Clan for the Mohawk Nation, and Director of the Tree of Peace Society. Chief Swamp worked to promote peace both within his culture and across the country, and he was an important activist in peace building. He was at Wounded Knee, the Ganienkeh Land Reclamation, the Longest walk, the Bureau of Indian Affairs Takeover, the Akwesasne Bridge Blockade, the Fourth Russell Tribunal in the Netherlands and was a delegate to the United Nations in Geneva, Switzerland. Later in his career Chief Swamp traveled nationally and internationally planting trees for peace and enlightening people about the culture and contributions of the Haudenosaunee Confederacy. Learn More About Chief Swamp →
The award was subsequently renamed in honor of the 1998 awardee, Andrew Thomas. Mr. Thomas was the first president of the New York State Dispute Resolution Association Board of Directors and a past Co-Chair of the Board of Directors of the National Association of Community Mediation. In addition to having served as the Executive Director of the Center for Dispute Settlement in Rochester, community organizer, mediator, a leader in social justice reform, Mr. Thomas has trained thousands of individuals to become mediators, facilitators and arbitrators for court ADR programs.
~ CONFERENCE SCHEDULE ~
Day 1 - Monday, September 23, 2024
9:00 AM - 9:30 AM: Welcome & Opening Session
- Theresa Hobbs, Executive Director, NYSDRA
- The Honorable Antonio Delgado, Lieutenant Governor of New York State
- The Honorable Lawrence K. Marks, Chief Administrative Judge (ret.), New York State Unified Court System
9:30 AM - 10:45 AM: Session A (concurrent sessions - choose one!)
- Building a Career in ADR: Opportunities & Pathways (1.0 CLE Credits) - Nancy Kramer, Esq., JAMS
- Conflict in a Changing World: The Growing Relevance of ADR - Maria Volpe, John Jay College of Criminal Justice (CUNY)
- Conflict Resolution for a World on Fire - Nick Pozek, Columbia Law School
- Meet the Fourth Party: AI and the Future of Dispute Resolution - Colin Rule & Clare Fowler, ODR.com, Mediate.com
11:00 AM - 12:15 PM: Session B (concurrent sessions - choose one!)
- English (as a Second Language) in the Mediation Room - Jessica Kent, Liz Kent
- Play! Implementing Games into your Conflict Resolution Practice - Cait Righi
- A Discussion on the U.S. EEOC’s Mediation Program (1.0 CLE Credits) - Deborah Reik, Esq. & Jeremy Boyd
- The ABCs of ADR: Navigating the Fundamentals of Dispute Resolution - Duke Fisher, Resolve + Restore
12:15 PM - 1:00 PM: Lunch & Networking: Connect, Engage, and Explore (Open Session)
1:00 PM - 2:15 PM: Keynote Address, Day 1
John Lande, J.D., Ph.D., Univ. of Missouri School of Law
"Why Do You Mediate The Way You Do?"
2:15 PM - 2:30 PM: Closing Session
- Jonathan Murray, Board President, NYSDRA
2:30 PM - 3:30 PM: Inside the Mind of a Peacemaker (Private Session):
An Open Conversation with John Lande, J.D., Ph.D.
(Open to Sponsors, Honorary Committee Members and NYSDRA Board Members)
4:00 PM - 5:00 PM: NYSDRA Annual Meeting
(NYSDRA Members Only)
Day 2 - Tuesday, September 24, 2024
9:00 AM - 9:15 AM: Welcome (Back!) Remarks
- Alison Ritchie, NYSDRA Board Conference Committee Chair
9:15 AM - 10:30 AM: Session C (concurrent sessions - choose one!)
- Case Studies: CDRCs' Respond to Hate & Bias in Their Communities (1.0 CLE Credits) - Facilitated by Shira May, Ph.D., Exec. Director, Center for Dispute Settlement (Part 1 of 2)
- Beyond the Tip of the Iceberg: Evolving Approaches to Resolution & Justice - Dina Thompson, Executive Director, Erie County Restorative Justice Coalition
- Bridging Cultures: Insights from the Long Island-Kazakhstan Mediation Dialogue (1.0 CLE Credits) - Courtney Chicvak, Esq., et.al, Long Island Dispute Resolution Center
- Navigating Neutrality: The Art of Impartiality in Conflict Resolution (1.0 CLE Credits) - Kim Reisch, Esq., Center for Dispute Settlement
10:45 AM - 12:00 PM: Keynote Address, Day 2
Lisa Courtney, Esq., Director of the Division of Alternative Dispute Resolution,
New York State Office of Court Administration
"Diversity of Dispute Resolution Options: ADR in the NYS Courts"
12:00 PM - 12:45 PM: Lunch & Networking: Connect, Engage, and Explore (Open Session)
12:45 PM - 2:00 PM: Session D (concurrent sessions - choose one!)
- The Role of CDRCs in the Hate and Bias Prevention Unit (HBPU) at the New York State Division of Human Rights: A Conversation with HBPU Staff (1.0 CLE Credits), Facilitated by Ayanna Behin, Director, New York Peace Institute (Pt 2 of 2)
- Amplify Your Impact: Unleashing AI for Personal and Professional Growth - Patrick Kirby, Do Good Better Consulting
- Empowering Special Education Mediation: The Role of Conflict Coaching - Tricia S. Jones, Ph.D., Director, Center for Conflict Management and Media Impact, Temple University
- Disruptive Peacemaking: Can Facilitated Conflict Conversations Change the Status Quo? (1.0 CLE Credits) - Kim Reisch, Esq., Center for Dispute Settlement
2:15 PM - 2:30 PM: Closing Session
- Jonathan Murray, Board President, NYSDRA
4:00 PM - 5:30 PM:
Andrew Thomas PeaceBuilder Award Presentation (Hybrid Session)
Join us for this special recognition of the 2024 Andrew Thomas PeaceBuilder Award recipient,
Sarah Rudgers-Tysz.
In-Person Attendance:
The Albany Marriott (Empire Room), 189 Wolf Rd, Albany, NY 12205
If you wish to attend in person, please contact
info@nysdra.org.
Virtual Attendance:
The presentation will also be available for virtual attendees.
Honorary Committee Members
Hon. Jaclyn A. Brilling
Hon. Randolph F. Treece
Jonathan Murray, CFO, Prestige Hospitality Group
Alison Ritchie, President, NYACS
John Harrison, CEO, Community Mediation Services
Dr. Bernadette Poole-Tracy
Dr. Shira May
Wilma Jozwiak
Niki Rowe
Sunil Bhatia, Jedi Ark
New York State United Teachers
Debora Brown, President, Albany NAACP
Debbie Smith
Ramon Peralta, Peralta Designs
New York State Council on Divorce Mediation
New York State United Teachers (NYSUT)
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Registration
Ticket Prices
- Non-NYSDRA Members: $250
- NYSDRA Members: $125
- CDRC Staff & Volunteers: $25
- Students: $25
DISCOUNTS:
- NYSDRA Members receive a 50% discount
- Financial Aid is available upon request for attorneys seeking CLE credits.
Sponsorship Opportunities
We invite you to support our conference this year by becoming a named sponsor for the event. Your support is critical, as it allows us to offer quality educational programming for our members, most of whom are volunteers providing low-to-no-cost services in their local communities. Support Peacebuilding by Becoming a Sponsor today!
- Platinum Sponsor - $5,000 (click for Sponsorship details)
- Gold Sponsor - $2,500 (click for Sponsorship details)
- Silver Sponsor - $1,000 (click for Sponsorship details)
Honorary Committee Opportunities
- Individual: $250 (One Complimentary Ticket)
By joining our Honorary Committee, you will enjoy exclusive benefits such as:
- Name listed on the virtual invitation and other event communications
- Name listed on the conference webpage
- Name listed on NYSDRA’s Donation page
- Acknowledgement in NYSDRA’s Annual Report and other publications
2024 CONFERENCE SPONSORS
SILVER SPONSORS
OUR SUPPORTERS
NYSDRA Events & Trainings
Check out our calendar for other events and trainings throughout the year!