Sarah Rudgers-Tysz is the Executive Director of Mediation Matters, a non-profit Community Dispute Resolution Center that serves Albany, Rensselaer, Saratoga, Schenectady, Warren and Washington Counties. Sarah has been with the Center since 2006 and the Executive Director since 2011. In her role Sarah seeks and builds partnerships with those throughout the counties served; designs dispute resolution programs with those partners; handles the administrative functions of the organization; conducts some of the Conflict Resolution training for the Center; mediates cases; and facilitates multiparty dialogue for the community. 

Sarah is an attorney, licensed to practice in Maryland, with over 28 years of experience in mediation in a variety of settings, both public and private. After completing law school, Sarah began her federal career with the Department of Health and Human Services in their Dispute Resolution Unit. From there, she moved into the Federal Labor Relations Authority where she facilitated labor/management issues that were presented to the Agency for decision. Prior to moving to NY she served as an Assistant General Counsel for the National Archives where in addition to her service for the General Counsel’s office, she ran their nation-wide workplace mediation program. Sarah’s professional experience in conflict resolution includes restorative practices, mediation and facilitation in many areas including community, federal, workplace, elder, youth, family, schools, and criminal justice mediations; large group facilitation and team building; training for both educational seminars and undergraduate classes; and program design and implementation. 

Over five years ago, Sarah was appointed to the Judiciary’s Alternative Dispute Resolution Advisory Committee to add the perspectives of the CDRCs to the discussions of ADR within the NY State Court System. She also serves on the Capital Region’s Regional Counsel of the Hate and Bias Prevention Unit of the Division of Human Rights.

Sarah is a NYS CDRC and Part 146 Certified Custody Visitation Trainer and the professor supervising the Community Mediation Clinic at Albany Law School.