Conference Speakers

Ahmed Mediation and Arbitration

Javeria Ahmed is an accomplished mediator and arbitrator with a deep commitment to promoting peace through culturally responsive approaches. As the founder of Ahmed Mediation & Arbitration, she brings experience in facilitating amicable settlements across family, workplace, and community disputes, with a particular focus on faith-based and cross-cultural conflicts. Javeria holds advanced qualifications in Islamic leadership and is qualified to offer Islamic dispute resolution. Her work bridges traditional mediation models with the time-honored principles of Sulh (reconciliation) and Wasata (mediation) from Islamic tradition.

Alvarez Dispute Resolutions, PLLC

Justice Patricia O’Connell Alvarez is a retired Justice of the Texas Fourth Court of Appeals and seasoned trial attorney with over 38 years of experience. She is board certified in Personal Injury Trial Law and fluent in Spanish. Justice Alvarez has completed advanced training in mediation, arbitration, and negotiation at Harvard and Basel, and now offers ADR services through Alvarez Dispute Resolutions. A frequent lecturer and respected mentor, she is the recipient of numerous statewide awards for professionalism, leadership, and service to the legal community.

Texas Workforce Commission-Civil Rights Division

Marci Anavitarte-Jordan has been mediating for over twenty years and eleven years as an EEO and Housing Mediator/Conciliator with the Texas Workforce Commission Civil Rights Division. Due to her experience and knowledge, Marci had the opportunity to present at the 2022 TAM Conference and the 2025 TWC-Civil Rights Division Annual Symposium. She has hosted roundtable discussions with the Florida Commission on Human Rights and other state agencies.
Marci’s education includes an Associate of Applied Science in Legal Assistance from the College of Southern Nevada, a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration from the University of Mary Hardin Baylor (UMHB), and a Master of Arts in Conflict Resolution and Reconciliation from Abilene Christian University. She is a Distinguished Credentialed Mediator (TMCA) and Certified Human Rights Consultant (USIDHR).

MediationDynamics.com

Mark W. Batchelder, J.D., is an attorney (since 1987) in Fort Worth, Texas, who is a mediator and mediation trainer (since 1990), the owner and principal instructor with MediationDynamics.com, a musician, a professional guitar instructor, the Executive Director of CommunityMusicConnection.org - a 501 (c)(3) nonprofit organization, a former adjunct college professor, the President of the Tarrant County Association of Mediators, a licensed pilot, a devoted husband and proud father whose daughter is a concert violinist. Mark is an officer, director, and TMTR Approved Trainer with the Texas Mediation Trainers Roundtable - TMTR.org. Mark is also the owner and manager of a small summer guest ranch near Estes Park, Colorado, which his family has operated for over 75 years - Mountainbrooks.com

Sharon Corsentino Mediations, PLLC

Sharon Corsentino is a distinguished mediator, attorney, and arbitrator with extensive experience in alternative dispute resolution (ADR). She maintains a dedicated mediation and arbitration practice, focusing primarily on family law mediations and property tax and consumer arbitrations. Focusing exclusively on ADR since 2016, Sharon has successfully resolved nearly two thousand cases. Sharon currently serves as Secretary of the ADR Council for the State Bar of Texas, President of the North Texas Chapter of the Association of Attorney Mediators, and as a board member of the ADR Section of the Collin County Bar Association.

Robertson Stephens Wealth Management

Pam Friedman, CFP®, CDFA®, is a Managing Director and Principal at Robertson Stephens. She has over 30 years of financial planning and investment experience. Prior to joining Robertson Stephens, Pam founded Divorce Planning of Austin. In addition, Pam currently is on the faculty of the Finance Department in the McCombs School of Business at The University of Texas at Austin.

Pam is a Certified Financial Planner™ professional and Certified Divorce Financial Analyst® who authored, Financially Fit Divorce and I Now Pronounce You Financially Fit, her books on marriage, divorce and the art of of maintaining a healthy financial balance throughout.

In 2023, Pam was awarded the title of “Woman Financial Planner of the Year” by Wealth Solutions Report for her work at Robertson Stephens.

Lakeside Mediation Center

Eric Galton is considered by many to be a pioneer and defining force in the field of Alternative Dispute Resolution. Since 1989, he has mediated over 7,000 cases, employing a variety of mediation styles. Eric Galton inspires and motivates participants through his uncompromising ethics, incisiveness, compassion, and genuine love of the mediation process.

Mr. Galton’s sixth ADR book, "Stories Mediators Tell," was published by the ABA in the spring of 2012. Mr. Galton’s books have been translated into French, Italian, Spanish, and Chinese. Mr. Galton has been listed in the Who's Who of International Commercial Mediators since 2010. Mr. Galton is a member of the Academy of Distinguished Neutrals and is a credentialed distinguished mediator by the Texas Mediator Credentialing Association.

Aric J Garza Law PLLC

Aric J. Garza, founder & managing member of Aric J. Garza Law PLLC is a nationally recognized ADR Professional.

He brings 25+ years of litigation expertise to his ADR practice, successfully representing 600+ clients in Texas. As a member of the National Academy of Distinguished Neutrals (NADN) and an arbitrator with the American Arbitration Association (AAA), he's been assigned 200+ cases, exceeding $65M in controversy (Commercial, Construction, Employment, Consumer).

His experience extends to mediating complex commercial, consumer, and real estate disputes since 1999. He's actively involved in the legal community, currently serving as Chair of the ADR Section of the State Bar of Texas and as former Co-Chair of the ABA DR Section Arbitration Cmte.

The Henderson Law Firm, PLLC

Craig Henderson is a Board-Certified trial attorney with more than 30 years of legal experience. He has represented both plaintiffs and defendants in state and federal courts across Texas, handling cases from filing through appeal. His practice has included personal injury, commercial and construction disputes, insurance claims, property damage, oil and gas issues, employment law, and probate.
Craig is a Past President of the Corpus Christi Chapter of the American Board of Trial Advocates. He is a credentialed Advanced Mediator by the Texas Mediator Credentialing Association and a member of the Texas Association of Mediators. Today, Craig focuses on mediation and arbitration, using his courtroom experience to help parties resolve disputes efficiently and effectively.

Lakeside Mediation Center

Kimberlee Kovach has long been a leader in the dispute resolution field, having served as a founding officer and Chair of the ABA Section of Dispute Resolution, along with Chair of the ADR Sections of both the Texas and Houston Bar Associations. She has received awards for her work and contributions, including the prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award from the International Academy of Mediators. She is also a prominent mediation trainer, and has written many books and articles on the mediation process.

Move Forward Mediation

Lydia Miller has lived in Dallas since 1991. She is a TMCA Credentialed Advanced Mediator, holds a certificate in Alternate Dispute Resolution from the University of North Texas and a Master’s Degree from the University of Texas at Dallas. She also serves as a mediator for the Dallas and Tarrant courts, and has a private practice, Move Forward Mediation.

Lydia first participated in conflict-resolution training in 1994 and has been a conflict resolution coach and trainer for 30 years. She has also served on three non-profit boards for a total of 15 years, and has been the co-owner of a real estate investment business since 2017. She lives in Oak Cliff with her wife, Aline McKenzie.

Judge Rick Morris is a Senior District Judge and Credentialed Distinguished Mediator with five decades of legal experience. Appointed in 1989 to the 146th Judicial District Court of Texas, he was re-elected six times without opposition, presiding over
thousands of civil, family, and criminal matters until 2013. He has since served as a visiting judge, arbitrator, and mediator, handling complex disputes across Texas. Of Counsel to Baird, Crews, Schiller & Whitaker P.C., Judge Morris is active in professional mediation and legal organizations, has authored numerous CLE presentations, and is a Life Fellow of the Texas Bar Foundation. He holds degrees from Baylor University School of Law and the University of Texas at Austin, and resides in Salado, Texas.

Naeem Law Firm

Fatima Naeem is currently practicing with Naeem Law Firm in Texas City, Galveston County. She focuses her practice on Cyber Law and Data Privacy, Alternative Dispute Resolution, Guardianships, mental health matters, and healthcare compliance. She became licensed in 2015 and has since then become a mediator and an arbitrator. She holds a LL.M. in Cyber Law and Data Privacy from Drexel University Thomas R. Kline School of Law. She earned her Doctor of Jurisprudence from Texas Tech University. She also holds a Master of Arts in Humanities – Studies in Literature from the University of Texas at Dallas and a Bachelor of Arts in English with a Minor in History from Texas A&M University.

TRUCE Dispute Resolution Firm

Linda Olden-Smith has been a mediator since 1997. She is a trainer, author, and has dedicated her career to researching and developing innovative mediation approaches. She also serves as a Mediation Program Administrator.

Alice Oliver-Parrott, P.C.

Judge Alice Oliver-Parrott is a recipient of the prestigious Lifetime of Excellence in Advocacy Award from the Texas Association of Civil Trial and Appellate Specialists. The award recognizes her distinguished career as a trial lawyer, trial judge, Chief Justice of the First Court of Appeals, and now, mediator and arbitrator. For decades, Alice Oliver-Parrott has been listed in Best Lawyers in America and Texas Monthly “Super Lawyers.”

As a mediator and arbitrator, Judge Oliver-Parrott has successfully resolved thousands of diverse disputes, including mass torts and individual personal injuries, oil and gas and energy, antitrust, construction contracts and practices, insurance coverage, intellectual property, securities, eminent domain, labor/management disputes, real estate, and international business.

John P. Palmer is a partner at Naman, Howell, Smith & Lee PLLC in Waco, where he has practiced since 1989, focusing on civil litigation, mediation, and family law. He is a TMCA Credentialed Distinguished Mediator and served as president of TAM from 2001 to 2002. John is a founding board member and longtime leader of the McLennan County Dispute Resolution Center and an ADR Fellow of the UT Center for Public Policy Dispute Resolution. He has received numerous honors, including the State Bar of Texas Justice Frank G.Evans Award, TAM’s Susanne C. Adams Award, and the TMCA Outstanding Credentialed Mediator Award. Since 2019, John has co-authored the Texas Practice Guide, Alternative Dispute Resolution (Thomson Reuters).

Conflict Connections, Inc.

Patricia "Pattie" Porter is the Past President who served during TAM's 30th Anniversary. She has 33 years of experience in the conflict resolution industry with a focus on workplace and EEO mediations, conflict coaching, and team facilitation. As the CEO and Founder of Conflict Connections, Inc. in San Antonio, she serves government agencies, including the Department of Homeland Security and the Department of the Interior. Pattie's experience has garnered her attention as a sought-after executive leadership coach in the private sector, focused on supporting leaders in developing their communication, emotional intelligence, and conflict management skills. Pattie celebrates 33 years of marriage to Robert. They love to travel and enjoy nature.

Center for Public Policy Dispute Resolution

Vicki Read has been with for the Center for Public Policy Dispute Resolution at The University of Texas, School of Law for 24 years and a licensed professional counselor for 19 years. Vicki provides mediation, facilitation, multi-party stakeholder collaboration, ADR process design, and conflict resolution training to governmental entities and non-profit organizations across Texas. She serves as Secretary on the TMCA Board of Directors and is a certified facilitator for the Conflict Dynamics Profile® and a certified trainer in Workplace Conflict Resolution through Mediation Training Institute. Vicki also fosters medically fragile and under socialized cats and kittens to prepare them for adoption.

Gordon Davis Johnson & Shane P.C.

Michael J. Shane, J.D.’s practice focuses on litigation, mediation, and arbitration. He advises and mediates issues concerning complex civil litigation in both Texas and New Mexico. Michael also mediates lawsuits affecting the parent/child relationships and other family disputes. Michael is a partner at the law firm of Gordon, Davis, Johnson & Shane, PC in El Paso Texas. He is licensed in both Texas and New Mexico. He received his B.A (1984) and M.S. (1986) from Pittsburg State University of Kansas and J.D. (1995)from the University of Texas School of Law.

ShaneADR

Melinda B. Shane, Ph.D., is a Level 3 K-12 School Psychologist in New Mexico and Licensed Specialist in School Psychology in Texas. She has been a school psychologist for over 30 years. Her mediation practice includes mediating and conducting facilitated IEPs for the New Mexico Public Education Department and various school districts in New Mexico. Melinda is Visiting Faculty at both New Mexico State University and the University of Texas El Paso. Melinda received her B.A. (1989), M.A. (1994), and Ph.D. (2014) from New Mexico State.

Positive Communication Systems, LLC

Mardi Winder-Adams is the go-to divorce coach for high-achieving individuals. She is dedicated to supporting people in taking control of their separation and divorce to reduce the emotional and financial costs of the process. Mardi offers over 30 years of experience helping women and men navigate the challenges of high-conflict, complex, and high-asset divorces. Mardi is an ICF and BCC Executive and Leadership Coach, Certified Divorce Transition and High-Conflict Divorce Coach, and Credentialed Distinguished Mediator in Texas.
She founded Positive Communication Systems, LLC, and hosts the podcast “The D Shift, Redefining Divorce and Beyond” and the summit series Real Divorce Talks. Mardi is also a best-selling author, speaker, and trainer.