Days to Go
One Tree, Many Branches
October 8 & 9, 2026
Day One: Virtual on Zoom Events
Day Two: The Crowne Plaza/Desmond Hotel, Albany NY
Be part of New York’s premier Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) gathering!
Join the New York State Dispute Resolution Association (NYSDRA) as we commemorate 30 years of the Andrew Thomas PeaceBuilder Award. This milestone conference will bring together professionals, practitioners, and changemakers to reflect on the past, celebrate the present, and advance a bold vision for equitable and accessible justice for all New Yorkers.
One Tree: A United Dispute Resolution Community Strengthened by the Diversity of its People, Programs & Perspectives
Many Branches: The Many Paths that Lead to Building Stronger Communities
Meet Our Distinguished 2026 Keynote Speakers
Day 1
Susan Guthrie, Esq.
Mediator, Speaker, Trainer and Advisor
Guthrie Consulting & Media
2026 Andrew Thomas PeaceBuilder Award Honoree
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.
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.
~ Day One: Virtual Conference Schedule ~
Thursday, October 8, 2026
Virtual Conference Experience
8:30 - 8:45 AM | Welcome to Our Annual Conference
Setting the stage for our Annual Conference journey
Theresa Hobbs, J.D., MBA
NYSDRA Executive Director
(click picture for bio)
9:00 - 10:00 AM | Morning Keynote Address
What the Machine Can’t Mediate: The Human Root of Dispute Resolution in a Founding Moment
Examine what technology can extend, what it must never replace, and why community mediators are uniquely positioned to shape the next founding moment in dispute resolution.
Susan Guthrie, Esq.
Mediator, Speaker, Trainer & Advisor
Guthrie Consulting & Media
(click picture for bio)
10:15 - 11:15 AM | Concurrent Sessions
Gen Z at the Table
Mallory Panuelo
The Performing Arts as a Useful Tool in Dispute Resolution Across Cultures
Robyn Weisman, Esq., L.L.M.
Navigating Mediation Rosters: A Practitioner’s Guide
Krysta Hartley & Bridget O'Connell, Esq.
11:30AM - 12:30 PM | Concurrent Sessions
Peacebuilding Under Pressure: Conflict Resolution in the Hasidic Jewish Community
Michael Amo
Session to be Announced
Learn more
Session to be Announced
Learn more12:30 - 1:30 PM | Lunch & Networking
Connect with colleagues and continue conversations
1:45 - 2:45 PM | Concurrent Sessions
Conflict Competency: Coaching, Communication, and Growth in ADR Practice
Angela Nelson, JD, Dr.PH
Session to be Announced
Learn more
Session to be Announced
Learn more3:00 - 4:00 PM | Concurrent Sessions
The Undiscovered Country: Social Media, Conflict and Conflict Management
Tricia S. Jones, Ph.D.
Session to be Announced
Learn more
Session to be Announced
Learn more
4:00 - 5:00 PM | Afternoon Networking
Connect with colleagues and continue conversations
5:00 - 5:15 PM | Closing
Remarks
Reflecting on insights and preparing for tomorrow's advancement
Shira May, Ph.D
NYSDRA Board President
(click picture for bio)
~ Day Two: Hybrid Conference Schedule ~
Friday, October 9, 2026
Crowne Plaza Albany - The Desmond Hotel
Sessions marked with 🌐 offer hybrid attendance (in-person + virtual).
Sessions marked with 🏨 are in-person only.
~
8:30 - 9:30 AM | Registration & Networking Breakfast 🏨
Light refreshments and informal networking with colleagues across sectors.
Room: Fort Orange Courtyard
9:45 - 10:45 AM | Keynote Address 🌐
Keynote to be Announced
Room: Town Hall
Keynote to be Announced
(click picture for bio)
11:00 AM - 12:00 PM | Morning Session 🌐
Speaker to be Announced
Room: High Street Ballroom
Speaker to be Announced
(click picture for bio)
12:00 - 2:00 PM | Celebration Lunch & Andrew Thomas PeaceBuilder Award Presentation 🏨
Honoring the 2026 Andrew Thomas PeaceBuilder Award Recipient
Room: Fort Orange Ballroom
2:15 - 3:15 PM | Afternoon Session 🌐
Speaker to be Announced
Room: Town Hall
Speaker to be Announced
(click picture for bio)
3:30 - 4:00 PM | Interactive Session with the Day's Speakers & Panellists 🏨
Room: High Street Ballroom
Your Afternoon Program Hosts
Jonathan Murray, MBA
NYSDRA Past Board President
~40+ Years • 62 Counties • 2+ Million New Yorkers Served ~
🎉Sponsorship Opportunities 🎉
Join us in celebrating and advancing access to justice by sponsoring the 2026 NYSDRA Annual Conference.
For more than 40 years, NYSDRA has supported the statewide network of Community Dispute Resolution Centers (CDRCs) and the dedicated professionals and volunteers who help New Yorkers resolve conflict, strengthen relationships, and build healthier communities.
Your sponsorship helps make high-quality education, professional development, networking, and collaboration opportunities possible for ADR practitioners, court partners, community leaders, and volunteers from across New York State. Together, we are investing in a stronger future for conflict resolution, community engagement, and access to justice.
Support Peacebuilding by Becoming a Sponsor today!
Click on any sponsorship level below to learn more about the benefits, visibility opportunities, and recognition associated with each sponsorship package.
🏆$10,000 – Legacy Partner
⭐$7,500 – Visionary Partner
🌟$5,000 – Leadership Partner
🤝$2,500 – Advocate Partner
🎓$1,000 – Sustaining Sponsor
🌱$500 – Community Supporter
💙$250 – Friend of NYSDRA
🎉Your Support Makes It All Happen!🎉
Ready to become a sponsor?
Contact us at conference@nysdra.org or (518) 687-2240, or select a sponsorship level above to secure your sponsorship today.
Thank you for helping NYSDRA advance access to justice, strengthen communities, and promote the peaceful resolution of conflict throughout New York State.
NYSDRA Annual Conference 2026 Sponsors
🎉 Our Advocate Partner 🎉
🎉 Our Sustaining Sponsors 🎉
🎉 Our Friends and Community Supporters 🎉
2026 Honorary Committee Members
Hon. Lawrence Marks
Hon. Jaclyn A. Brilling
Hon. Randolph F. Treece
Hyacinth Charles
John Harrison
Wilma Jozwiak
Jonathan Murray
Love Odih Kumuyi
Alison Ritchie
Niki Rowe
Will Sawma
Bernadette Tracy, Ph.D.