One Tree, Many Branches
October 8 & 9, 2026
Day One: Virtual via 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
IN PARTNERSHIP WITH
Association Partners
๏ปฟ
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
NYSDRA is proud to honor the
Maryland Mediation and Conflict Resolution Office (MACRO) as the 2026 recipient of the Andrew Thomas PeaceBuilder Award, recognizing its outstanding contributions to mediation, conflict resolution, and peacebuilding.
MACRO is the Maryland Judiciary’s Mediation and Conflict Resolution Office. They promote the availability, use, and quality of alternative dispute resolution (ADR) throughout Maryland. Their work focuses on supporting ADR programs in courts and communities, supporting the growth and development of ADR practitioners, and creating resources to help the public access ADR services. Their team of dynamic and innovative professionals are working to:
- Advance ADR in the Courts
- Support Quality ADR Practice
- Collaborate with Statewide Partners
(Back row) Cheryl Jackson, Nick White, Lisa Mannisi, Monica Villarreal, Cynthia Jurrius, Alecia Parker, Tara Cuffia
(Front row) Judy Muller, Tisha McDuffie, Jenn Williams
NYSDRA is proud to honor the Maryland Mediation and Conflict Resolution Office (MACRO) as the 2026 recipient of the Andrew Thomas PeaceBuilder Award, recognizing its outstanding contributions to mediation, conflict resolution, and peacebuilding.
As the Maryland Judiciary’s Mediation and Conflict Resolution Office, MACRO advances the availability, use, and quality of alternative dispute resolution throughout Maryland. Its work strengthens ADR in courts and communities, supports the growth and development of practitioners, and helps the public access dispute resolution services.
MACRO’s statewide impact includes grant support for ADR programs, continuing education, standards of conduct for mediators, research and evaluation, and collaboration with practitioner organizations, community mediation programs, and restorative justice partners. Together, these efforts reflect the collaborative, innovative, and community-centered spirit at the heart of the Andrew Thomas PeaceBuilder Award.
This recognition is especially meaningful as NYSDRA celebrates the 30th anniversary of the Andrew Thomas PeaceBuilder Award. Andrew Thomas himself contributed to the formative work that helped lay the foundation for MACRO’s creation, bringing this year’s honor full circle. Andrew Thomas will join us in Albany to personally present the award to MACRO, connecting the history of the PeaceBuilder Award with an organization that continues to advance its ideals.
NYSDRA is honored to celebrate MACRO’s leadership, its service to the field, and its enduring commitment to building more peaceful approaches to conflict.
MACRO is the Maryland Judiciary’s Mediation and Conflict Resolution Office. They promote the availability, use, and quality of alternative dispute resolution (ADR) throughout Maryland. Their work focuses on supporting ADR programs in courts and communities, supporting the growth and development of ADR practitioners, and creating resources to help the public access ADR services. Their team of dynamic and innovative professionals are working to:
- Advance ADR in the Courts
- Support Quality ADR Practice
- Collaborate with Statewide Partners
MACRO Staff
(Back row) Cheryl Jackson, Nick White, Lisa Mannisi, Monica Villarreal, Cynthia Jurrius, Alecia Parker, Tara Cuffia
(Front row) Judy Muller, Tisha McDuffie, Jenn Williams
~ 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๏ปฟ
(click picture for bio)
9:00 - 10:00 AM | 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: Rethinking Engagement, Leadership, and Service
Mallory Panuelo, CVA
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, J.D.
11:30AM - 12:30 PM | Concurrent Sessions
Peacebuilding Under Pressure: Conflict Resolution in the Hasidic Jewish Community
Michael Amo
Supporting Self-Determination Through Deep Listening
Hannah Diamond, J.D. & Kim Pesenti, M.A.
The Tree That Took Hold: Challenges, Growth, and Renewal in the First 25 Years of the Attorney-Client Fee Dispute Resolution Program
Jeremy Zeliger & Federica Romanelli
12:30 - 12:45 PM | The Promise Endures: Honoring Robert A. Baruch Bush
Whether you have studied his work, practiced transformative mediation, or simply wish to honor a leader whose ideas have helped shape the profession, this tribute offers an opportunity to recognize and celebrate a career dedicated to advancing peace through conflict resolution.
Presented by Judy Saul
A Tribute to Robert A. Baruch Bush
Rains Distinguished Professor of Alternative Dispute Resolution
(click picture for bio)
12:45 - 1:30 PM | Lunch & Networking
Connect with colleagues and continue conversations via a virtual lunch!
1:45 - 2:45 PM | Concurrent Sessions
Conflict Competency: Coaching, Communication, and Growth in ADR Practice
Angela Nelson, J.D., Dr.PH
Hearing the Child's Voice: Child-Centered Approaches to Family Mediation
Connie Fraser
Unconscious Bias in ADR: Ethical Considerations for Neutrals
Theodore Cheng, Esq.
3:00 - 4:00 PM | Concurrent Sessions
The Undiscovered Country: Social Media, Conflict and Conflict Management
Tricia S. Jones, Ph.D.
The Friendship Bench Model: Community-led Mental Health and Peacebuilding
Nick Schmitt & Ahmed Rodriguez
Building Your Future in ADR: Career Insights from the Field (Facilitated by Bobbie Dillon, M.S.)
Jeffrey Zaino, Esq., Dr. Maria Volpe, Dr. Debra Dupree, PsyD, Hon. Jackie A. Brilling, Harold Coleman, Esq. & Timothy Lyon
4:15 - 5:15 PM | Concurrent Sessions
Building Cultural Flexibility to Negotiate and Mediate in Diverse Settings
Lisa Pomerantz, Esq.
Exploring the Parallels Between Transformative Mediation and Donna Hicks' Essential Elements of Dignity
Ed Watt
From Settlement to Signature: Writing Mediation Agreements
Shari Greenleaf, J.D.
5:15 - 5:30 PM | Closing Remarks
Shira May, Ph.D
NYSDRA Board President๏ปฟ
(click picture for bio)
~ Day Two: Hybrid Conference Schedule ~
Friday, October 9, 2026
Crowne Plaza Albany - The Desmond Hotel
Sessions marked with ๐ offer hybrid attendance (in-person + virtual).
Sessions marked with ๐จ are in-person only.
~
8:30 - 9:30 AM | Registration & Networking Breakfast ๐จ
Light refreshments and informal networking with colleagues across sectors.
Room: Fort Orange Courtyard
9:45 - 10:45 AM | Keynote Address ๐
Managing Differences in a Polarized World
How do we navigate this environment as professionals who help resolve conflicts and an individuals who experience the effects of polarization. This presentation will lay out the problem, engage the audience in reflecting on its sources, and describe the approach that Braver Angels is taking to influence how we relate to one another across the political divide.
Room: Town Hall
William J. Doherty, Ph.D.
Co-Founder
Braver Angels
(click picture for bio)
11:00 AM - 12:00 PM | Practical Strategies to Move from Polarization to Connection ๐
After his keynote, Bill Doherty will engage participants in conversation about how they see the effects of polarization in their work and social worlds, and offer tools for handling the challenges of engaging constructively during difficult conversations.
Room: High Street Ballroom
12:00 - 2:00 PM | Celebration Lunch & Andrew Thomas PeaceBuilder Award Presentation ๐
Honoring the 2026 Andrew Thomas PeaceBuilder Award Recipient
Room: Fort Orange Ballroom
Andrew Thomas
Distinguished Mediator, ADR Leader & PeaceBuilder
Award Presenter
(click picture for bio)
Celebrating a Legacy of Peacebuilding
For 30 years, the Andrew Thomas PeaceBuilder Award has honored those who embody a commitment to mediation, conflict resolution, and peaceful communities.
In 2026, NYSDRA proudly presents this special honor to the Maryland Mediation and Conflict Resolution Office (MACRO) for its leadership and lasting contributions to alternative dispute resolution.
As we celebrate the award’s 30th anniversary, Andrew will join us in Albany to personally present the award to MACRO—bringing the legacy of the award’s namesake full circle.
Lou Gieszl
Assistant State Court Administrator
for Programs
Accepting on Behalf of MACRO
(click picture for bio)
2:15 - 3:15 PM | The Imperative to Use All Available Talent in ADR Through Intentional Neutral Selection ๐
Chris Heagarty interviews Prof. Homer LaRue about key reflections from his career as an arbitrator and developing the next generation of ADR professionals, as well as his observations and recommendations for how to remove systematic barriers in arbitrator development and selection and to create more opportunities for parties and ADR selectors to "utilize all of the available talent."
Room: Town Hall
J. Christopher Heagarty, Esq.
Chief Executive Officer
Ray Corollary Initiative
(click picture for bio)
Homer LaRue, J.D.
Chair of the Board of Directors
Ray Corollary Initiative
(click picture for bio)
3:30 - 4:30 PM | Interactive Session & Cocktail Reception ๐จ
Interact with the day's keynote speaker and session presenters, ask questions, hear stories & share a cocktail.
Room: High Street Ballroom
Your Afternoon Program Hosts
Jonathan Murray, MBA
NYSDRA Past Board President
~40+ Years • 62 Counties • 2+ Million New Yorkers Served ~
๐Sponsorship Opportunities ๐
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.
๐$10,000 – Legacy Partner
โญ$7,500 – Visionary Partner
๐$5,000 – Leadership Partner
๐ค$2,500 – Advocate Partner
๐$1,000 – Sustaining Sponsor
๐ฑ$500 – Community Supporter
๐$250 – Friend of NYSDRA
๐Your Support Makes It All Happen!๐
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.
2026 Annual Conference Sponsors
๐ Our Advocate Partner ๐
๐ Our Sustaining Sponsors ๐
๐ Our Friends and Community Supporters ๐
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.