About Andrew Thomas

Andrew Thomas is a pioneering architect of New York State's alternative dispute resolution landscape and the founding force behind the Center for Dispute Settlement (CDS) in Rochester. His journey began in 1973 when he received his first mediation training from the American Arbitration Association during the Rochester City School District desegregation crisis, working as a YMCA youth director in the schools most impacted by the reorganization plan.

After volunteering with the program since its inception, Thomas joined the Center for Dispute Settlement staff in 1979, just as the American Arbitration Association was withdrawing from community dispute services. Rather than allow the program to close, Thomas led the effort to incorporate CDS as an independent nonprofit, negotiating a separation agreement with AAA that provided $25,000 in startup funding. Under his leadership, CDS became the only one of seven or eight AAA community programs nationwide to survive the transition.

When funding for mediation centers was drying up in the late 1970s and early 1980s, Thomas took on the critical task of securing long-term financial stability for the centers. Working closely with local courts in the Seventh Judicial District and Senator Ornstein, he helped draft groundbreaking legislation that made New York State the first in the nation to not only establish legislative support for community dispute resolution centers but also provide direct appropriations to fund them.

As Executive Director for 25 years (1979-2004), Thomas transformed CDS from a local Rochester program into a regional powerhouse serving eight counties. His background as Director of Human Services Planning for the city of Rochester (1976-1979) proved invaluable in securing diverse funding streams and building the community partnerships that sustained the organization's growth.

Recognizing the need for coordination among the growing network of centers, Thomas co-founded the New York State Dispute Resolution Association (NYSDRA) and served as its first Chair/President. He organized NYSDRA's first conferences, which were held in Rochester, establishing a tradition of professional development and networking that continues today. His leadership during the formative years of both the CDRC network and NYSDRA helped create the foundation for what became a nationally recognized model for court-connected community mediation. In recognition of his contributions, NYSDRA established the "Andrew Thomas Peace Builders Award" in 2005, given annually to honor outstanding service to the field.

Under Thomas's leadership, CDS expanded into groundbreaking areas including victim-offender mediation, police-community relations, Native American land disputes, school mediation, and major corporate discrimination cases. The center's work gained national attention, including a 1991 HBO documentary "Confrontation Attempted Murder" featuring his work with victim-offender mediation. His commitment to building a diverse, community-connected board of directors became a model for sustainable CDRC development.

Thomas was also a founding member and President of the National Association for Community Mediation (NAFCM), extending his influence to the national level. Since 1999, he has served as a certified Transformative mediator and trainer for the United States Postal Service REDRESS program, training hundreds of professionals across the United States and Puerto Rico.

After retiring from CDS in 2004, Thomas relocated to Central Florida, where he continued his public service career with the City of Sanford from 2010-2022. Initially serving as Community Development Block Grant Coordinator, his role evolved to Director of Community Relations and Neighborhood Engagement following the tragic death of Trayvon Martin in 2012. Thomas authored the "Action Plan for Reuniting Sanford" and worked with the Department of Justice to facilitate community healing and dialogue. His work in Sanford included numerous initiatives to strengthen police-community relations and rebuild distressed areas of the city.

Thomas currently operates ALT Associates Conflict Management Consultants and serves on advisory boards including Ohio State University's Moritz College of Law Divided Communities Project and the Peace and Justice Institute in Orlando. He has contributed to major publications in the field and received the prestigious 2022 American Bar Association Frank E. Sander Award for innovative methods and extraordinary achievements in dispute resolution.



With over 45 years of experience in alternative dispute resolution, Thomas continues to work with diverse populations on peacemaking and dispute resolution processes, having collaborated with delegations from Jerusalem, Nigeria, Australia, and Russia. His pioneering work laid the foundation for modern community mediation and established principles that continue to guide the field today.