About Gina Tinker Williams

Karen E. Carroll brings over two decades of experience in family law, mediation, and child welfare system reform to her current role as Mediation Manager at the Center for Resolution & Justice. She provides management and administrative oversight for multiple ADR programs across the Eighth Judicial District of New York, including Custody & Visitation Mediation Programs at eight Family Courts, Small Claims ADR Initiative programs at 10 City Courts, and the Divorce Mediation Program at CRJ.

Carroll supervises a team of case management staff, interns, and approximately 60 mediators while facilitating continued professional development and presenting to community groups on mediation and conflict resolution topics. Her comprehensive approach to ADR program management reflects her deep understanding of both the administrative and practical aspects of dispute resolution.

Prior to her current role, Carroll served as Deputy Statewide Program Manager for the Child Welfare Court Improvement Project with the NYS Unified Court System's Office of Court Administration from 2006 to 2013. In this capacity, she facilitated collaborative system change efforts, administered the Child Permanency Mediation Program in the 8th Judicial District, and designed training programs for multidisciplinary audiences on child welfare topics.

Carroll's extensive background includes serving as Project Director for both the Eighth Judicial District and Erie County Family Court's New York State Court Improvement Projects, where she supported reform initiatives and helped develop innovative programs including a Family Treatment Court for families with substance abuse allegations.

As a practicing attorney from 1994 to 1997 with Luxenberg & Johnson, Carroll handled complex family law matters including divorce proceedings, international child custody cases, domestic violence interventions, and adoptions across the District of Columbia, Maryland, and Virginia.

Carroll holds a J.D. from Catholic University of America's Columbus School of Law and dual B.A. degrees from SUNY Buffalo in Psychology and Interdisciplinary Social Sciences with a Community Mental Health concentration, graduating cum laude and magna cum laude respectively. She is admitted to practice in Maryland and the District of Columbia.

Her specialized training includes certifications in Reflective Practice Group Leadership, NYS OCA Part 146 approval as a trainer for Custody Visitation Mediation, Surrogate's Court Mediation, and numerous other ADR specializations. Carroll has authored publications on culturally competent mediation practice and contributed to research on veterans' mediation programs and child welfare system collaboration.