☰ MENU

About Me

Mediator • Collaborative Attorney •  CDFA® • Resilience Coach

My passion has always been to help people come to peace — not only with one another, but within themselves. Divorce is one of the most challenging transitions a family can go through, and the process you choose can either inflame conflict or create space for understanding, clarity, and thoughtful decision-making. My work is grounded in creating that space.

Over the years, my practice has evolved into an integrative approach that honors the legal, financial, emotional, and relational dimensions of divorce. Mediation is the center of my work, supported as needed by financial analysis, resilience coaching, and for some families, a collaborative-law structure.

My Background and Training

I bring more than four decades of experience in law and conflict resolution, along with extensive training in the principles that support non-adversarial, resilient decision-making.

Legal and Professional Foundations

  • JD, Vermont Law School (cum laude)

  • BA, Wheaton College, Norton, MA

  • Master’s coursework in Environmental Law, Vermont Law School

  • Member, Oregon State Bar

  • Practiced as a family law attorney for over 40 years in four states

  • Served as juvenile public defender, pro tem municipal court judge, and family court special master in high-conflict divorce cases

Mediation and Collaborative Work

  • Family mediator since 1999

  • Collaborative attorney since 2008

  • More than 200 hours of training in mediation, including advanced family law mediation

  • Training in basic, intermediate, and mastery-level collaborative practice

  • Founding member and past president of the Oregon Association of Collaborative Professionals

  • Current member of local practice group: Bridges Collaborative Divorce Solutions

  • Member, International Academy of Collaborative Professionals

Financial Expertise

  • Certified Divorce Financial Analyst® (CDFA®) since 2011

  • Support for families navigating financial decisions, long-term planning, and settlement evaluations

Resilience, Coherence & Integrative Practices

  • HeartMath® Certified Trainer/Coach/Mentor**
    (Training focused on coherence, nervous system regulation, and tools for resilience)

  • Compassion Based Resilience Training from Nalanda Institute of Contemplative Science, NYC

  • Peacemaking Practice Trainer certified by Forrest “Woody” Mosten

  • Member, Mindfulness in Law Society — supporting well-being, contemplative practice, and emotional clarity in the legal profession

Each layer of my training reflects the same commitment: helping people move through conflict with steadiness, clarity, and compassion.

How I Work

My approach integrates:

  • Mediation as the primary path to thoughtful, durable agreements

  • Collaborative principles of respect, transparency, and open communication

  • Financial clarity to support sound decision-making

  • Resilience tools that help you stay grounded and reduce reactivity

  • A holistic understanding of how emotional and practical concerns intersect

When mind, body, perspective, and information are aligned, families are far more able to reach agreements that truly support their long-term well-being.

Why This Work Matters to Me

I believe that people are capable of extraordinary clarity and compassion when they are supported in the right way. Divorce is not simply a legal restructuring — it is a profound human transition. Helping couples find a steadier path through that transition is both my professional commitment and deeply meaningful to me personally.

If You’d Like to Connect

If you’d like to explore whether mediation, collaborative support, financial analysis, or resilience coaching would be the right fit for your family, I’m happy to talk with you. Contact me with any questions. →