2024 workshop presenters
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Jacqueline Bailey completed her Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Law at Carleton University in 2008. She developed an interest in alternative dispute resolution, leading her to pursue mediation courses as part of her BA. In 2010, she earned a Graduate Diploma in Conflict Resolution and then commenced a 14-year career in the commercial insurance industry where she facilitated challenging conversations, often acting as a facilitator between her employer and clients. For the past 5 years, she has volunteered with nonprofits, including supporting young people through breast cancer diagnoses and co-facilitating peer support groups. Currently a student member of the OAFM, Jacqueline is undergoing a transformative shift towards becoming a family mediator, driven by her passion for conflict resolution.
Liz Becker is President & Founder of the National Association of Divorce Professionals. She is also a Licensed Neuro Linguistic Programming (NLP) Master Practitioner, Communications Skills Coach & Trainer, and has almost two decades of experience in working with both divorcing clients and the professionals who serve them. Having worked in the divorce industry for so many years, she has a keen sense for detecting specific issues that create obstacles for all parties involved in the process which culminated in the Founding of a first-of-its-kind National Association and Certified Divorce Specialist (CDS) Program. Whether she was conducting NLP certification training, co-parenting workshops, coaching divorcing clients, or speaking at conferences, Liz has always found great reward in educating people on how to communicate more effectively and achieve positive change in their lives, both personally and professionally.
Nathalie Boutet is a collaborative family law lawyer, mediator and Family Enterprise Advisor™, specializing in working with high-net-worth families and business owners. Nathalie is a popular speaker recognized for subject expertise on topics related to business and family law, negotiation, leadership and neuroscience. A pioneer in the field of Neuro Law©, Nathalie has devoted her career to helping professionals better understand how the brain works, how strong emotions interfere with reasoning and decision making, and how we can use our neuro-literacy skills to manage the legal process for a better experience for all involved. Nathalie is a co-founder of NEXT Integrative Minds Life Sciences Ltd., a technology-driven human performance improvement company. NEXT is pioneering the application of leading-edge neuroscience and evidence-based behavior change techniques to enable people to identify and overcome internal brain-based barriers that prevent them from leading optimal lives
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Carrie Anne Campbell was called to the Bar in Ontario in 1995 and has worked as a family lawyer in Muskoka since 1997. She has served on the executive of the Muskoka Law Association for 20 years, 10 of which as President. Carrie became a mediator in 2012 and became a Certified Coach Practitioner in 2017. Carrie is a co-owner of The Mediation Centre in Barrie, Ontario, and works both through the Centre, and in her private practice in Huntsville Ontario.
Cindy Chisvin is a member of the Ontario Association of Mental Health Professionals. With over twenty-five years of professional experience Cindy completed her Masters of Education degree, with a special focus on counseling therapy, from University of Toronto. With a passion for the therapeutic process, she works with individuals, couples and teens to help people deal with life’s struggles by offering support and experience in the areas of communication issues, conflict resolution, anxiety, depression, grief, and relationship counselling. As well, Cindy has over 30 years of experience working with families, children and individuals dealing with the life transitions from divorce. She is trained in collaborative practice, is proficient in writing parenting plans and has dealt with high conflict situations.
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Natalie Derbyshire is was called to the Ontario bar in 2006, having earned her LL.B. at Osgoode Hall Law School, and prior to that having graduated cum laude with an Honours B.A. from York University in 2002. A partner at Stanchieri Family Law, she has a passion for alternative dispute resolution and her preferred area of focus is collaborative family law. Natalie started her own collaborative small study group, giving like-minded professionals the opportunity to brainstorm with one another whilst enhancing their skills, strategies, and collaborative toolkits. She is a firm believer that healing leads to good decision-making and a multi-disciplinary approach to dispute resolution serves families best when they are contemplating or going through separation or divorce. In addition to serving on the Board of Directors for FDRIO (Family Dispute Resolution Institute of Ontario), Natalie also serves as a director for Collaborative Divorce Toronto.
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Nick Esterbauer is a partner at Hull & Hull LLP. Nick has experience assisting clients with matters involving all aspects of estates, trusts, and capacity law, including will challenges, dependant’s support claims, fiduciary accounting disputes, guardianship applications, life insurance disputes, international estate administration issues, and trust claims, and has worked closely with his senior colleagues, including The Hon. R. Roy McMurtry and Ian M. Hull, on matters heard by all levels of court in Canada. Nick’s favourite part of his work is assisting families in resolving issues so that they can plan for the future, move on, and begin to heal. He regularly represents clients at mediation and in settlement negotiations. Nick is the co-author of various papers and book chapters, including the Canada Chapter of the Chambers and Partners Global Private Wealth Guide and the “Rule 74 – Estates – Non-contentious Proceedings” Chapter of Civil Practice and Procedure in Ontario.
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Jacinta Gallant is a Canadian collaborative lawyer, mediator and educator. She is recognized internationally for her insightful and experiential approach to teaching and managing conflict. Jacinta’s innovative resources, Our Family in Two Homes, and Designing Our Future Together help clients prepare to engage deeply, and productively, with their professionals. Her podcast, The Authentic Professional, focuses on how professionals can bring more of who they are to what they do, and her latest book, Going Steady, helps engage couples in conversations that sustain and nourish their relationship. Jacinta’s ultimate goal is to help conflict professionals engage with clients in a more meaningful way, manage conflict more effectively, and get more enjoyment out of this important work.
Julie Gill is a mediator and arbitrator with a focus on family. She is a Qualified Family Arbitration Screener, a Certified Divorce Financial Analyst and 1 of less than 20 in Canada with a Family Mediation Canada Advanced Certified Elder Mediation designation and an International Certified Elder Mediator. Julie provides FDR services through Families First Mediation which she founded in 2009, after a lengthy career in the financial industry. She believes that it’s important to provide an environment for families to fairly, creatively, and personally develop solutions that best meet their family’s unique situation and requirements. Julie is a roster mediator and trainer with Lifeworks (formerly Morneau Shepell) and a volunteer with the BGCC Youth Justice Committee and an active member of the Durham Elder Abuse Network.
Susan Guthrie is a nationally recognized Top Family Law Attorney and Mediator with over 32 years of unparalleled experience. As a trailblazing legal entrepreneur, Susan has successfully established both a leading law firm in Connecticut and a boutique Family Law and Mediation practice. Her pioneering journey into the realm of virtual practice has cemented her reputation as a thought leader in the field. Now, as one of the world's foremost family, collaborative, and mediation trainers, Susan is dedicated to helping legal and dispute resolution professionals elevate their practices for a more fulfilling and prosperous career. With her proven expertise in growing and marketing practices, she offers a unique perspective that ensures a happier, healthier professional life for her clients.
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Annette Katchaluba, MSW, specializes in helping separated parents develop effective means of resolving disputes, to ensure that their children successfully adjust to the family transition. Annette provides mediation to achieve child-focused parenting plans, parenting coordination, reunification counselling, child interviews obtaining views and preferences, section 30 assessments, and domestic violence screening. Annette’s approach is informed by her professional training, play therapist practice (2001-2007), her service on the panel for the Office of the Children’s Lawyer (2003-present).
Nicolle Kopping-Pavars was a lawyer for 25 years (South Africa and Canada). She now advocates for Mental health within the legal profession by providing programming that enhance skills and bring balance, diversity and peace to the legal profession. Nicolle is a coach with the LSO CAN (Coaching and Advisor Network) and has developed a coaching system called the VBP approach allowing participants to successfully establish boundaries and incorporate one’s own value system into everyday life and legal practice. Nicolle uses compassion, inspiration and motivation to successfully guide her colleagues to their own Value Based Practice. Nicolle has been a meditation and Mindfulness practitioner since 2009 and in 2016 she completed Warrior One’s Mindfulness in Law Teacher Training. Nicolle presents workshops and trainings on Mindfulness and Emotional Intelligence both locally and internationally. She is the co-founder of a groundbreaking and revolutionary family law process called the Compassionate Integration Process (CIP).
Matthew Krofchick is is a Principal of Krofchick Valuations, a firm that has more than 30 years of experience providing support for lawyers and separating spouses through the divorce process. Krofchick Valuations has financial experts with a diverse background, including accounting, business valuation, forensics, economics, and actuarial sciences. We have experience on a wide range of matrimonial and investigative issues, including pension valuations, business and income valuations, stock options and restricted share valuations, and common law separation issues. Matthew has spoken numerous times at OACP conferences on topics related to business valuations and joint retainers and written many articles on matrimonial related topics.
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Krista Lindstrom has been a trained financial collaborative professional for the previous 5+ years, a board member of the Collaborative Divorce Alberta Association and a previous board member of the Association of Collaborative Professionals Edmonton. Krista Lindstrom has been a licensed mortgage broker in the province of Alberta for the past 17 years and has reached the highest accreditation within the Canadian mortgage industry, accredited by Mortgage Professionals Canada. Krista is experienced in brokering mortgages within the province of Ontario and across Canada. She has spent 17 years developing her skill set by continually attending continuing education events and conferences on an ongoing basis.
Hilary Linton has over 20 years of experience working as a mediator, parenting coordinator and arbitrator. She established Riverdale Mediation Ltd. in 2001, where the Riverdale team provides affordable family mediation, arbitration, parenting coordination and arbitration screening services, working with lawyers and with unrepresented parties. Hilary has developed strategic and focused procedures for the Riverdale team that deliver highly effective outcomes. She is also trained to provide Hear the Child Reports as a member of the B.C. Hear the Child Society.
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David Morneau has practiced law with empathy, compassion and integrity, helping families through challenging circumstances with considerable care for over twenty years. He applies innovation and creativity in assisting clients in determining what they need to overcome the obstacles they are facing, empowering them to do so with dignity, honour and a focus on the future and communication, ensuring that they have all information and advice to make informed decisions. David has been formally trained as both a family mediator and collaborative legal professional, is accredited as both and was one of the first in the province to receive recognition as an Advanced Collaborative Professional. His skill and experience allow him to handle all family law related matters. Throughout his career, David has observed and analyzed our legal systems and has spoken widely about reform and change. He has acted as counsel for parents and children in the family justice system and was able to witness firsthand the impact that adversarial processes can have on families in transition. Through his training, he continues to learn new skills for conflict resolution which give the participants the ability to listen, communicate, solve their own differences, both now and in the future.
Tami Moscoe is a family lawyer who has worked for 10 years as Senior Family Counsel at the Superior Court of Justice and is currently on secondment at the Office of the Children’s Lawyer. She has been instrumental in many significant family justice improvements including the recent Unified Family Court and Dispute Resolution Officer program expansion, the introduction of automatic disclosure orders and Ontario’s unbundled legal services and binding judicial dispute resolution projects.
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Nafisa Nazarali, LL.B., a partner at INB Family Law, possesses refined expertise in advocating for clients embroiled in intricate family law cases. Her proficiencies extend to handling divorce cases that are multi-faceted, child custody disputes with nuanced issues and spousal support negotiations that require an ardent advocate. Nafisa is known for her compassionate approach and her ability to guide clients through difficult times with empathy and understanding.
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Anu Osborne is a leading conflict resolution practitioner, former senior legal counsel, certified deep coaching professional and spiritual director. Anu practiced law for 39 years, the last 20 of which were devoted to conflict resolution, mediation and collaboration. Anu now focuses on training, facilitating and personal and professional coaching. She teaches and coaches professionals to become authentic, integrated, insightful practitioners. Anu is a founding member and served on the board of Collaborative Professionals of Canada and Collaborative Practice Manitoba. She chaired the National Family Law and ADR sections of the Canadian Bar Association and served as a Bencher for the Law Society of Manitoba. Anu has regularly taught collaboration and conflict resolution to collaborative professionals in Manitoba. She has presented at IACP’s and other collaborative law forums in the US and Canada. Anu has contributed to the journals of the Canadian and Manitoba Bar Associations and the International Association of Collaborative Professionals. She also co-created the Collaborative Law Journey Map, a cross-cultural tool about process.
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John Panagakos is an accredited mortgage broker in Ontario and creator of the service Separation Mortgages. John helps in all aspect of Separation/Divorce mortgage financing. The vast majority of his clientele benefit during the Separation process; they need reassurance that they will A) be approved for a mortgage with or without a signed separation agreement B) they want a mortgage approval in hand in order to sign their separation agreement with greater confidence. C) Post separation, clients often meet new partners and they want to know how they can purchase property with the new partner and how the ownership structure should be created D)can spousal and child support be used to qualify for a mortgage? Why and why not?
Linda Perlis is a Registered Social Worker with The Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers with over 45 years of experience. She offers psychotherapy to adolescents and young adults, as well as divorce related services to children, parents, spouses and families. Linda has extensive experience in psychotherapy, family therapy and intervention with children, adolescents, young adults, and their families. She helps with emotional regulation, mood disorders, including depression and anxiety, adjustment to life changes such as university and early independence, eating disorders, gender identity issues, peer relationships, family concerns including estrangement and other emotional and social problems.
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Lorisa Stein is a passionate collaborative family law lawyer who cares about her clients and their family relationships and empathetic to their needs. Her strong advocacy helps them achieve their goals, for their children, and family business. Fully trained in the collaborative process as a family law lawyer, a Family Enterprise Advisor (R), a Voice of the Child Practitioner, and in cross cultural and intergenerational issues. Lorisa is a former Chair, Professional Development of the Collaborative Practice Toronto Board. She is the founder and facilitator of South Toronto Collaborative Small Practice Group, teen mentor in life skills, and for newly trained collaborative practitioners and young lawyers. She enjoys a broad range of sports, is appointed to a coveted research medical ethics board, and designs home furnishings. She is involved in leadership roles in a variety of different community groups. Lorisa is a frequent speaker and small group presenter on collaborative best practices.
Jennifer Suzor is an Accredited Family Mediator, Child Protection Mediator and Intergenerational Mediator. She began her career working with families as a lawyer where for over three decades she experienced the devastation of the adversarial legal system as a litigating lawyer. She transformed that work over the last eighteen years to being in full time mediation practice and training. Her passion is training others to become excellent family mediators, and as the owner and lead trainer of INSIGHTful Mediation Training she works hard to do that. Jennifer is the former President of the Ontario Association for Family Mediation, a position she held for over five years during a time of great transition. When not training future mediators, she mediates full-time at Suzor Mediation and Bridging Family Conflict.
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Suzanne Winlove-Smith, an accredited Family Mediator and an Activation™ Method and Divorce Coach, obtained a Graduate Diploma in Conflict Resolution from Carleton University in 2010. Since 2010, her focus has been on family mediation, including working in many different court systems in Ontario. In 2017, she founded The Clean Divorce, where she guides clients through relationship breakdown, empowers them towards positive change and works with them to develop constructive and collaborative agreements and plans for their lives. She is a member of the International Academy of Collaborative Professionals (IACP) and Ontario Association of Family Mediators (OAFM), and is currently the President of the OAFM Ottawa Chapter.