Board of Directors

Anne is an experienced Mediator, Facilitator and Conflict Resolution Consultant with over 10 years in the dispute resolution field. Anne has served as the Executive Director of the Southern California Mediation Association for the past 6 years. In that capacity, Anne has passionately promoted the practice of mediation and alternative dispute resolution with a dedicated commitment to expand the field and draw awareness to the process. In addition, Anne is committed to supporting the practice, teaching and promotion of dispute resolution professionals. Prior to becoming a Mediator, Anne was a law firm administrator with over 30 years in the legal field. Anne has raised 5 children and lives in Huntington Beach, California.

After a fulfilling career as a Social Worker, Investigator, and Training Manager, Cheryl retired as a Children’s Services Administrator from the Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services, with 27 years of service. She brings a wealth of knowledge and experience with youth and underserved communities. Her recent work includes facilitating dialogues with high schools and colleges nationwide, addressing how to improve the relationship between students and local policing agencies. As a Senior Mediator with the Los Angeles City Attorney’s Dispute Resolution Program, Cheryl conducts mediation sessions between community members and Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) officers whenever a suitable complaint is filed. Cheryl has collaborated with the Institute of Non-Violence, Police2Peace, the Portland Oregon and Pasquotank North Carolina Peace Initiatives, the Ashland Police Department, the Los Angeles Police Department, and Mediators Beyond Borders International (MBBI).

Dr. Debra Dupree, the MINDSET Doc, transforms challenging confrontations into learning conversations, taking the ‘sting’ out of conflict.  She saw her own family-owned business embroiled in differences, leading to dashed dreams, damaged relationships, and broken hearts.  She turned these early experiences into a lifeline for smart people who fear conflict by bringing in the brain science behind blow-ups and emotional reactions.  She now turns “fear and conflict into peace and profits.”

Her goal is to help professionals in all walks of life to build climates of courage and curiosity for the people they serve, and set the tone and model the way for meaningful exchanges to “learn, listen and grow” to stop the cycle of conflict.

Dr. Debra is a Dispute Resolution Specialist, Conflict | Leadership Coach, and International Trainer |  Keynote Speaker.  She hosts the podcast ‘Decoding the Conflict Mindset’ to bring ‘thought leaders’ to her community worldwide to gain insight when high emotions run high and tough negotiations are at stake. Dr. D is the author of three eBooks to date and numerous articles. Her book “Your Emotional Potential:  How You Show Up Matters” is available on Amazon with all proceeds dedicated to “Kids Managing Conflict” (a non-profit subsidiary of Southern California Mediation Association where she serves on the Board of Directors).

Serving since 2024

Dr. D is also an accomplished TEDx Red Carpet Speaker  on the topic of “We’re Talking but Are We Communicating?”

Listen to Dr. Debra’s Podcast: Decoding the Conflict Mindset

Decoding the Conflict Mindset with Dr. Debra Dupree (Podcast) – YouTube

Charles Ervin has pursued a career in the legal community for 38 years. Among various outreach activities, he recently served for three years as President of the California Association of Youth Courts. He believes in promoting Justice for Youth by Youth to help stop the flow of the school-to-prison pipeline. As a member of the board for Kids Managing Conflict, he supports the proliferation and teaching of peer mediation skills which save and improve the lives of our younger generations and last a lifetime. He is committed to getting youth a seat at every table where decisions are being made about their futures.

Wendy W. Kramer is a highly effective full-time mediator. Formerly a partner with Kramer & Kramer handling a wide variety of insurance-related matters, she has developed particular expertise in matters involving personal injury, business disputes, professional malpractice, landlord tenant disputes (habitability) and complex commercial litigation. In addition to serving as the 2013 President of the Southern California Mediation Association, Ms. Kramer previously served as the ADR Chair for the Santa Monica Bar Association, the Los Angeles and Ventura Superior Courts ADR Programs, a Fee Dispute Mediator for both the Beverly Hills and Santa Monica Bar Associations, the chair of the SCMA’s Mentorship Program, as well as on the Board of Governors for the International Academy of Mediation (IAM). She currently serves as the Chair of the IAM’s Mentorship Program. She has mediated over 3,500 matters and arbitrated over 300 matters. She is known for her ability to deal with difficult personalities, multi-party matters and complicated legal issues.

Serving since 2020

Daisy Nava is a current senior at California State University, Long Beach, and is completing a B.A. in Communication Studies and a B.A. in Physics. After taking a Communication in Conflict Resolution course, Daisy discovered she is more interested in analyzing transgressions, instead of shock waves. Throughout her 6 years of working with children with developmental and/or learning disabilities, she noticed a lack of empathic communication from educators. When trying to resolve student-teacher conflict, Daisy applied her conflict resolution skills and wanted to help others resolve their own issues. Currently, she is a DRPA trained mediator and volunteers her mediation skills with Orange County Human Relations(OCHR).

Ashley Rosenthal, is a mediator, IEP facilitator, and alternative dispute resolution consultant. With over 12 years in special education as a classroom teacher, coordinator, and program director, she has extensive experience working with students, families, teachers, and administrators across various educational settings; private, public, charter, and non-public schools (NPS). She holds a California single-subject teaching credential as well as an education specialist instruction credential. Ashley earned her Master’s in Dispute Resolution from the University of Southern California (USC), Gould School of Law, after completing her Doctorate in Education from USC and a Master of Arts in Education from the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA).

For over 30 years, Dr. Pamela Kreiser has trained individuals to become better interpersonal communicators. She teaches conflict resolution and mediation full-time in the Department of Communication Studies at CSU Long Beach and as an Adjunct Associate Professor in the Negotiation, Conflict Resolution, and Peacebuilding (NCRP) M.A. Program at CSUDH. Professor Kreiser earned a Ph.D. in Interpersonal Communication with a specialization in Quantitative Methods from the University of Texas at Austin. She serves as a Senior Lead Mediator regularly in the California Superior Court system and previously served as a consultant in School Based Mediation.

Listen to Dr. Pamela Kreiser’s Asking For a Friend TalkDoc Podcasts

Serving since 2021

Mediator in private practice specializing in conflict resolution training for students and faculty at the middle school and high school levels; ADR consultant, professor, and trainer; ADR Consultant for the Los Angeles County Office of Education; 2017 President of the Southern California Mediation Association (SCMA).

With 26 years of public service experience, Wendy Betancourt works in the Office of the Ombudsman for the County of Los Angeles. Her extensive work experience has equipped her to be an impartial and neutral resource for clients, their families, victims, and the community. She enjoys working in collaboration with external and internal stakeholders to develop and implement efficient and creative procedures for delivery of services within her organization. Wendy has achieved a Master of Public Administration Degree from the California State University, Northridge and a Bachelor’s in Science Degree, Criminal Justice from the California State University, Los Angeles. She has earned a certificate as a Mediator, Conciliator and Facilitator from California State University, Dominguez Hills and a Master Degree for Negotiation, Conflict Resolution and Peacebuilding from California State University, Dominguez Hills. Wendy has experience designing and facilitating community dialogues and has co-mediated community concerns with the public.

Serving since 2020

Christina Koch holds a B.A. in Psychology with an minor in Professional Editing & Writing from the University of North Carolina Wilmington. Her background has primarily been working with non-profits, substance abuse counseling, coaching, and international humanitarian work. More recently her focus has been on marketing & growth strategies for brands and organizations. She enjoys traveling and experiencing new cultures.