E. Frank Dukes, Director of the Institute for Environmental
Negotiation since 2000, mediates and facilitates, teaches and trains, and
conducts research. His book Resolving Public Conflict: Transforming Community
and Governance describes how public conflict resolution can help vitalize
democracy. He is co-communities can address conflict with integrity, vision,
and creativity. He co-founded the Virginia Natural Resources Leadership
Institute and initiated the "Community-Based Collaborative Research
Consortium" (cbcrc.org). IEN has been part of the Department of Urban and
Environmental Planning at the University of Virginia since 1981.
Michele Ennis-Benn is the Director and Trainer for the Community
Mediation Initiative at the Center for Conflict Resolution. She has
maintained a longstanding relationship with the center. As a student at
Salisbury University she helped to establish the Conflict Resolution minor, a
course of academic study that has gone on to become a major in Conflict
Analysis Dispute Resolution. The Center for Conflict Resolution was born out
of the program in an effort to provide opportunity for practical application
of Wicomico County with support from the Maryland Judiciary through the
offices of the Maryland Mediation and Conflict Resolution Office (MACRO) and
the Maryland Association of Community Mediation Centers (MACMC). She has
developed referral systems with police, courts, grassroots organizations, city
and state agencies experiencing interdepartmental conflict. Michele served on
the Maryland Alternative Dispute Resolution Commission Regional Advisory Board
which established MACRO. She continues to serve on the Regional Advisory
Board for MACRO. She co-founded MACMC and serves as a board member currently.
Additionally, Michele practices her conflict resolution skills as participant
and teacher in her role as mother of four young children.
Lorig Charkoudian, Ph.D. is the Director of Research and
Training for the Maryland Association of Community Mediation Centers (MACMC).
Lorig founded and served for seven years as the Executive Director and lead
trainer for the Community Mediation Program in Baltimore City. She also
trained hundreds of mediators all over Maryland as well as police, judges, and
social workers. Lorig served on the Maryland Office. Lorig co-founded MACMC
and served as Board Chair. Lorig received her Ph.D. in Economics from The John
Hopkins University. The focus of her research was on the public cost of
conflict and the cost savings of mediation to the Baltimore City Police
Department. Lorig serves as an adjunct professor at the University of
Baltimore in Neg.
