OUR TEAM

The qualifications and experience of all Zinn Mediation Associates exceed the Recommended Guidelines for Mediator Education and Training set forth by the Colorado Council of Mediators and Mediator Organizations.

Mary Zinn has more than fifteen years in the Dispute Resolution field as a trainer, administrator and curriculum designer. Motivated by her commitment to ensure opportunities for a high quality of life for every person, Ms. Zinn provides training and collaborative, educational dispute resolution to neighbors, families, congregations, schools, agencies and businesses. She offers expertise in mediation, conflict and anger management, collaborative models and facilitation. Ms. Zinn has presented hundreds of hours teaching conflict and anger management, facilitating and mediating with diverse groups regardless of cultural, income, or educational variances.

Ms. Zinn's international consulting work has focused on building relationships and teaching communication skills. Working with Building Bridges for Peace, a summer camp program which brings together American, Arab and Jewish Israeli and Palestinian teens, she has taught, developed curriculum and been adviser to staff, families and participants.

In addition to serving as President of Zinn Mediation Associates, Ms. Zinn currently partners with Community Mediation Concepts and The Conflict Center. She also co-produces a quarterly radio program on Conflict Resolution Issues at KGNU, Boulder, Colorado.

Ms. Zinn's volunteer involvements currently include: The Conflict Center, Jefferson County Mediation Services and Jefferson County Restorative Justice Program as well as Chief Instigator of the Colorado Planning Committee for Conflict Resolution Day (now a Month in Colorado).

Professional organization memberships include: Association for Conflict Resolution, Colorado Council of Mediation and Mediation Organizations; Mediators Beyond Borders, Master Mediator Institute.

Ms. Zinn is the proud mother of three beautiful adult children and enjoys her family, especially time spent playing with her three absolutely adorable grandsons.

“Conflicts present opportunities for courage, creativity and collaboration. Each of us is positioned to improve conditions and relationships in our community.”

E-mail: mzinn@zinnmediation.com

Elizabeth Loescher is known nationally as the founder of The Conflict Center in Denver, CO and author of Peacemaking Made Practical. In the field of Alternative Dispute Resolution, she is known as visionary, author, mentor, practitioner, conference trainer and acclaimed keynote speaker. Her work has always been on the cutting edge, whether as an extraordinary leader in the field thirty years ago or advocating for nonviolence in the twenty-first century.

Ms. Loescher has designed, implemented and evaluated numerous violence prevention curricula and programs. She has taught hundreds of conflict management workshops and series to all levels - preschool through university. Literally thousands of teachers, parents, children, executives, organization, religious and community leaders have had their lives changed through mentoring and training by Elizabeth Loescher. Training others how to deal with difficult people is one of her great strengths.

In the arena of congregations and Non-profit organizations, Ms. Loescher is an expert, having helped organizations develop systems for managing conflict. She has trained staff and administrators in Organizational and Board Development, Fundraising, and Job Clarity.

Ms. Loescher is a dynamic and exceptionally effective mediator and negotiator. After the Columbine High School Tragedy, she facilitated thirty-five stake holders including school board, law enforcement, parents, schools, politicians, civic leaders and more. Ms. Loescher is a straight forward neutral in conflicted situations. She can facilitate agreements in even the most apparently intractable situations.

Currently residing in Covington, GA, Ms. Loescher is the Executive Director of the Georgia Conflict Center in Athens, GA.  She loves to have fun with her eight grandchildren and enjoy her three grown children and their spouses. She likes to travel.

E-mail: loeschere@aol.com, loescher.gcc@gmail.com

William Murphy experienced the corporate world for more than thirty years in a mid and upper level management capacity. It is here, dealing with day to day conflicts that he learned the power of mediation and self-directed conflict resolution.

He attained his Mediation Certification from University College, University of Denver in 1998 and has been actively mediating since; focusing on neighborhood concerns such as zoning, property disputes and nuisance issues. Mr. Murphy also owns his own state and local tax consulting business and is a proven negotiator.

He believes deeply in being a contributing member to the community and is a past President of the Board of Directors for The Conflict Center, an organization devoted to teaching conflict resolution skills. He is also serving as a senior trainer and guide for Foresight Ski guides, an organization which provides challenge recreation to the blind and visually impaired.

“There is so much conflict around us. I know that if we can constructively and respectfully take care of the individual conflicts close at hand we give our children a model they can see and use.”

E-mail: murph1503@aol.com

Tamara Sherwood, is a training expert, consultant, mediator and leadership coach. She helps individuals and organizations learn how to easily, peaceably and systematically develop creative solutions to the inevitable relationship challenges that arise among neighbors, youth, families and work groups everywhere. Her 15 years of experience working in the Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) field, enables her to easily grasp even the most complex relationship issues.

She facilitates restorative justice practices in schools, organizations and with families. She maintains that it’s with hearing the story, assessing the impact to self, community and family that repairing the harm can heal hearts and create new beginnings. When she is not working with ADR practices she consults with nonprofit organizations as a strategic planner to facilitate capacity-building efforts and sustainability.

Tamara’s enthusiasm, energy and experience, combined with a heartfelt humor and wisdom, have made her a much sought after facilitator. Her motivational workshops on Leadership, Conflict Resolution, Stress Management, Communication, Diversity and Inclusiveness provide specific, tangible and practical tools to overcome some of the biggest potential barriers to meeting goals. Her programs have helped thousands of participants pave the way for more successful, productive and high functioning relationships and increased career satisfaction.

E-mail: tammysherwood@yahoo.com