When I decided to retire as a litigation paralegal and case investigator of 26 years, I knew my next career had to be something special…but what?  My list of “must haves” seemed daunting.  I wanted to continue to work in the legal field, but not in a law firm.  I wanted to continue to work directly with people in difficult situations and solve problems.  I wanted to continue to mentor, teach and lead others. 

I was not so sure I was going to find this perfect new career…but then, I did!  When the Mediation Center obtained the contract with the Brown County Family Court in 2018 to provide Court ordered mediation services to co-parents having disputes regarding custody and physical placement of their children, I was hired as the Family Mediation Program Manager.  In my early paralegal years I had worked extensively in family law, as well as managing offices, so becoming the manager of the Family Mediation Program was a smooth transition. 

It has been an amazing opportunity to lead this program’s inception, growth and day-to-day operations since 2018.  Becoming a certified mediator and mediating cases for co-parents has been very rewarding for me and I consider it a privilege to be involved in such an important and personal aspect of peoples’ lives.  Above all else, advocating for the best interests of children and assisting co-parents resolve issues regarding their children is the highlight of this job. 

Outside of work, I enjoy spending time with my husband and family.  I am an avid reader, researcher and collector of “old things”.  My husband and I rescue elderly, ill or otherwise hard to place chihuahuas and we are never without a little pack of chihuahuas.  

I have come to believe that the Mediation Center finds a person just when that person needs the Mediation Center the most.  If you have ever worked or volunteered here, you know just what I mean.