Expert Workplace Conflict Consultants

I help leaders stop being cornered by behavior they were never trained to handle. As the Founder of Mission Critical Impact and a 5x Bestselling Author, I specialize in "Tactical Control." This provides experienced leaders the specific language and structures needed to shut down manipulation, deflection, and undermining in real time. Based in Virginia Beach, I leverage over 30 years of expertise to help executives maintain authority and protect their results when people problems threaten their credibility. My work moves beyond theory to provide tactical, actionable control in high-stakes workplace environments.

Molly Zuker is a conflict resolution expert who helps helps people understand the human complexity behind the headlines. With a Master’s in Conflict Resolution & Coexistence and extensive training in mediation and restorative justice, she works with diverse groups - from corporate teams to religious communities - navigating conflicts where multiple identities, beliefs, and loyalties intersect. Zuker specializes in revealing the nuanced dynamics that most observers miss. “No one is ‘just’ any one thing,” she notes. “Every conflict involves whole people with complicated stories.” Whether workplace disputes, community tensions, religious divisions, or cultural clashes, turn to Molly for insights that move beyond simple narratives to reveal the systemic and relational factors actually driving conflict.Whether it’s workplace tensions, religious divisions, community conflicts, or cultural clashes, Molly will help you move beyond simple narratives to understand the deeper dynamics at play. She’s facilitated difficult conversations in boardrooms and sanctuary spaces alike - and she knows that the most interesting stories happen when people’s different identities bump up against each other.

Marlene Chism works with executive leaders to build drama-free cultures that drive growth and reduce costly mistakes. An expert in conflict management, Marlene is known for getting to the root problem, simplifying the complex and increasing leadership clarity. As a coach, Marlene works with decision-makers, offering frameworks and tools to navigate complex conversations and increase accountability. As a seasoned facilitator and dynamic speaker, she brings executives and managers together to uncover blind spots, address the elephant in the room, and strengthen alignment. A recognized expert on the LinkedIn Learning platform, Marlene has produced six educational video series on high-stakes topics such as working with high conflict people, having difficult conversations, and anger management. She’s the author of four commercially published books. Her latest, From Conflict to Courage was nominated for an international award from GetAbstract. Marlene holds a bachelor’s in communications with a minor in psychology, and a master’s in human resources development. She’s an enhanced practitioner in Narrative Coaching.

Sarah Federman's career has never followed a straight line, which makes her useful to reporters looking for a different kind of expert. She spent her thirties as an international advertising executive working across more than ten countries with brands like Google, Bloomberg, Discovery, and the NFL. Then she saw her name on a Holocaust memorial wall and started asking questions the industry couldn't answer: What happens when companies cause serious harm? How can they address and prevent complicity in genocide, slavery, ecocide and other mass atrocity? How do they reckon with that? What does accountability even look like generations later? Those questions took her back to school and to a career as one of the most distinctive voices in the U.S. on corporate accountability and historical justice. Today she is an Associate Professor at the University of San Diego's Kroc School of Peace Studies, where she studies how corporations become complicit in large-scale human rights violations and how they can atone. She is the author of three books, two award-winning. Corporate Reckoning: How Companies Can Atone for Historical Transgressions (MIT Press, 2026) offers a framework for what genuine accountability looks like for institutions that have caused deep historical harm. Last Train to Auschwitz traces the decades-long effort to hold the French national railway responsible for transporting Jewish deportees to Nazi death camps. Transformative Negotiation, written with her Baltimore students, reframes negotiation as a vehicle for equity and structural change. Federman has testified twice before Congress on whether American banks bear responsibility for their historical ties to slavery, engaging both the scholarly and policy dimensions of reparations. She writes for the Harvard Business Review, Forbes, and the BBC, and is a TEDx speaker, whose talk was selected by TED main stage for global distribution. She is available to comment on corporate accountability, reparations, Holocaust memory, transitional justice, negotiation, business ethics, ESG, and environmental justice in the Tijuana River watershed.

Erik Wheeler has helped hundreds of couples go through divorce more peacefully and at much lower expense than battling it out in court. Holding a Master's degree in Mediation, Erik works in both Vermont and Colorado, specializing in divorce and family mediation. His calm, reassuring approach that helps couples reach agreements even in emotionally charged situations. He prepares all court-required paperwork for uncontested divorces, guiding clients through the process from initial agreement to final filing without the adversarial dynamic of litigation. Erik is available to comment on topics including divorce mediation, alternative dispute resolution (ADR), the financial and emotional costs of contested divorce, co-parenting agreements, asset division, and how couples can avoid the family court system. He serves everyday families, military couples, and cases involving complex asset division.

I am the founder and principal mediator of the San Diego Family Mediation Center. We are located in Del Mar, California at 445 Marine View Ave., Suite 305, Del Mar, CA 92014. Please visit me at www.SanDiegoFamilyMediation.com. My primary goal is to educate people of the benefits of mediation, not only in family law matters, but in all matters. I have been mediating divorces for over 17 years. I believe that families deserve more than family court can give them. Sure, divorce is a legal process, but it is also a family matter and should be treated as such. Too many professionals lose sight of the fact that each "side" is still part of a whole unit. One that will, more often than not, have to continue in a relationship together. This process MUST include empathy, understanding and clear communication. Without them, our clients suffer, and if our clients suffer, their children suffer more. Specialties: Family mediation, pre-marital & post-marital mediation & agreements, dissolution of both marital and non-marital relationships. Mediations are generally completed using only one mediator, however, team mediation will be provided upon request or when necessary.

Stephanie Lemek, SPHR, MBA | Founder & CEO, The Wounded Workforce® | Executive Director, Center for Construction Mental Health™ Stephanie Lemek is a trauma-informed workplace expert, speaker, and organizational mental health strategist with more than 20 years of HR leadership experience across high-risk, high-stakes industries. She is the founder of The Wounded Workforce®, a consulting and education practice built on a foundational belief that resilience is a systems outcome, not an individual trait, and the Executive Director of the Center for Construction Mental Health™, the first organization dedicated exclusively to advancing mental health infrastructure in the construction industry. Stephanie developed the 7 Principles of Trauma-Informed Workplaces, a proprietary framework that translates clinical trauma-informed care principles into practical, scalable organizational culture change. She is the creator of the Building Resilience Construction Mental Health Certification®, a workforce training program that equips leaders and practitioners to build psychologically safe environments from the ground up. Her practitioner background includes senior HR leadership roles at some of the most recognized contractors in the country, giving her a credibility that is rare in the consulting space: she has held the seats her clients now occupy. That grounded perspective shapes every keynote, training, and organizational engagement she delivers. Stephanie holds credentials as a Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR), an MBA, and certifications in trauma-informed workplace practices. She is currently at work on her first book, The Resilience Myth: Why Pushing Through Is Failing Everyone at Work, which challenges the cultural assumption that individual grit is the solution to systemic dysfunction. She is a sought-after speaker on employment trauma, psychological safety, burnout, and the organizational conditions that either protect or erode workforce mental health.

Alice has a tremendous amount of emotional intelligence, which she uses to successfully mediate case after case. Her empathy and understanding puts clients on both sides at ease and comfortable during the mediation. She is a gifted listener, a creative problem-solver and most of all a strong communicator. With Alice's help, most people are able to resolve their issues, feel heard and move forward in their lives. ShikinaMediation.com Specialties: divorce agreements, family conflicts, conflicts between board members, landlord/tenant, community mediations

Catherine Mattice is founder and CEO of Civility Partners, an HR consulting firm focused specifically on helping organizations create respectful and positive workplace cultures.Civility Partners love to partner with organizations who see issues in their culture - toxic behavior, disengagement, absenteeism, etc. We are dedicated to creating work environments where employees thrive, and are experts at turning around toxic cultures. Clients range from Fortune 500's to government, to nonprofit, to small business in a wide range of industries.Catherine is an HR disrupter and have had the pleasure of being cited in USA Today, Entrepreneur, Bloomberg, CNN, NPR, and many other national news outlets as an expert. She has 50+ courses reaching global audiences on LinkedIn Learning.She's also an award-winning speaker, blogger, and book author. Catherine’s award-winning book, BACK OFF! Your Kick-Ass Guide to Ending Bullying at Work, was hailed by international leadership-guru, Ken Blanchard, as, “the most comprehensive and valuable handbook on the topic.”

Warren Pulley brings 40 years of threat assessment and crisis management expertise across military, law enforcement, diplomatic, corporate, and educational environments. As founder of CrisisWire, he provides professional threat assessment services to organizations throughout Hawaii, Nationally and Internationally. Credentials: BTAM (Behavioral Threat Assessment & Management) trained - University of Hawaii West Oahu 20+ FEMA certifications (IS-906, IS-907, IS-915, complete ICS/NIMS) Former LAPD Veteran Police Officer (12 years) 6+ years U.S. Embassy Baghdad security operations (zero incidents under daily threat) Former Director of Campus Safety, Chaminade University Former California Private Investigator 7 years U.S. Air Force (nuclear security & paralegal) Published Authority: Author of five books on threat assessment: The Prepared Leader, Threat Assessment Handbook, Campus Under Siege, Locked Down: The Access Control Playbook, and Uniformed Silence. Published researcher with 9+ peer-reviewed papers on threat assessment, workplace violence, and crisis management. Media-Ready Expertise: Available for expert commentary on threat assessment, school safety, workplace violence prevention, crisis management, executive protection, insider threats, and emergency preparedness. Find CrisisWire online at https://rypulmedia.wixsite.com/crisiswire

Behavioral threat assessment and workplace violence prevention expert with 35+ years in public safety, consulting, and criminal justice education.

Human Resources professional with a strong emphasis in employee relations, learning development, corporate communication, and strategic development. Effective manager and project leader, skilled in developing collaborative working relationships with internal and external teams. Record of leadership in developing training and development department, recruiting top tier candidates, and implementing strategies to reduce turnover rates within departments. Ability to communicate effectively amongst all levels of management and employee population. Problem solver and adaptable team player. Eager for new challenges in a dynamic business environment. Specialties: Strategic Development, Employee Relations, Recruitment, Learning Development

Experienced professional leading change and people focusing on resolutions, high-quality results, and relationships. Skilled in effectively managing resources and delivering innovative strategies to achieve positive outcomes, maximize human potential, and ensure equal opportunity. Exceptional interpersonal, analytical, and problem-solving skills. Skills and Core Competencies EEO Compliance | Mediator | Human Resource Management | Training and Career Development | Facilitator | Program-Project Management | Community Building | social Media Manager| Volunteer Management | Event Planner|

Dr. Greg Kovacs is a relational scientist and the founder of The Engine Room™, where he specializes in re-engineering domestic and emotional infrastructure for high-achievers. Through his proprietary Relational Audit, he helps executive-level couples identify "Leaking Pipes" in their partnership by mapping the cognitive load of invisible labor. Dr. Kovacs’ work focuses on transitioning couples from the "Manager/Contractor Trap" to sustainable Domain Ownership. He provides expert commentary on Systemic Household Engineering and the Manager/Contractor Trap to help couples achieve long-term equity. He is the author of the forthcoming book, The Engine Room: Mapping Emotional Labor, Reclaiming Intimacy, and Modeling Equity for the Next Generation.

Stacey is the Founder & Managing Consultant for Expand HR Consulting. She received her bachelor’s degree from Syracuse University, and certification in Conflict Resolution and Mediation. Stacey holds her certification from Cornell University’s Leadership Program in Diversity and Inclusion for HR. She is a former Board member of JSSA and served on its Human Resources Committee. She got her start in human resources as a generalist with Internet Interstate (Verio, a global internet communications leader). From there, she joined Sodexo’s corporate headquarters, where she was responsible for the oversight of corporate recruiting and human resources. As a generalist, Stacey was responsible for employee relations and recruitment, policies and compliance, coaching, performance management and diversity outreach. In 2006, after independently consulting for nonprofits, Stacey launched EHR. Stacey oversees outsourcing and project-based engagements, leading a consulting team of 10. This may include executive and specialty search, comprehensive compensation and benefits analysis and planning, custom research, performance management-based initiatives and employee engagement surveys. EHR’s portfolio of work in DEI, includes custom surveys and related analysis, formal DEI related policy reviews, recruitment outreach to minority communities, improving systemic HR approaches, annual custom DEI training via our core library, affirmative action plans, workplace and sexual harassment investigations at the executive, management and staff levels. One of Stacey’s area of focus is partnering with nonprofit Boards on corporate governance and leadership initiatives. Notably, a Board’s Compensation or Executive Committee to help independently manage CEO/Executive Director annual compensation, benefits and performance, Board surveys and DEI initiatives, and transition and executive search.

I'm a Career Consultant who specializes in Negotiation and Pay Equity. I bring years of experience working for employers at a staff firm, applicant tracking company, and professional trade association to my work with candidates and employees. I spearheaded two pay equity laws; 1) salary history bans and inclusion of pay in job postings. Over the years I have contributed and been interviewed by NPR, BBC, CNN, Boston Globe, Yahoo Finance, Hollywood Reporter, and more. Additionally, my speaking engagements and workshops have included Harvard, UCLA, Virginia Tech, Women in Construction, Boston Consulting Group, Boston Chamber of Commerce, and more. I've earned an MBA from Bentley University and a BA in Economics from College of the Holy Cross.

Scott Levin, known as the Chief PeaceKeeper™, is a leading San Diego divorce lawyer and mediation expert. As the founder of San Diego Divorce Mediation & Family Law, Scott helps couples achieve amicable divorces without the stress of court battles or high legal fees. With over 20 years of family law experience and a magna cum laude degree from the University of Virginia School of Law, Scott is dedicated to providing affordable, peaceful resolutions for families. Scott's clients typically reach amicable out of court agreements in months for a fraction of the cost of a contested litigation. Scott’s expertise as a Certified Divorce Financial Analyst™ ensures a fair division of assets and debts, while his problem-solving approach has earned him recognition as one of San Diego's top family law attorneys, including awards from San Diego Business Journal, Super Lawyers, Mediate.com, and San Diego Metro Magazine. Scott is proud of his and the firm's compassionate approach to separation empowering families to resolve all aspects of divorce with dignity. To learn more about Scott and mediation law services, call 858-255-1321