The Dispute Resolution Center (DRC) will be hosting our 15th Annual Conference for Mediators and Arbitrators: Honoring Our Past… Celebrating Our Future on August 24-26, 2006 at the Rosen Centre Hotel in Orlando.      
The Conference will begin with a pre-Conference Arbitration Training on Thursday, August 24th from 10 am – 5 pm followed by a reception from 5 – 7 pm along with an opportunity for early Conference registration.  Educational programming begins on Friday, August 25th at 8:30 am and the Conference concludes on Saturday, August 26th at noon.  The Conference features three plenary sessions, 36 workshops, facilitated small group break out sessions, an evening reception, two breakfasts and a luncheon.  The early bird registration fee is $125 and registration brochures will be mailed to all certified mediators in June. 

The Friday morning keynote features distinguished mediator and educator
Dr. Joseph “Josh” Stulberg, Associate Dean and Professor of Law at Ohio State University.  Dr. Stulberg was instrumental in Florida’s development of mediation programs and created the educational format for the first Supreme Court of Florida certified mediation training programs in 1988.  Former DRC Director of Education and Research and Conference favorite, James Alfini will be with us once again as our ethics plenary session moderator on Saturday morning.  The Friday afternoon plenary will feature Nancy Welsh, Professor at the Dickinson School of Law.  Professor Welsh is a mediator for the Federal Courts and was a member of the Minnesota Review Board which developed and implemented rules governing the ADR program in the Minnesota state courts.   She will have just returned from a Fulbright Scholarship in the Netherlands.   And, back by popular, Dr. Timothy Hedeen, Assistant Professor of Conflict Management for Kennesaw University, will be offering two workshops on Friday. 

The Conference will be co-sponsored by the Florida Academy of Professional Mediators, the Florida Coalition Against Domestic Violence and Nova Southeastern University’s Department for Conflict Analysis and Resolution.  Collaborating organizations include the Association of South Florida Mediators and Arbitrators, Florida Chapter of AFCC, Mediation Training Group and USF Conflict Resolution Collaborative.  These organizations offer educational support to our Conference programming.

As a reminder, audiotapes and cd’s of Conference workshops and plenaries will be available after Conference through Convention Recordings, www.conventionrecordings.com. 

If you have any questions concerning the DRC’s 15TH Annual Conference for Mediators and Arbitrators:  Honoring Our Past… Celebrating Our Future, please contact me at koschk@flcourts.org.  I am looking forward to seeing you in August!