and Leigh K. Barer, CPM, as secretary; Adds board members
BOISE, Idaho, Jan. 09, 2023–Idaho Mediation Association (IMA), which educates, certifies, and supports mediation professionals and promotes community awareness of constructive conflict resolution, today announced Terry W. Petty, CPM, as president, and several board officers and directors.
In addition to Terry serving as IMA president, Jennifer Poole, CPM, will serve as vice president, and Leigh K. Barer will serve as secretary. Leigh’s and Jennifer’s new officer roles left two vacant director seats to which the IMA board appointed Melissa Bishop, CPM, and Courtney Lossmann, LMSW. Nancy Haug, CPM, was elected a director, and Sheldon L. Forehand, CPM, was re-elected a director following his service the previous year. Scott Brand, CPM, continues as treasurer, and Steve Pinther, CPM, continues as director.
“I love conflict because I find great satisfaction when a conflict discovers a solution and ‘tears of fear and anger transition to tears of relief and joy,” said IMA President Terry W. Petty, CPM. “I am committed to advancing the IMA’s two-fold mission to train and certify professional mediators and to promote the benefits of mediation to the public. Together with the IMA board, I look forward to bringing increased value and visibility to professional mediators through increased credibility and community, and to building public awareness and understanding of mediation’s many benefits."
About Terry W. Petty, 2023 to 2024 IMA President
A CPM since 2010, Terry is listed on the Idaho Supreme Court Roster for Child Custody Mediators and is a former president of the Grand Teton Mediation Association (Idaho Falls, Idaho). Prior to his election to president, he was elected 2021-2022 IMA vice president and served on the 2014-2015 board.
Terry is the president of Peace-Full Solutions RE, Inc., which provides mediation services and training leaders in conflict management concepts and strategies. He specializes in church, organizational, large group, and high-intensity conflicts. Since 2017, he has been an Idaho licensed REALTOR® and works with Team Idaho Real Estate in Moscow, Idaho. An ordained minister, Terry serves the Northwest Ministry Network of the Assemblies of God as the North Idaho Executive Presbyter. He was certified as a Master Chaplain with the International Conference of Police Chaplains and served as a volunteer law enforcement chaplain for 25 years. He has authored three books. Terry earned a master’s degree in negotiation, conflict resolution, and peacebuilding from California State University, Dominguez Hills.
About Jennifer Poole, CPM, 2022-2023 Vice President
Jennifer is the mediator at the Idaho Industrial Commission and owner of Resolution Empowered Mediation. An Idaho CPM, she has been an adjunct faculty member of Boise State University’s Dispute Resolution Program since 1999 and University of Dubuque LIFE since 2022. Jennifer authored Ch. 19: Conflict Management and the Criminal Justice System in the textbook “Victimology: Crime Victimization and Victim Services” from the Idaho Coalition Against Sexual and Domestic Violence.
In addition to conducting various types of mediation, Jennifer trains and consults on Restorative Justice, victim-offender mediation, peer mediation, community mediation, and active listening. Prior to serving as the 2022 to 2023 vice president on the IMA board, she was a director from 2021 to 2022 and is a member of IMA's Training and Education Committee. Jennifer holds a master’s degree in dispute resolution from Touro University Worldwide. She earned a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice and communication from Boise State University, and an associate’s degree in criminal justice from Brigham Young University - Idaho.
About Leigh K. Barer, CPM, 2023 to 2024 Secretary
Leigh is a CPM on the Idaho Supreme Court Roster for Child Custody Mediators with a family law focus and a deep communications background. Her interest in resolving conflict is underscored by her professional training and extensive experience solving complex communication challenges.
Before mediation, Leigh spent 15+ years helping countless businesses and nonprofits communicate clearly with their audiences as a freelance communications and PR consultant. Prior to serving as the 2023-2024 secretary on the IMA board, she was a director from 2022-2023. Leigh has completed studies in basic and advanced mediation, child custody mediation, domestic violence mediation, and restorative justice. Leigh earned a bachelor’s degree in journalism and mass communication from Seattle University.
For more about the IMA Board of Directors, visit https://www.idahomediationassociation.org/Board-of-Directors.
About Idaho Mediation Association
The Idaho Mediation Association (IMA) is an association of mediators that educates, certifies, and supports mediation professionals and promotes community awareness of constructive conflict resolution. IMA has certified more than 400 individuals as Certified Professional Mediators (CPMs). IMA is one of the associations for which the Supreme Court accepts its certification process. IMA is Idaho’s mediation organization of choice for individuals seeking community, certification, and professional development. Visit: https://www.idahomediationassociation.org
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