Annual Conference 2026

Martha Monday

Martha is the Mediation Director at Global Mediation, one of the largest providers of SEND mediation in the UK. She has been a SEND mediator for over 20 years, having worked as a mediator whilst simultaneously practising as a family law barrister. In 2016, she resigned from the Bar to concentrate wholly on mediation, preferring its non-adversarial and empathic approach. As a member of Global’s senior leadership team, she has oversight of the mediator teams and is involved in delivering training and supervision. Martha is a member of the SEND Assessment/Standards Panel and is a member of the Board of Directors of the College of Mediators.

Chris Makin

Chris Makin is one of only 60 chartered accountants to become an Accredited Forensic Accountant and Expert Witness. He is also an accredited civil & commercial mediator and expert determiner. Over the last 50 years, he has been a partner in accountancy firms, from sole practice to 250 partners. He has served on several committees at ICAEW and on the investigation committee at The Academy of Experts and other professional bodies. He is a director of the College of Mediators and has conducted over 120 mediations in a vast range of subjects.

Professor Andrew Goodman LLB MBA PhD FCIArb FInstCPD FRSA Barrister

Professor Andrew Goodman is an experienced and esteemed mediator with over 30 years of independent practice, working in numerous jurisdictions annually. He holds various notable positions, including Distinguished Fellow of the International Academy of Mediators, and is affiliated with organizations like the Civil Mediation Council and International Mediation Institute. Andrew also serves as a Professor of Conflict Management and Dispute Resolution Studies at Rushmore University, USA, and is involved in training initiatives for mediators with institutions like the Chartered Institute of Mediators and ADR Group. He has extensive international experience, having conducted mediation training and lectures in numerous countries across Asia, Africa, Europe, and beyond. Andrew is actively engaged in the field of mediation, serving as a Director of the College of Mediators and a Master of the Bench of Inner Temple.

Denice Houlsin

Denice Houslin has been an active member of the College since 2012, becoming Chair of the Practice Standards Committee and member of the board in 2021. She trained as a mediator in 2007, initially in neighbour and community mediation, before becoming a college-accredited mediator, supervisor, and trainer. She now specialises in mediation with families in pre-social care and social care settings, workplace mediation in the NHS and in training new mediators, in particular social care professionals, training over 100 mediators to date. This year Denice has written and delivered a bespoke Conflict Coaching model for mediators and has trained in and now facilitates SEND mediations.

Jane Gunn

Jane Gunn, also known as “The Barefoot Mediator,” is a renowned conflict resolution expert and mediator, recognised as a Global Leader in Who’s Who Mediation and featured in the Legal 500 Hall of Fame. She serves as the President of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (CIArb) and is a former director and board member of the Civil Mediation Council of England. Jane is the author of two popular books “How to Beat Bedlam in the Boardroom and Boredom In The Bedroom” and “The Authority Guide to Conflict Resolution”, and has spoken at prestigious venues like the United Nations, The White House, and the European Commission. In response to the global challenges of our times, including the pandemic, racial inequality, and climate change, Jane advocates for understanding and transforming conflict. She teaches mediation skills to individuals, empowering them to handle differences and diversity constructively. Jane’s mission is to cultivate a community of “ReSolutionaries” equipped to lead and inspire during times of change and crisis. She has successfully worked with a diverse range of organisations, from Cable & Wireless to McLaren Racing, fostering open dialogue, motivation, and commitment among teams to navigate challenges effectively. Jane’s approach to conflict resolution is interactive, engaging, and aimed at promoting positive outcomes in personal and organisational contexts.

Kate Jolly

Katie is passionate about supporting people in conflict to get the best outcomes through a non-adversarial approach. She is an accredited and experienced SEND, family and workplace mediator. She is also a trainer and a member of the College of Mediators, Family Mediation Council and Resolution. Prior to her family mediation training, she worked in further education, child protection and family group conferencing, where supporting children and families facing difficulties led her to take a fresh approach to empowering them to find their own solutions, through mediation. She attained a Masters in Psychology in 2016 and FMC Child Inclusive Mediation status in 2020. Katie has volunteered as a mediator for a charity supporting young people at risk of homelessness and relationship breakdown, is an Appropriate Adult and is currently a member of the local Youth Offender Panel. Katie strongly believes in supporting children and young people to have a voice in all areas of her work and volunteering, respecting them as individuals with a right to express their views freely.

Chloe Evans

Chloe fiercely believes that enabling positive communication, being child-focused, and looking to the future without dwelling on the past, are fundamental to the ongoing well-being of all parties working through the mediation process. She is an accredited and experienced Family and SEND mediator and a member of the College of Mediators, National Family Mediation and The Family Mediators Association. Chloe is a Professional Practice Consultant for Family mediators and, as a trainer, has helped
write self-study online courses. Chloe is a qualified solicitor and spent 20 years working as a legal adviser in the Magistrates Court covering all areas of law. Here, she developed a passion for non-adversarial approaches by observing parties going through the court system. She has also volunteered for Citizen’s Advice and ended up managing one of their offices. Chloe is very passionate about giving children the opportunity of being heard in all matters affecting them and for their voices to be taken seriously.

Jan Coulton

Jan is a recognised name in the field of mediation and is an experienced trainer approved by the Family Mediation Council. It is her extensive knowledge of the subject that has gained her invitations to lecture and present at conferences worldwide. She also writes and delivers bespoke training courses and provides Professional Practice Consultancy (PPC) to professional mediators who are accredited or working towards accreditation with the Family Mediation Council.  She has been a Child Inclusive Mediator for 24 years and is actively promoting the voice of the child.

Nationally recognised for her 34 years of work in family mediation, Jan has received the National Mediation Awards on two separate occasions.  She has a solid legal background, having qualified as a solicitor in 1980.

Jan is a past Chair of The College of Mediators, past chair of the Colleges Professional Standards Committee and is currently a Director of the Family Mediation Council and College Advisor.   She has been involved at national level in formulating policy relating to family mediation and professional practice. She is a committed mediator, accredited by the Family Mediation Council and is passionate about ensuring best practice by way of accredited mediation standards. Jan is a trained ISO assessor and lead auditor for accreditation programmes.

In her spare time Jan is a marathon cold water swimmer, a Channel swimmer and a bronze medal holder at the Winter Swimming World Championships, Siberia 2016.

Macarena Mata

Macarena has worked professionally in the mediation and conflict resolution field since 2006. She is an accredited family, workplace, and community Mediator and Trainer, with a diverse range of experience in conflict transformation, resolution, self-awareness and trauma-informed work. She is a partner at Ataraxy Family Mediation Training, approved by the Family Mediation Council, and her company Ataraxy Mediation offers accredited training on Community, Workplace, and Paediatric Medical Mediation with OCN London. Macarena is also a Professional Practice Consultant/Supervisor, and she has lectured on conflict theory and reflective practice for conflict practitioners in the PgCert/MSc courses at UCL. She works with Mediators Beyond Borders Int’l as a consultant and faculty member of the International Peace Training Institute. Macarena was born in Málaga, Spain, and has lived in England since 1998 with her
husband.

Marilyn Webster

Marilyn Webster is an experienced family mediator who began her practice in 1992 and has remained dedicated to the field ever since. She holds accreditations as a Family Mediator, SEND Mediator, and PPC, and serves as a Director of Prime Resolution Ltd. Marilyn specialises in offering Child Inclusive Mediation as a routine part of her practice. Her interest in Parental Alienation is rooted in personal experiences with the court system and her work with high-conflict couples. In 2020, Marilyn participated in research with the University of Wolverhampton Research Team on ‘The Clinical and Legal Management of Parental Alienation in the UK.’ Despite the misunderstandings and controversies surrounding this topic, Marilyn believes it is a crucial issue that remains inadequately addressed within the profession.

Professor Stephen Mayson

Professor Stephen Mayson was originally called to the Bar by Lincoln’s Inn (of which he is now a Bencher and chair of its Regulatory Panel). After a period as a tax lawyer with a Magic Circle law firm, he developed an international reputation as a strategic advisor in the legal sector, working on a range of strategic, financial, ownership and governance issues.  More recently, he has held several non-executive directorships and retained strategic advisory relationships with law firms and law-related businesses, and is currently the non-executive chairman of an ABS law firm.  Since 1992, Stephen has also held professorships in the UK and abroad and is presently an Honorary Professor of Law at University College London.  He has a particular interest in the regulation of legal services, and recently conducted an independent review of the regulatory framework in England & Wales and submitted his report to the Lord Chancellor in June 2020 (followed in 2022 by a supplementary report on consumer harm).  He was subsequently appointed by the Lord Chancellor to the expert panel supporting Sir Christopher Bellamy’s review of criminal legal aid.

Adam Gersch

Adam, a seasoned criminal barrister, graduated from Nottingham Trent University and was called to the Bar in 1993 by the Honourable Society of Lincoln’s Inn. As the Managing Director of Global Mediation, he guides the company’s strategy, direction, and maintains its esteemed reputation. With extensive experience presenting cases domestically and internationally, including at the US Supreme Court, Adam remains actively engaged in criminal law practice. His accreditation as a CEDR mediator in 1999 led to the establishment of Global Mediation, where he has facilitated numerous successful mediations and contributed to the advancement of dispute resolution systems. Beyond his legal career, Adam shares his expertise as an educator and has authored publications covering human rights, criminal law, and conflict resolution.

Marie Coombes

With 17 years at Royal Mail, Marie Coombes is a seasoned expert in HR, conflict resolution, mediation, and employee engagement. Her mediation prowess, with over 300 successful interventions, showcases her ability to connect swiftly and effectively, making her a trailblazer in workplace mediation. Beyond mediations, Marie excels in crafting customised group sessions, steering organisations towards resolution-oriented employee relations and conflict management to enhance well-being and engagement. Passionate about mental well-being, her training empowers individuals to break free from stress cycles, regain focus, and maintain confidence. Recognised with multiple awards, including the 2020 CMC Workplace Mediator of the Year, Marie continues to reshape workplaces, challenge toxicity, and champion mental well-being. Holding an MBA and a Fellowship from the Chartered Management Institute, she’s not just an expert but a catalyst for positive change.

Denise Ingamells

Denise Ingamells serves as the Professional Practice Consultant (supervisor) for Kent Family Mediation Service and conducts Family Mediation Foundation Training for Resolution. She became a Family Mediation Council Accredited Mediator in 2002 and a Professional Practice Consultant in 2005, with qualifications in delivering Child Inclusive Mediation. Denise is the primary author of the Separated Parents Information Programme (SPIP), which has reached approximately 250,000 individuals nationwide, with personal delivery to over 9,000 people. She has developed and conducted training for various national organizations. Denise has received several accolades for her contributions to mediation, including Resolution’s John Cornwell Award in 2022, the Alternative Dispute Resolution Practitioner of the Year from Jordans’ Family Law in 2012, and the Avril Reid Award for Innovation in Mediation presented by Lady Hale, the President of National Family Mediation in 2007. She actively participates in Resolution’s Parenting after Parting and Wellbeing committees and serves as a trustee of the National Association of Parenting Programmes (NASPP).

James Evans

James Evans is the Head of UK Professional Education at OurFamilyWizard. Having previously worked as a teacher, James joined the Family Law community over 5 years ago to introduce Family Law Practitioners around the country to OurFamilyWizard. James works with Courts, Chambers, Firms, CAFCASS, Mediators, Organisations and Charities to help parents with their communication. James is a member of the APPG on Family Separation, the East Sussex Resolution committee, the Family Dispute Solutions Group, the Family Law Language Project, The Parents Promise Alliance, The Family Mediation Week committee and is the chair of Support Through Court’s Family Ambassadors Board. James has been shortlisted for over 10 awards for his contribution to Innovation and Championing of supporting separated families, and recently won the Working in Collaboration Award at Resolutions 2023 Family Law Awards and Innovation in Family Law at the 2023 Family Law Awards.