Profiles

Kamil is a first-generation immigrant and settler from Pakistan living in Kitchener who identifies with various identities including Queer and Muslim. Passionate about non-carceral and non-punitive approaches to conflict, crime and harm, Kamil is a Restorative Justice practitioner and works specifically in responding to and preventing hate crime and identity-based harm. He is a conflict mediator, experienced de-escalator and is generally fascinated by human conflict and its interventions outside the Criminal Legal System. He is also a grassroots organizer practicing mutual aid in Kitchener-Waterloo through Community Fridges and growing food in public spaces. Kamil organizes Waterloo Region's biggest and oldest Pride, supports Palestinian solidarity work and creates clothes out of discarded textiles. He also happens to be a photographer, facilitator, playlist nerd, vegetarian and a fan of farmers markets.

Susan Baker, Manager, Conflict Management Certificate Program.

Jennifer Ball, PhD, RPP, MCIP, holds a PhD in Rural Studies, with a focus on Sustainable Rural Communities, from the University of Guelph.

Kathyana Carvajal, BA.  Understanding who we are, how we show up in difficult situations, and learning from each other with humility are all critical elements of flourishing diverse communities. As a Sulah Service Coordinator at CJI, I am honoured to accompany communities exploring stories around identity and harm that centers identity.  In my role as Service Coordinator of Community Mediation Services, I am committed to supporting those seeking to reimagine relationships and co-create meaningful conversations.

Through my Bachelor of Knowledge Integration, with Joint Honours in Psychology, I honed interdisciplinary skills of drawing connections from differing ways of knowing to navigate complex situations. This education supports my capacity to be present to multiple perspectives. I embrace a person-centered approach, holding the strong conviction that we are each the experts of our lives and value the sacredness of sharing these stories. Outside of work, I find joy in moments with nature, reading in a hammock, and laughing with loved ones.

Cayla Charles is a Consultant with Credence and Company. Cayla brings over 13 years of experience implementing Change Management and Dispute Resolution strategies within public sector workplaces, private sector businesses, and not-for-profit organizations.

Dr. Barbara Landau, PhD, LLB., LLM., CMed, President of Cooperative Solutions, is a psychologist, lawyer, and an accredited family mediator - Family Mediation Canada (FMC), as well as a certified comprehensive family mediator from Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) Institute, and trainer.

Jill Magazine, LLM, MSW, works at Community Justice Initiatives as a Service Coordinator in the Restorative Responses to Harm or Crime program and in the Facilitated Dialogue and Surrogacy program. She appreciates the opportunities she has had at CJI since 2019 to connect with those impacted by a variety of harms and to explore alongside them how restorative approaches could meet their needs. She supports community volunteers to play a critical role in addressing harm in our community.

Teresa Mayer has a focus on building relationships as the cornerstone to restorative and transformational processes. She brings a trauma-informed lens to her work and is deeply committed to authenticity and dignity as guiding values. 

Alley holds a Master’s degree in Peace and Conflict Studies from the University of Waterloo, and a Certificate in Conflict Management and Mediation from Grebel and the University of Waterloo. She is a restorative justice practitioner and serves as a Service Coordinator of the Restorative Responses to Harm and Crime Program at Community Justice Initiatives (CJI). Previously, she served as the Service Coordinator for CJI’s Caregiver Teen Program.

Alley is an Accredited Family Mediator and a Chartered Community Mediator, and in her role, she walks alongside families and community members to navigate, manage and transform conflict. Her practice includes conflict coaching, mediation, facilitation, and circle keeping, all grounded in restorative principles and trauma-informed approaches.

Kevin McDonald, has had a long and diverse career in operational environments. As an aviator in the Canadian Air Force, Kevin was the acting commanding officer of an operational flying squadron shortly after 9/11, when the world changed immeasurably for us all. 

In the almost 2 decades since, Kevin has served as an internal ADR resource within the Canadian Armed Forces, Atomic Energy of Canada and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. He has been on the forefront of creating culture change, one conversation at a time in environments where interpersonal conflict can mean the difference between life and death.

Malcolm holds a Masters Degree in Public Policy and is a graduate of the Certificate in Conflict management and Mediation.

Tahnahga Myers is a Taino, Mohawk woman who was adopted into the Anishinabe way by a medicine woman of the Midwest.  For 23 years, Tahnahga was an apprentice with the teacher Grandmother Keewaydinoquay, an Anishinaabeg Elder of the Crane Clan and a scholar, ethno-botanist, herbalist, teacher, and author. 

Kay Pranis is a leader and trainer in restorative justice, specializing in peacemaking circles. She served as the restorative justice planner for the Minnesota Department of Corrections from 1994 to 2003. Since 1998, Kay has developed and conducted circles training not only in the justice system, but also in education, faith communities, social services and neighbourhood settings.

Rick Russell BA, LLB, CMed, Fellow at IAM has been working full time in the dispute resolution field for over 22 years, first as the ombudsman to McMaster University in Hamilton, then as a commercial mediator. In 1993, he co-founded Agree, a full service conflict management firm. 

Marshall Schnapp BA, JD, LLM (ADR), is an Associate with Agree Incorporated.  Marshall helps organizations, people and lawyers resolve disputes efficiently and successfully.  His services include training, workplace and civil mediations, workplace assessments, ombuds services, conflict management system design, workplace investigations, facilitations, coaching and arbitration services.  

Jason Spencer, (BA) is currently Mediation Program Coordinator at Community Justice Initiatives (CJI). Jason has completed the Certificate of Conflict Management and Mediation and has gone on to complete all the requirements for accreditation as a Family Mediator. Through living in community, Jason has discovered two common responses to conflict. Resilient people build consensus as they collaborate to solve the problem.

Jeremy Steffler, MASc, PEng, is a graduate of the Certificate in Conflict Management and Mediation offered at Conrad Grebel University College and a certified Personality Dimensions® trainer.

Shelley Stirling-Boyes BA, AccFM is a Senior Associate with Agree Incorporated and has been in the ADR field for 23 years.  Her current services include workplace mediation, workplace assessments, conflict management coaching, partnering facilitation services and the development and delivery of customized conflict management and communication skills training. She is also an experienced comprehensive family mediator.

Rebecca Sutherns PhD, CPF, is the founder and principal of Sage Solutions – a Guelph-based consulting firm that specializes in customized facilitation, strategic planning, stakeholder engagement and coaching services.

Mark Weber, PhD, MBA, MA  is the Eyton Director of the Conrad School of Entrepreneurship & Business at the University of Waterloo (UW), ranked Canada’s most innovative university for 26 consecutive years. Prior to his current role, Mark was the inaugural Director of the Graduate Diploma in Social Innovation at UW and served on the faculty of the Rotman School of Management and UTM at the University of Toronto.