2020 Symposium Speakers
Ashley Syer
Ashley Syer is a lawyer and mediator in Vancouver, BC. She practices through Syer Law and provides mediation services through Gastown Mediation. Her main areas of focus are tenancy, strata, employment, and general civil matters.
Barry Penner
Senior Counsel & Strategic Advisor, Penner Pacific Advisory Services.* A legal and public affairs advisory practice, Penner Pacific assists with regulatory, environmental and First Nations requirements, as well as providing governmental and media relations advice.
Ben Ziegler
Ben is a conflict mediator, consultant and advocate. He worked as an online mediator with eBay and Consumer Protection BC, and for 12 years was a mediator and mentor in the BC Court (Civil) Mediation Program.
Bryce Jeffery
Bryce is a graduate of UBC and Queen Mary College, University of London, England. He is a barrister of Lincoln’s Inn London, and has been a practising lawyer in the Vancouver area for 34 years. He currently manages MBJLaw in Langley and oversees Terms & Conditions, a purpose-built mediation centre in downtown Langley.
Carl Nilsen, B.SC., FRICS, AACI, P.APP.
Carl Nilsen is a Senior Director of Altus Group Limited and has been providing professional services in Canada since 1972. Carl founded the firm of Nilsen Realty Research Ltd. (which subsequently became part of Altus Group) after gaining real estate qualifications and experience in London (England) and Toronto. Mr. Nilsen’s practice has involved the preparation […]
Ceyda Gultan, MA, CPHR, ACC
Ceyda Gultan is a human resources professional, leadership coach and has 20 years’ experience working with and for national, international and local organizations managing projects all focused on enhancing and growing teams, identifying those barriers that hinder either corporations or individuals to become the best they can be.
Cherie Willliams
CHERIE WILLIAMS takes access to justice, fairness, and equality seriously. She is an inspirational
leader, community activist, and mentor who tells stories to inspire action and at the same time
grounds her ADR practice solidly in law and policy.
Cherolyn Knapp
Cherolyn Knapp is a conflict resolution consultant, mediator and facilitator based in Victoria, BC. She grew up on the shores of Georgian Bay in Owen Sound, Ontario and earned a Bachelor of Commerce (Human Resources) from Ryerson University in 1995.
Chris Davy
Chris Davy graduated from the Justice Institutes of British Columbia, Mediation and Negotiation programs. While taking courses through the Justice Institute, he sought out an internship at the Alternative Dispute Resolution of BC. Since graduating from the Justice Institute, he continually invests in courses and workshops to keep up with current Mediation best practices. He […]
Chuck Wills
The Principal Mediator and Founder of Business Mediation Vancouver, Chuck has over 16 years of experience practicing corporate and commercial law in Vancouver and, after retiring his partnership, a further 20 years experience in private business as a business owner, director and officer.
Daniel Brantes
Daniel Brantes Ferreira earned his Ph.D. in Constitutional Law at the Pontifical University of Rio de Janeiro in 2011 and was a visiting scholar at UB Law School (2009) researching Legal Realism under the guidance of UB Distinguished Professor John Henry Schlegel.
Dawn Wattie
Dawn completed a B.A. in Anthropology from the University of Victoria in 1984 where she initially developed an interest in indigenous matters and First Nations governance followed by an LLB from the University of Windsor in 1988.
Demi Panko
Demi Peters-Panko is a Mediator, Child Consultant, and Online Dispute Resolution Trainer from Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. She is passionate about providing access to Mediation Services to people from rural communities or with other barriers that may prevent them from being able to attend Mediation meetings in-person. This passion lead her to create the Introduction to Online […]
Doe Lee
Doe Lee is a Qualified Arbitrator and a law student at the Peter A. Allard School of Law at the University of British Columbia.
Dr Ernest Thiessen
Dr Thiessen is President of iCan Systems Inc., the developer of the Smartsettle eNegotiation system. Dr Thiessen has led iCan’s research and development efforts since 1993 to implement the ICANS patent, creating the world’s first secure multiparty collaborative negotiation support system on the Internet. Dr Thiessen also directs the International eNegotiation Exhibition and was a […]
Dr. Connie Allsopp
Connie D. M. Allsopp, Ph.D., is a business and education consultant in private practice, the founder of The World’s Registrar, and a former supervisor/ instructor at the University of Victoria, B.C. Canada.
Elton Simoes
Elton Simoes is an accomplished, Arbitrator, Mediator, Negotiator, Consultant, Non-executive Director, and Business Executive. He practices arbitration, mediation and Med-Arb in complex, confidential, time sensitive, commercial disputes involving shareholders, consumers, intellectual property, technology, media, entertainment and sports.
Fisnik Kumnova, Q.Arb
Fisnik Kumnova is a project management and business development specialist with over a decade of experience in working with stakeholders in various areas of Alternative Dispute Resolution.
George E.H. Cadman, Q.C.
George Cadman is a seasoned litigator with 40 years’ experience before all levels of the Canadian courts and various administrative tribunals.
Gordon Sloan
Gordon Sloan started mediating in 1985. He founded ADR Education in 1997 providing dispute resolution services across Canada.
Jasmine Paul
Jasmine Paul is the Stewardship and Territorial Land Management Divisional Manager for the shishalh Nation. A settler of British ancestry, she has lived in shishalh territory all her life and worked for the Nation for over a decade.
Joan Braun, LLB, MSW, LLM
Joan also has experience in management in the justice sector, and served as the Executive Director of the BC Centre for Elder Advocacy and Support (BC CEAS) where she established a specialty legal aid clinic for older adults.
John-Paul E. Boyd Q.C.
John-Paul E. Boyd Q.C. is a family law lawyer, author, speaker and consultant. He is the principal of John-Paul Boyd Arbitration Chambers, a member of the bars of British Columbia and Alberta, and counsel to the preeminent Calgary family law firm Wise Scheible Barkauskas.
Kathleen MacDonald
Kathleen MacDonald (Cert. ConRes., B.A., B.Ed., M.A.) specializes in training both adolescents and adults in conflict and anger management, communication skills, Real Restitution, mediation, negotiation, and community (team) building.
Kaylie Maughan
After working for more than a decade in different capacities with youth counselling and forensic mental health, Kaylie was first exposed to Restorative Justice acting as a community support to a youth in the circle process.
Kenneth Glasner, Q.C. FCIArb.
Kenneth (Ken) Glasner, Q.C. is an experienced arbitrator and mediator based in Vancouver. He was appointed a Federal Queen’s Counsel in 1990. He is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (FCIArb) and a member of the International Institute of Conflict Prevention and Resolution (CPR) Panel of Distinguished Neutrals based in New York. Ken […]
Krista James
Krista James is the National Director of the Canadian Centre for Elder Law. Krista’s work is focused on law and policy issues linked to aging; and human rights law.
Laura Cundari
Laura is an experienced advocate, appearing as lead counsel at all levels of court in British Columbia and the federal courts, as well as before administrative tribunals.
Lindsay Foley
Lindsay Foley has worked as a mediator in industrial relations matters since 2007, predominantly within the federally-regulated private sector. This has included working with representatives of employers and unions, their counsel and with self-represented individuals in an effort to seek alternative resolutions to matters in dispute. Lindsay holds a Bachelor’s degree in Sociology and Labour […]
Michael F. Welsh
Michael was called to the British Columbia bar in 1981 and practices and acts as a mediator and arbitrator in family, commercial and civil law matters
Murray Smith Q.C.
Murray Smith is a barrister practising out of arbitration chambers in Vancouver, British Columbia. His practice is confined to commercial arbitration cases.
Shelina Neallani
Shelina Neallani is a mediator, lawyer and consultant. Shelina graduated from UBC with degrees in Social Work and Law and has been called to the Bars of Ontario and BC.
Simon Margolis Q.C.
Simon is a senior litigator and skilled mediator/arbitrator. Following his call to the bar in 1983, he developed a broad commercial and insurance based practice, representing clients at all levels of court.
Stacey R. Rose, C.Med, C.Arb, CRM, CIP
Stacey is a seasoned claims management and dispute resolution professional, specializing in the fields of insurance and civil litigation. She has been assisting individuals and organizations in managing conflict for over thirty years.
Stephen McPhee
Stephen McPhee. Q.C is a LSBC accredited Family Mediator and Arbitrator and senior family law and civil litigation counsel with Ramsay Lampman Rhodes in Nanaimo, BC.
Vanessa Gray
Vanessa Gray, BA, C.Med., Cert. ConRes. is a front line conflict resolution practitioner with over 14 years of mediation and instructional experience. She provides conflict engagement processes such as conflict coaching, 3rd party facilitation, and assistance with harassment investigations at the organizational level. As an instructor, Vanessa’s engaging and practical approach connects with audiences large […]
Yeda Hong
Yeda is a Qualified Mediator, a full member of ADR Institute of Canada and ADR Institute of BC and a Mediator of the Associate Civil Roster of Mediate BC. She is also an Accredited Mediator under the General Panel of Mediators of Hong Kong International Arbitration Centre and Hong Kong Mediation Accreditation Association Limited.
Zuhal Uluturk, CPHR
Zuhal spearheads ADRBC’s front-line member services, ensuring our proactive response to all inquiries and requests, and supporting meaningful member engagement.