People At OFM

People At Oxfordshire Family Mediation

Meet the Mediators

All our mediators have professional backgrounds and are fully accredited by the Legal Services Commission to practise as family mediators. This means that they have been ‘apprenticed’ as trainees, working alongside a qualified mediator, for around two years and have completed an approved Family Mediation training programme. They are experienced in helping people discuss and decide a whole range of issues, including children’s arrangements, how best to support children when parents live separately, how to manage finances and deciding on the division of assets.

Mediators backgrounds are varied and include:  family law, business, teaching, engineering, local government, social work, family court welfare and counselling.  All mediators must receive annual professional development training.  In addition our mediators participate in regular supervision and development sessions within the service.

 

Together these mediators (not including the trainees) have 75 years of experience as family mediators.

 

Kerry Williamson BA Law, PGCE
Mediator accredited by NFM and LSC
Practice Consultant and Senior Mediator

Kerry been an LSC accredited mediator since 2002. She has been instrumental in the design and delivery of a wide range of training programmes including National Family Mediation’s Children’s Centres Training, the Volunteer Ambassador Scheme, ‘Sharing the Separation Journey’ for professionals working with children, and in delivering ‘A New Role for Mediation’ to solicitors and other professionals. She believes in making knowledge and information as accessible as possible to those wishing to make decisions about their lives. Kerry delivers Parenting Apart and Separated Parenting Information Programmes and is qualified in Child Inclusive Mediation.


Wendy Aldiss BA, IOD Dip Company Direction
Mediator accredited by LSC

Wendy has had over 25 years working in business in a range of management and director roles, including running her own Business Consultancy providing training, coaching and mentoring. She decided to focus her career on family mediation and has been a family mediator since 2005 and was LSC accredited in 2007. Wendy delivers the Separated Parenting Information Programme.

 

Roger Cullen BA, PGCE, MA Philosophy, MSc Applied Social Studies
Mediator accredited by NFM and LSC

Roger’s career began as a Probation Officer and Court Welfare Officer over 30 years ago. He qualified as a family mediator in 1989, was accredited by NFM 1990 and by the LSC in 1998 and became Coordinator and Practice Supervisor for OFM between 1989 and 1997. He has since been working in youth justice and restorative justice, including as an advisor for the Youth Justice Board. He returned to OFM in 2008 as a family mediator. Roger is qualified to do direct consultation with children.

 

Pauline Edwards BA, PGCE, Dip Psychology
Mediator accredited by LSC

Pauline’s career began as a teacher, and then in 1992 she trained to become a qualified solicitor, specialising in Family Law and practising locally until 2009. It was as a result of her work as a solicitor and her concern to reduce the conflict and distress for separating couples and their children that led her to train as a mediator in 1999 and she has been a family mediator with OFM since then. She was accredited by the LSC in 2000 and is committed to assisting couples and families to reach mediated solutions. Pauline delivers the Separated Parenting Information Programme.

 

Alec Henderson BSc, MI Mech E, CEng
Mediator Accredited by NFM and LSC

Alec was trained as a mechanical engineer within the electricity industry holding a variety of management positions. He then trained to become an accredited mediator with Centre for Effective Dispute Resolution (CEDR) in London in 2003. After successful mediations, he was invited to join CEDR Solve, the commercial arm of CEDR. Alec became an LSC accredited mediator in 2006. Alec is also qualified to meet with children as part of a Child Inclusive Mediation.  Alec is committed to help separating couples with all issues following separation or divorce.

 

Isobel Filkin Cert of Qual Social Work
Mediator accredited by NFM and LSC

Isobel has been a family mediator since 1991, accredited by NFM in 1993 and by LSC in 1999. She is also an Accredited Practice Consultant and a Family Mediation Children’s Worker having Direct Consultation Training since 1996. She carries out court duty regularly and is in touch with the practical issues involving legal separations. She was involved  in the design of OFM’s Parenting Apart Programme in 2010 and delivers the Separated Parenting Information Programme.

 

Alison Pritchard BA
Mediator accredited by NFM and LSC

Having a degree in Economics with Accountancy, Alison spent a major part of her early career developing financial systems in the private sector.  She went on to senior management roles in IT and consultancy.  Alison qualified as a mediator in 2006 and has since worked as a family mediator in Oxford and Gloucestershire. Alison is qualified to meet directly with children as part of a Child Inclusive Mediation and   delivers the Parenting Information Programme. She also tutors children with Specific Learning Difficulties.


Jane Hedges BSc
Trainee Mediator

Jane has spent the majority of her working life as a solicitor specialising in property work as well as bringing up her family of four. Deciding on a career change that reflects her interest she took the National Family Mediation Core Training in 2010 and is currently half way through her 2 year training towards LSC accreditation. She also delivers the Separated Parenting Information Programme.

 

Jayne Coxall  BA (Hons) Law and Economics  Cert Marital and Couple Counselling
Trainee Mediator

Jayne qualified as a solicitor in 1984 and practised locally until 1996. She became a trained counsellor in 2001 and worked for Relate for 10 years. Jayne felt that her skills as a solicitor and counsellor naturally contributed to those required in mediation and qualified as a Family Mediator in 2007. She is currently undergoing her 2 year apprenticeship to attain LSC accreditation.


Office Staff

Lizzie Iron is Service Director.

Kerry Williamson is Practice Consultant and Senior Mediator.

Sofia Giblin is Children's Services Co-ordinator.

T Duggan is Head of Operations.

Julie Koretz is Mediation Services Manager.

Jen Lynch is Mediation Coordinator.

Sally Brooks is SPIPs Administrator.

 

The team is based in our Headington office.