About FDMC

The mission of the Family and Divorce Mediation Council of Greater New York is

1. To promote professional excellence by providing education, development and support for family mediators; and
2. To increase public awareness and use of family and divorce mediation.

• View our CE and Event Calendar to learn about our programming!
• Our mediators are available to assist you and are working remotely!  Find a mediator here.
• Interested in joining?  Click here to sign up online or for more information on membership and benefits, including our Diversity & Inclusion Scholarship program.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

CARMEN RODRIGUEZ (FDMC President; CLE and Bylaws Committees) is one of the few mediators with the unique experience of having worked in  a Wall Street Law firm and also having mediated close to 200 cases in family, matrimonial, and employment law. She has her own law and alternative dispute resolution practice in Manhattan. A graduate of Brown University and Columbia Law School, Carmen is recognized by her peers for her great ability to analyze complex topics and explain them in plain English.  She has been asked to be a guest lecturer to law students and serve on many panels for, among others, the New York State Bar Association, the New York State Judicial Institute, and the Family and Divorce Mediation Council.  She serves as a Special Master in the Appellate Division Supreme Court of the State of New York Second Judicial Department, on several of the New York State Supreme Court Mediation Panels, and various Surrogate court panels. She is also a Certified Mediator. She has served as Secretary of the New York City Bar Association Alternative Dispute Resolution Committee. She is the current Secretary of the Family and Divorce Mediation Council of Greater New York. She is the co-chair of the New York State Bar Association Mediation Committee, and the Professional Development Subcommittee.  She is also a member of the New York State Bar Association Dispute Resolution Section, the Association for Conflict Resolution of Greater New York, and of the New York State Council on Divorce Mediation.  Carmen speaks Spanish fluently and routinely mediates in Spanish.  Carmen strongly believes that all parties should be able to represent themselves in the language in which they feel most comfortable. Carmen has served on the Board of Trustees of Brown University and the board of Literacy, Inc., a not-for-profit organization focused on child literacy in the poorest NYC neighborhoods.  Contact Carmen Rodriguez

STACY FRANCIS (FDMC Secretary; Chair, Mentorship Committee) is the President and CEO of Francis Financial, Inc., a fee-only boutique Wealth Management, Financial Planning and Divorce Financial Planning firm dedicated to providing ongoing comprehensive advice for successful individuals, couples and women in transition such as divorce or widowhood. Stacy is a nationally recognized financial expert with over 20 years of experience in the financial industry. She is one of twenty of the nation’s leading wealth managers on CNBC’s Digital Financial Advisor Council , and frequently appears in media outlets such as Forbes, Kiplinger, The Wall Street Journal and USA Today. She completed the Certified Financial Planner™ (CFP®) designation and is a Certified Divorce Financial Analyst® (CDFA®) as well as a Certified Estate and Trust Specialist (CES™). Stacy is the founder of Savvy Ladies™, a nonprofit organization dedicated to educating and empowering women to take control of their finances.  Contact Stacy Francis

DAVID CAMPBELL-CLARK (FDMC Treasurer; Finance Committee, Sponsorship Committee) is a Director with the Forensic Consulting Group at CBIZ and leads the matrimonial practice in the New York office. David has been serving clients for over fifteen years and is a Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE) and Certified Divorce Financial Analyst (CDFA) providing forensic accounting and economic analysis in complex matrimonial matters and litigation consulting. David also has experience in civil litigation, internal investigations, and fraud investigations. David is experienced in the valuation and division of marital and separate property, quantifying factors relevant to deviations from guideline child support and maintenance, quantifying credits, and reimbursements. He assists with net worth statement preparation, financial discovery, settlement negotiations, and other financial issues that often arise in complex high-net-worth marital dissolutions. Before joining CBIZ, David worked in-house as the Head of Forensics and Chief Operating Officer for a premier boutique matrimonial law firm in New York City. Prior to that, David was a Manager in the Anti-Bribery and Corruption Compliance Group at an international bank where he assisted with the development and enhancement of the bank’s Anti-Bribery and Corruption risk management framework. David began his career at a Big 4 Accounting firm auditing private equity and hedge funds. He ultimately rose to Manager in the Fraud Investigations and Dispute Services Group managing various domestic and international investigation teams. Contact David Campbell-Clark

ASIA SCARLETT-JONES, Esq. (Chair, Membership Committee) is the Founder and Managing Attorney at ASJ Law Office. She earned her Juris Doctor from Maurice A. Deane School of Law. Prior to private practice, Mrs. Scarlett-Jones worked as a Public Defender at Nassau County Legal Aid Society. Thereafter, Mrs. Scarlett-Jones served as a Principal Court Attorney in Nassau County Family Court working directly with a Family Court Judge in conferencing and mediating Family Court cases and assisted in writing court decisions. After years of practicing in the public sector, Mrs. Scarlett-Jones founded ASJ Law Office. ASJ Law Office provides affordable legal assistance for the “underrepresented families” and advocates for families to engage in services such as mediation and prenuptial/postnuptial agreements to thwart the woes of litigation focusing on Family and Matrimonial Law. ASJ Law Office also provides Family Law Mediation, as well as limited Estate Planning. Most recently, Mrs. Scarlett-Jones was recognized by The National Black Lawyers’ as “Top 40 Under 40” lawyer and by Super Lawyers as a “Rising Star”. Mrs. Scarlett-Jones lectured and moderated several CLEs and Lunch and Learns. Mrs. Scarlett-Jones is an active member of the New York City Bar Association, New York State Bar Association, New York Women’s Bar Association, Association of Family and Conciliation Courts, and Family and Divorce Mediation Council. She also is an active member of Provisors. Mrs. Scarlett-Jones currently serves as Co- Chair of the Matrimonial Law Section of the Women’s Bar Association of New York State.  Contact Asia Scarlett-Jones.

MICHELLE EXLINE MINOVI (Chair, CE Committee) is a highly skilled divorce and family lawyer and mediator with over twelve years family law experience. Michelle brings a deep understanding of trauma, family conflict and child development to family law mediation, having acted as Managing Director of the Domestic Violence and Family Law Unit at the legal services non-profit Ayuda in Washington, D.C. for 6 years, representing immigrant survivors of domestic violence. Michelle is a licensed New York State attorney in good standing since 1998 with a J.D. from the University of Iowa. Michelle is on the Board of the Family and Divorce Mediation Council of Greater New York, a member of the New York State Council on Divorce Mediation. Michelle is an active member in the Statewide Domestic Violence Mediation Capacity & Screening Guide Working Group. Michelle is a member of the presumptive mediation panels of the New York Supreme Court matrimonial mediators for New York, Queens, Richmond and Bronx counties as well as the New York City Family Court, Custody and Visitation borough-wide panel. Michelle is a volunteer attorney mediator with New York Legal Assistance Group and with Bronx Legal Services of New York.  Contact Michelle Exline Minovi.

ALLA KUROLAPNIK (Membership Committee, Sponsorship Committee) is an experienced divorce attorney who has seen through her many years in practice that divorce litigation, especially if protracted, is damaging to families.Alla is a trained divorce mediator who has built a practice helping families resolve marital disputes before seeking the Court’s intervention. Mediation allows a divorcing couple to make decisions about their future rather than having the course of their lives determined by a judge. In Mediation, the couple has the power to decide what is best for them and their children. Mediation is less expensive than divorce litigation, takes less time, and is more likely to result in an agreement that is consistent with the parties’ objectives. Divorce Mediation is not right for every couple, and if Mediation or settlement efforts fail Alla is an experienced litigator who will avidly protect her clients’ interests in Court. Alla started her legal career as a special prosecutor for the New York City Law Department prosecuting child neglect and abuse cases, in Family Court, on behalf of the Administration for Children’s Services. After serving as special prosecutor for six years, Alla worked for several prominent New York matrimonial and family law firms before starting her own practice in 2012 which is devoted to matrimonial and family law. Alla trained as a divorce mediator in 2018, and in addition to providing mediation services to retained clients, Alla is a court approved mediator on the New York State Mediation Program roster in New York County, Kings County, Richmond County and Nassau County Supreme Court. Contact Alla Kurolapnik

TODD NEUHAUS (Website Committee, Nominations Committee, Events Committee) is an associate at Moore Family Law, P.C., where he represents clients in all aspects of family and matrimonial law, including child custody, property distribution, spousal and child support, and pre- and post-nuptial agreements. Todd has dedicated his legal career to helping people through some of life’s most difficult and emotionally charged circumstances. Before entering private practice, he spent six years as a public defender with the Legal Aid Society, where he represented indigent New Yorkers charged with a wide array of crimes. As a divorce and family law attorney, he continues to litigate and negotiate on behalf of individual clients—but is also deeply aware of the emotional and financial harm that litigation can inflict on people and families. That awareness led Todd to expand his practice to include mediation as a more constructive and collaborative path for resolving conflict. With certifications from the Center for Understanding in Conflict, the New York Peace Institute, and the New York State Council on Divorce Mediation, Todd now serves as a facilitative mediator for parents and divorcing couples in conflicts involving custody and parental decision-making, child and spousal support, and property division. He also volunteers with the New York Legal Assistance Group’s divorce mediation program, where he provides free mediation services to low-income New Yorkers. Contact Todd Neuhaus

IAN STEINBERG, Esq. (Sponsorship Committee, CLE Committee) Ian Steinberg is a senior associate with Berkman Bottger Newman & Schein, LLP. His practice focuses on litigation, mediation, negotiation, and settlement of complex high net worth matrimonial and family law cases. Ian also specializes in negotiating and drafting prenuptial and postnuptial agreements. Ian has been recognized as a New York Metro Area Super Lawyers Rising Star in 2021 through 2024. Ian’s unique blend of skills and experience, including extensive experience with litigation and high-level negotiation, provides him with special insight into the divorce process. Ian is sensitive to his clients’ emotional needs while helping them obtain the results to ensure a stable and successful future. Ian regularly mediates divorce and family law matters. Ian has also been trained in collaborative law. Previously, Ian worked at a New York City real estate firm representing building owners in courts throughout the five boroughs and surrounding areas. Ian also provided counsel for cooperatives and condominiums and represented both landlords and tenants in negotiations of commercial lease agreements. Ian also represented individual and bank clients handling their residential real estate closings.  Contact Ian Steinberg.

COREY SHAPIRO (CE Committee, Events Committee) life was forever changed by a pivotal event when he was just eight years old. One day, his mother left, and for months, her voice was only heard through the phone. In the aftermath of his parents’ bitter divorce, Corey felt trapped in the turmoil—confused, heartbroken, and powerless as his family unraveled. While the experience left emotional scars, it also shaped Corey’s purpose: to help others navigate divorce without the chaos, heartbreak, and devastation that can so often follow. Now with over two decades of experience in family law, Corey is dedicated to guiding his clients toward a healthier, more constructive path. His approach focuses on clarity, calm, and preserving what matters most. Corey practices family law in New York City and is the author of Getting Divorced Without Losing Your Mind, offering support and guidance to those facing one of life’s most challenging transitions.  Contact Corey Shapiro

YANFEI SHEN (Faye) (Chair, Pro Bono Committee) has been practicing family law and immigration since 2009 and branched from litigation into mediation after the courts shut down during the pandemic. For Faye, mediation is a natural fit for her personality and her goal is to expand the practice into the broader community. Prior to private practice, Faye worked primarily in non-profit organizations, representing survivors of domestic violence, sexual violence, and human trafficking. Her background honed her ability to listen empathetically and communicate effectively with clients who are experiencing serious stressors. These skills help her to help clients navigate and reach resolution in divorce, custody, and other family law situations.​ Faye received her law degree from the George Washington University Law School. She is admitted to practice in New York and Massachusetts, as well as the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals. Faye speaks Mandarin and Shanghainese and has language capacity in Cantonese and Bengali.  Contact Yanfei Shen

SHELLEY KLEIN (Events Committee, Membership Committee)  is a family law attorney, divorce mediator, and newly trained psychoanalyst whose dual background in law and psychoanalysis informs a uniquely thoughtful approach to conflict resolution. After graduating magna cum laude from the University of Pennsylvania Law School—where she was an editor of the Law Review and was elected to the Order of the Coif—Shelley began her legal career as a clerk for the Hon. Frederic Block in the U.S. District Court (E.D.N.Y.), followed by a position in litigation at Paul, Weiss. She later moved into social impact work, including research and leadership roles at Columbia Law School and Columbia University, and advocacy work at GEMS (Girls Educational and Mentoring Services), supporting girls impacted by commercial sexual exploitation. Her own collaborative divorce experience sparked a passion for mediation and collaborative law, leading her to train with Antoinette Delruelle at NYLAG and launch a private practice committed to helping families navigate divorce as a potentially reparative process. She challenges the assumption that divorce breaks families apart, working instead from the belief that families can emerge from the process feeling more intact—resolved, free, and whole. To deepen her understanding of the emotional and unconscious forces shaping conflict, Shelley completed a five-year psychoanalytic training at the National Institute for the Psychotherapies in 2025. That same year, she was honored with the Early Career Professional Award by the International Association for Psychoanalytic Self Psychology. She is a frequent presenter with Untied, speaking on topics such as narcissism in divorce, trauma, and dream interpretation.  Contact Shelley Klein

IVY MENCHEL (Nominations Committee, CLE Committee) is the president and founder of Family Wealth Planning Partners, a practice dedicated to guiding individuals and families through the financial complexities of divorce. With more than 30 years of experience in financial services, Ivy helps clients — along with their attorneys and mediators — make informed, strategic decisions as they transition into the next chapter of their lives. Her focus on divorce financial planning is deeply personal. Having witnessed the financial and emotional challenges her own parents faced during their divorce, Ivy is committed to helping clients navigate this life-changing event with clarity, confidence, and fairness. Trained in all three divorce processes — traditional/litigation, mediation, and collaborative — Ivy prioritizes client education, ensuring they understand the financial nuances and implications of each option. Her unique combination of credentials — CDFA®, CFP®, and CBEC® — allows her to take a comprehensive view of her clients’ financial and personal goals, including considerations around business ownership, retirement, and long-term planning. Beyond her practice, Ivy is recognized as a thought leader in the field of divorce financial planning, regularly sharing her expertise through teaching, mentoring, speaking, and writing. She is also an active member of multiple professional organizations dedicated to advancing best practices in divorce finance. Contact Ivy Menchel