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.

Committee Descriptions

The Continuing Education Committee is responsible for planning monthly educational seminars to our members and other professionals. Continuing education seminars are in diverse areas, such as the mediation process, legal issues, ethical issues, emotional dynamics in mediation, and financial issues.

The Governmental Affairs Committee is responsible for reaching out to the courts and the legislature to advance the goals of mediation.  This committee is also responsible for contacting and coordinating efforts with other ADR organizations and for promoting mediation in the courts.

The Nominating Committee is responsible for identifying and recommending members of the Family and Divorce Council of Greater New York to serve on our Board.  Because Board terms are staggered and expire at different times, new nominees and Board members are needed each year.

The Outreach Committee is responsible for spreading the word about Mediation to professionals and the general public through networking and formal presentations via a Speaker’s Bureau.
The Professional Development Committee is dedicated to working creatively to enhance the practice of the professionals at FDMC.  Current interests and projects include sliding scale mediation, mentorship, peer groups and accreditation.

The Public Relations Committee is responsible for developing and implementing a PR campaign to spread the message about the benefits of mediation in family disputes, and to promote FDMC as a professional organization that can be used as a resource for the media.

The Membership Committee helps to recruit and welcome new members.  Our current tasks are developing a welcome packet for new members, developing member benefits, and providing guidance for new trainings.

The Website Committee is involved in updating and revamping the website in order to use it as a marketing tool and source of information for the Council and its members.

Board of Directors

TERESA CALABRESE, Esq., is a mediator and collaborative lawyer serving a wide range of clients but with a focus on the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, & Queer community. teresa.d.calabrese@mac.com

KATIE COLE, Esq. (coming soon!)

NICOLE FEUER, M.S., has been a divorce mediator in Manhattan for two years. She coordinated Mediation Peer Groups for the New York State Council for Divorce Mediation and was also on the committee for the New York State Council For Divorce Mediation’s Spring Conference for two years.  Nicole is also a custody/visitation mediator for Cluster.  Nicole hopes to bring more awareness to the public about mediation and all of the benefits it offers. nicolebfeuer@aol.com

ANDREA HIRSHMAN, Esq.  (coming soon!)

MICHAEL HENRY, Esq. (coming soon!)

MARK A. JOSEPHSON, Esq, CPA, CFP, CFE, is a founder and senior partner of the boutique accounting firm Murray & Josephson, CPAs, LLC. He is trained in Mediation and Collaborative Divorce and is a Board Member of the Family & Divorce Mediation Council of Greater New York, and a member of the New York State Council on Divorce Mediation, the New York Association of Collaborative Professionals, and the International Academy of Collaborative Professionals. Mark assists lawyers, mediators and collaborators and their clients with personal, business, trust, and estate, tax and accounting advice. In addition to his general practice, he takes pride in helping families get through the complex financial and tax issues during a divorce. mark@murrayjosephson.com

ANI MASON, ESQ.  is a family and divorce mediator and collaborative attorney with the Law Office of Katherine Eisold Miller, P.C. As former divorce litigator, Ani witnessed first-hand the destructive impact that the adversarial process has on families, and she now devotes her practice solely to collaborative law and mediation. Ani is bilingual in Spanish and works primarily in Westchester and New York City, with a growing focus on Brooklyn, where she lives. ani@westchesterfamilylaw.com

JOAN MOO YOUNG, Esq., (Secretary) is an attorney and mediator in White Plains, NY, who has over 20 years experience in the specialized area of Family Law.  After many years in adversarial Family Law litigation, Joan acquired the rigorous and extensive training necessary to become a qualified Mediator and Collaborative Divorce attorney. Joan is highly committed to bringing her mediation and collaborative skills to support her clients in transforming conflict into more meaningful and satisfactory solutions. jamy@joanmooyoung.com

CARA M. RAICH, Esq. (President), is a mediator and attorney.  She mediates a wide range of cases including divorce, family conflicts, and organizational and civil disputes.  Cara is a faculty member of the Mediation Training Institute at the New York Center for Interpersonal Development, a trainer and facilitator at the Center for Mediation in Law (Center for Understanding in Conflict), and a Certified Community Mediator by the New York State Office of Court Administration. cara@srmediators.com

JOY ROSENTHAL, Esq. (Treasurer), is the principal of Rosenthal Law & Mediation.  Joy practices elder, family and divorce mediation in private practice, and is certified by the New York State Office of Court Administration where she serves on the custody and visitation mediation panel for the NYC Family Courts.  She has practiced family law since 1997. joy@joyrosenthal.com

JUDITH STEIN, Ph.D., L.M.S.W. (Vice President), Director of the Stein Family & Mediation Center, is a seasoned Family & Divorce Mediator, a Child Specialist & Coach with the New York Association for Collaborative Practice, and a Psychotherapist (Eating Disorders, Couples, Mood Disorders, CBT, Buddhist) with offices in Union Square, Brooklyn & Westchester.  She has also been an Adjunct Professor in Psychology (Child Development & Experimental Psychology) at Pace University for over 5 years. judie.stein@gmail.com

ELLIE WERTHEIM, Esq., is a family and divorce mediator in private practice in New York City and Westchester.  She has trained at the Ackerman Institute for the Family and the Center for Mediation in Law.  Prior to becoming a mediator, she was a matrimonial attorney at the New York Legal Assistance Group, where she represented victims of domestic violence. elliewertheim@yahoo.com