Intense emotions. Polarization. Defensiveness. Sarcasm. Strong positions. Ethnocentrism. These are all signs of mediations considered to have “high heat.” What’s a mediator to do? How can the parties possibly work together? Bob and Laura Otey will share characteristics of “high heat” mediations and outline possible strategies to help the parties navigate the fire and engage effectively.
Laura and Bob have mediated (and continue to mediate) disputes in the areas of families, employment, education groups, churches, faith-based organizations, community, divorce, law enforcement, business, and civil litigation. For more information about Laura and Bob, see "About the Presenters" below this announcement.
The meeting will begin at 11:30 am for networking and the one-hour presentation will begin at 12:00. One (1.0) hours of CE credit is available to attendees.
This event is free of charge to all interested people, with a light lunch provided. For non-AAM members, a $5 donation for lunch is suggested.
We look forward to seeing you there!
About the Presenters:
ROBERT (BOB) OTEY, Ph.D. Credentialed Advanced Mediator, Facilitator, Arbitrator. Bob’s professional career has included Teacher (Social Studies), athletic coach, private industry manager, school administrator, and university professor. Bob was the administrator of a separate program for middle school students experiencing emotional challenges. In the 1970’s Bob developed the Drug Education Program at Dallas ISD and Education Service Center Region 11 in Ft. Worth, Texas. He also directed the Secondary Alternative Education Program at Education Service Center Region 13 for several years. Bob went on to develop the Education Administration Program at Concordia University Texas in 2002 where he served as Director of the program for nine years. During his tenure as Director the program grew from a cohort of 20 students to a State-wide program with over 1,000 students. Bob has been mediating and training in mediation since the early 1990’s. He is a treasurer of the Texas Mediation Trainers Roundtable (TMTR), the Texas Association of Mediators (TAM), and Austin Association of Mediators. Bob has taught the Basic Conflict course as an adjunct professor at St. Edward’s University in the Master of Human Services Conflict Resolution strand since 1990. Bob retired from Concordia in 2011 and devotes his time to training, mediating, and serving as an adjunct professor at St. Edward’s, Concordia, Huston-Tillotson, and the University of Arkansas at Little Rock where he teaches Conflict, Mediation, Family Mediation, and School Conflict. Bob assists with the Mediation training at the Austin Dispute Resolution Center and will co-teach the Family Mediation training at the DRC in July 2016. He can be reached at oteyassociates@oteyadr.net, robertotey@nctv.com, or 512-627-1149.
LAURA OTEY, M.Ed., Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist (LMFT), Distinguished Credentialed Mediator, Facilitator, Arbitrator. Laura’s professional career has included Special Education teacher, Special Education counselor, Assistant Director of Special Education (Austin ISD), and Director of Employee Relations (Austin ISD). Each position has required skills in being able to resolve conflict effectively and efficiently. As Assistant Director of Special Education Laura worked with parents and schools to manage and resolve conflicts related to students with disabilities. As Director of Employee Relations Laura developed and coordinated an Employee Mediation Program that participated in the Texas Intergovernmental Shared Neutrals Program (TISNP) with other State & local agencies. Laura has had conflict/mediation/negotiation/facilitation training through Pepperdine, Harvard Program on Negotiation, CDR Associates, Public Conversations Project and has been mediating and training in mediation/negotiation/facilitation since 1990. She is the co-convener of the Texas Mediation Trainers Roundtable (TMTR). For 16 years Laura was an adjunct professor at St. Edward’s University in the Master of Human Service Conflict Resolution strand where she taught Basic Conflict, Mediation, Family Mediation, Dispute Systems Design and Group Process Facilitation. In 2007 Laura began working with the Education Service Center Region 13 to develop Facilitated IEP (FIEP), a training program to build the skills of those individuals leading/facilitating the required annual legal educational planning meetings for students with disabilities. Laura has provided training—leadership, communication, team building/development, FIEP, mediation, negotiation, and conflict management—throughout the State since 1976. Laura retired from Austin ISD in 2010 and currently mediates, facilitates challenging meetings, and provides training in conflict coaching, mediation, family mediation and group process facilitation. Since 2015 Laura has provided the 40-hour Mediation training at the Austin Dispute Resolution Center. Laura teaches the Family Mediation course at Abilene Christian University Dallas Campus and will co-teach the Family Mediation course at the Dispute Resolution beginning July 2016. Laura is a member of TAM, AAM, ACR, and IAF. Laura can be reached at oteyassociates@oteyadr.net, Lauraotey@nctv.com, or 512-422-4214.