What Are Cross Border Mediators?
Cross Border Family mediation is a highly specialized form of family mediation demanding that the mediator be experienced and well versed in a number of areas. Our mediators meet rigid requirements and standards in order to be included in our referral data base. There are different types of cross border mediators. Standards are not uniform. Dabbagh and Associates sets the standard high. Your family is our primary concern and as such, our goal is to provide you with mediators that have demonstrated outstanding abilities to successfully assist all types of cross border family disputes.
Cross Border Mediator Competencies
We are honored that our cross border mediators represent a broad cultural, ethnic, religious traditions, and language background. Every one of our mediators is a certified court referred mediator. In addition, every associate mediator has completed a complex series of trainings beyond family mediation and domestic violence. Training includes extensive cross border family training. In addition, each mediator has successfully completed a series of highly specialized training programs focusing on culture, mediation methodologies, and legal instruments. Many of our mediators also hold international professional accreditation.
Most exciting is that Dabbagh & Associates does provide mediation in Hague and non-Hague parental abduction cases. For more than a decade, we have worked in the field with families in non-Hague countries. Understanding that the needs of these families were unique and did not respond to traditional, facilitative mediation, Sulha was incorporated into the methodology. The results have proven that successful agreements have and do happen in the vast majority of case.
In addition, our mediators come from all over the world, providing a pool of culturally savvy mediators able to understand cultural dynamics.
Meet our Mediators
Maureen Dabbagh - Virginia
Cross Border Mediator, trainer
Cultural origins: Native American/Anglo
E-mail: MaureenDabbagh@aol.com
Maureen is a Virginia Certified Supreme Court Mediator, specializing in non-Hague international child abduction, with an emphasis Shariah processes. Maureen has worked with Middle East issues for fifteen years and is trained and experienced in a variety of ADR methodologies including Sulha, peacemaking, J & D, Interfaith Conflict Resolution, and Tribal mediation.
As an author and expert providing litigation support services in cases of international child abduction, Maureen also developed a training curriculum for cross border family mediation, accredited by the American Bar Association and Office of the Executive Secretary (VA) and began training judges, lawyers, and mediators in 2009.
Involved in more than 1,000 cases of international child abduction, Maureen's holds international professional accreditation.
Morna Ellis, Esq. - Virginia
National Origins: Scottish
E-mail: mellis@cmgmediates.com
Morna is the Director and Founder, of the Commonwealth Mediation Group, Inc. in Richmond, Virginia. She is a Certified Mediator and Trainer, Supreme Court of Virginia and a Member of the Virginia Bar and a Practitioner Member of the Association for Conflict Resolution. Morna is an Approved provider of mediation services for the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and she Served as a neutral in more than 1000 cases referred both from the courts and the private sector.
Morna serves as Adjunct faculty, University of Richmond and is a frequent speaker on dispute resolution and she received her J.D., University of Richmond. As well she holds a M.Ed., Virginia Commonwealth University, and H.N.D, Glasgow, Scotland. She has Volunteered and worked in the education field, focusing on adults with disabilities and was a Former lecturer of business administration.
As a cross border mediator, with extensive experience working with bi-cultural families, Morna embodies the most desirable qualities associated with competent cross border mediation services.
Dr. Oscar J. Franco, Esq. - Florida
National Origins: South American
Languages: Spanish, English,Portuguese
E-mail: ofmediator@hotmail.com
Dr. Franco is a Venezuelan attorney (1981), residing in Florida for the last 10 years. He litigated commercial and family law in Caracas, for over 20 years. In 1998, he received the Mediator Certification of the Supreme Court of Florida. He is certified as a Family, Civil and County Mediator. Dr Franco's mediators expertise include matters related to family mediation and Cross Borders Child Abduction (Hague and non Hague convention). He completed specialized training in Cross Border Mediation at the Commonwealth Mediation Group, as well as extensive training required to be accredited by Dabbagh & Associates.Domestic and international commercial, insurance, franchising, community, banking and personal injury matters are also mediated by Dr. Franco.
He offers a deep understanding of the importance of taking into consideration the cultural background of the parties in conflict. As a cultural diversity mediator, he works with the parties, helping them to understand the idiosyncrasies of the cultures, avoiding the common error of stereotyping people and their conducts.Dr. Franco is a Venezuelan citizen. He also lived and obtained a degree as Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (1968) in Brazil .
Hence, along with speaking Spanish, English and Portuguese, he provides to the conflict resolution process in mediation, the benefit of knowing and understanding the complex cultural diversity issues that impact negotiation and closure of the dispute. Practicing out of South Florida provides the unique opportunity of being located in a key international hub, easy to access, and very convenient to travel to Latin America. He has have extensively traveled as a mediator, international speaker, and trainer of mediators in South and Central America.
David D. Schein, Esq. - VA & TX
E-mail: cmgdschein@aol.com
Attorney, Mediation, Arbitration,
In Virginia -arbitration and mediation services through Commonwealth Mediation Group, Richmond, VA, 804-254-2664.
In Texas, he provides arbitration and mediation services through The Heights Mediation Center, Houston, Texas, 713-880-4700.
During his career, Dr. Schein has been involved with all areas of Alternative Dispute Resolution. He has successfully completed mediations in Virginia and in Texas for trial level and appellate courts and federal district court. He has performed arbitrations in Washington, DC and Virginia. His expert analysis and counsel in business, employment and family law matters is based on over thirty years of practical experience, including a decade with Fortune 50 companies and over twenty years of private practice.
Dr. Schein is licensed to practice law in Virginia and Texas. Dr. Schein participates in the Joint ADR Committee of the Virginia Bar Association. He is also a member of the Labor Section of the Texas Bar Association. He has served as a member of the Council of the Houston Bar Association ADR Section. He is also a Collaborative Practitioner and is a member of the International Academy of Collaborative Practitioners and the Collaborative Professionals of Richmond.
His ADR practice emphasizes business-to-business, employment and real estate disputes. Dr. Schein has received advanced training in the mediation and arbitration of employment related disputes. He has completed a special American Bar Association training program for mediation of disputes for the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. Dr. Schein has participated in numerous advanced training courses and programs for arbitrators. He has completed the US Postal Service Advanced Mediation Training for the REDRESS Program and the World Bank Employment Mediation Training. He has performed numerous mediations for the Harris County Dispute Resolution Center. Dr. Schein has participated in specialized training for Cross Border Family Mediation. He has had specific training in multi-cultural negotiations and has extensive experience working with various Asian communities, primarily in the greater Houston, TX area.
Dr. Schein has provided mediation training for the Veteran’s Administration, Federal Executive Board, Health Care Financing Administration, the Office of Personnel Management Executive Training Center, and for numerous mediation certification courses. He has designed and taught various collaborative practice skills courses.
Dr. Schein is a member of numerous ADR panels, including the United States District Court, Southern District of Texas; and US Postal Service REDRESS program. He has also served as an arbitrator for the Better Business Bureau Auto Line Program.
Dr. Schein is well known throughout the business community due to numerous seminars and lectures throughout Texas and Virginia. He has also been featured in seminar appearances from New York and Florida to California. Dr. Schein is presently an adjunct Associate Professor for the University of Maryland University College. He has taught for the University of Virginia, University of Richmond and the University of Mary Washington.
Dr. Schein is a Virginia Supreme Court Certified as a Mediator, General and Family, and as a Mentor. Ph.D. – University of Virginia; JD - University of Houston; MBA - University of Virginia; BA - University of Pennsylvania.
In Virginia, he provides arbitration and mediation services through Commonwealth Mediation Group, Richmond, VA, 804-254-2664. In Texas, he provides arbitration and mediation services through The Heights Mediation Center, Houston, Texas, 713-880-4700.
Donita King, Esq. – Virginia
Certified Mediator, Arbitrator & ADR Trainer
Cultural Origins: Mexican American/African American
E-Mail: DKing@cmgmediates.com
Donita M King is a collaborative practice attorney; Virginia Supreme Court certified mediator, an authorized alternative dispute resolution (“adr”) trainer, certified mediator mentor, and authorized provider of continuing education courses for mediators and attorneys. She is a partner of CMG Collaborative Law Offices, PLC, and Senior Associate with Commonwealth Mediation Group, Inc. (“CMG”). In her private and adr practice, she handles domestic and civil matters. She has been in practice over 31 years, and has mediated almost 1600 cases as of January 2010. Her cases have included cross-border and child dependency mediations, and many multi-cultural and inter-faith issues and parties.
Donita is a member of the Virginia Bar and Bar Association’s joint ADR Council; the Virginia Governor’s Interagency Dispute Resolution Council, the International Association of Collaborative Professionals (“IACP”), the Collaborative Professionals of Richmond (“CPR”), a FINRA (“Financial Industry Regulatory Authority) authorized arbitrator and mediator, a member of the VA, PA, and D.C. Bars, and of the Hispanic Women in Business, part of the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. She is of Mexican-American and African-American descent, and speaks Spanish.
Donita has completed Cross Border Family Mediation training and holds certification in interfaith conflict resolution, tribal mediation, and more.
Hilda Roundtree - Virginia
Origins: African American
E-mail:hroundtree@cmgmediates.com
Hilda is a mediator, trainer and mentor certified by the Supreme Court of Virginia, Retired Vocational Nursing Adult Educator and Program Director. She also serves as Parenting Coordinator and Child Dependency Mediator. She has 10 years experience and has mediated in both family and civil matters.
Hilda is an experienced mediator in cases where domestic violence is an issue. In her practice, she has mediated cross boarder parental disputes between parties from Hague countries, military families and interfaith families.
Hilda provides Co-Parenting education classes to court ordered attendees. She provides training to prospective mediators on Screening for Domestic Violence.
Hilda has completed training for Cross Boarder Family Mediation that is accredited by the American Bar Association. She has also completed course work in Building Partnerships in Tribal Governments, and Interfaith Conflict Resolution. As a Parenting Coordinator, she has received additional training in recognizing risk factors and preventing parental alienation. She has had extensive multi-cultural training. She has experience in settling questions of eligibility with the US Caribbean communities in the area of the Quality Assurance in the US Virgin Island Department of Medicaid.
Hilda is a consultant to an international educational institution that serves international students from African, Caribbean and other countries. Hilda holds a M.Ed. from Virginia Commonwealth University and a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Hampton University.
Gary N. Feder, CPA, P. A. - Florida
Mediation & Neutral Services
E-Mail: CPA1miami@aol.com
As a Florida CPA (since 1978) holding a Masters degree, Gary became certified as a Family and County Court Mediator, in 1992. Gary is especially experienced in family financial matters, and has completed a complex and lengthy training regime in cross border family mediation. Gary is located in Florida and holds a position on the Florida mediation Board.
Maureen M. Cassidy - Pennsylvania
maureen1011@gmail.com
Maureen hail from German origin and speaks German. Her area of expertise is preventative and post, Hague and non-Hague abduction disputes. She completed professional mediation training at the Lancaster Mediation Center, Lancaster, PA, and completed her Cross Border Mediation training at the Commonwealth Mediation Group in Richmond, VA. Maureen is a member of the ACR, Association for Conflict Resolution, a professional organization dedicated to enhancing the practice and public understanding of Conflict Resolution. She participates in the International, Family and Education sections of this organization. As well, Maureen is a member of the Pennsylvania Council of Mediators. Specialized training also includes Completion of the Pennsylvania Child Welfare Trainig Program.Maureen is an international and domestic child advocate. She has initiated two major pieces of legislation for the Prevention of International and Domestic Child Abduction. Also, Maureen is active in participating in programs supporting families involved with child abduction. She facilitates Make - A - Wish programs and an International Children’s Prayer Group.Maureen’s passionate Faith has her involved with other international and domestic peace building projects such as the Peace Academy in Jerusalem and the Roots & Shoots Global Youth Program of the Jane Goodall Institute. Maureen is a member of ACR.
Agnieszka Associate - North Carolina
National Origins: Polish
Languages: Polish, English, Spanish, Arabic
E-mail: agnieszka_nc@yahoo.com
Aga began her University studies in South Africa and received her Bachelor of Science in 1998 at High Point University, NC. She is fluent in English and Polish and has worked as a translator. Aga also speaks Spanish and Arabic. Aga has experience with abduction and her"specialty" is Egypt, but also has a strong background and connections in Poland and South Africa. Aga received her family mediation training and certification from North Carolina. She furthered her mediation skills by successfully completing extensive cross border family mediation training at the Commonwealth Mediation Group in Richmond, VA and completed additional complex courses to be accredited by Dabbagh & Associates in Cross Border Mediation.
Honorable John B. Curry, II (Ret.)
Blue Ridge Mediation
811 W. Main Street, Waynesboro, Va.
22980 540 943-8788 Fax 540 943-7970
E-mail: blueridgemediation@yahoo.com
John is a Certified Mediator, Supreme Court of Virginia, and Retired Judge, 25th Judicial Circuit - Juvenile & Domestic Relations District Court, Former Chief Judge. John serves as the City Attorney for Covington and Clifton Forge and Assistant Commonwealth Attorney.
John was the Former Adjunct Professor of Business Law, Blue Ridge Community College and Former Adjunct Professor of Family Law, Southern Virginia College. He received his J.D. from the Memphis State University, School of Law, with a B.A. in Business Law, from the Virginia Commonwealth University. John serves as the President of Student Bar Association.
John has completed Cross Border Family Mediation training at the Commonwealth Mediation Group and holds certification in interfaith conflict resolution, tribal mediation, and more.
Mary Damianakis - Canada
E-mail: marydamianakis@hotmail.com
Greek Origins
Speaks: Greek, French, English
President-Elect for Familly Mediation Canada,Mary Damianakis is a professional mediator working in Canada and around the globe. She is an Accredited Family Mediator in Quebec. Mary commenced her career in the field of mediation in 1985 and branched from labor unions to families. She has lived and worked in several countries and moved to Quebec from Liechtenstein. Her experience to multiple cultures brings a unique sensitivity and awareness to the subtleties of parties’ underlying needs and values. Now, in Quebec, she works with religious divorces and cultural conflicts. Mary specializes in The Hague Convention mediation. Mary Damianakis is involved in several professional organizations and is dedicated to the advancement and promotion of mediation- locally and globally. She is interested in promoting mediation with the Central Authorities and hopes to expand Cross Border Mediation as a viable and solid appropriate alternative. Mary is a member of ACR, IMI, and MBB.