The consultancy became operational in 2011, and is lead by Dr. Kathy Gonzales – our hands-on Conflict Management Specialist. We aim to help prevent or resolve conflicts utilising a variety of techniques and, to affect the formulation of policies. We do training, design and research in connection with different types of conflicts – personal, organisational or social.
Kathy practised family law for 12 years before enrolling at the Straus Institute of Dispute Resolution at Pepperdine University School of Law in 2004 to pursue her Masters degree in Dispute Resolution. Little did she know that that would be the start of the road to a new career.
Kathy completed two very interesting externships in the United States as part of her Masters programme. The first was in Austin, Texas, with conflict resolution systems designer and author Karl Slaikeu where she worked on a health care system for a major hospital. The other was at the Western Justice Center Foundation in Pasadena, California, which also did work in systems design. It was at the Western Justice Center that she worked on a police/community mediation system for the Pasadena Police Department.
In 2005 Kathy was awarded her Master of Laws degree in Dispute Resolution. In July, 2005 she also received training in Organizational Ombudsmanry from the International Ombudsman Association. Kathy went to work at the Western Justice Center Foundation in Pasadena where she was eventually made the Director of Community Engagement Programmes. It was during this time that she received a letter of commendation from the then Mayor of Los Angeles, Anthony Villaraigosa for her work in conflict resolution.
Kathy was a clinical supervisor in the Legal Aid Clinic of the Hugh Wooding Law School, St. Augustine, Trinidad & Tobago during this period. She was also the Course Director for Family Practice & Procedure for the 2008-9 academic year. What a rewarding experience! She maintains contact with many of her former students to this day.
Sharing her knowledge through conference presentations is fulfilling and energizing for Kathy. Her last conference presentation was at the Association for Conflict Resolution (ACR) Annual Conference in Reno, Nevada—October 9, 2015.
Kathy was awarded a Weinstein Fellowship in September, 2012. In addition to the financial aspect of the fellowship, there was also a social aspect. Meeting other conflict resolution professionals from around the world was very enriching. The bonds formed in September 2012 still exist today as Kathy remains a part of the vibrant community of Weinstein Fellows.
Kathy was engaged by the Judiciary of Trinidad & Tobago to design, implement, monitor and evaluate an ADR Pilot Project testing mediation and settlement conference. This was hard but very exciting work.
Kathy was awarded her Ph.D. in Conflict Analysis & Resolution from Nova Southeastern University in June, 2015. Her concentration was Organizational and Schools Conflict.
Using research as another way to initiate change in conflict cultures, Kathy conducted her dissertation research on the mediation system in the Family Court of Trinidad & Tobago. This was a very revealing study that will hopefully lead to improvements in that system.
She is currently seeking funding for a new study she will be conducting that examines conflict resolution education in Trinidad & Tobago.
Kathy has conducted workshops in conflict resolution for managers and supervisors in the public service in Trinidad & Tobago. She has conducted workshops in conflict resolution, anger management, building self-esteem in youth and teaching life skills to youth for persons working within the juvenile justice system in six territories of the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States. Trainings and workshops are customized and very interactive. She has received consistently excellent reviews as a trainer. She was even awarded a grant by the Canadian High Commission in Trinidad & Tobago to conduct a workshop on Interpersonal Communication, Conflict Resolution and Crisis Negotiation Skills for police officers to increase their capacity to respond effectively to incidents of domestic violence.
