MEET OUR MEDIATORS

REQUEST MEDIATION

Meet Our Mediators

Our mediators are all familiar with farming and rural issues. They are experienced and attend yearly training to maintain their skills.

 Gabriele Marewski

Gabriele Marewski

Credit Counselor

  • Business coach and successful agricultural entrepreneur with over 30 years of experience in agriculture
  • Developed and nurtured a certified organic boutique farm for 18 years, Paradise Farms, located in the Miami area, which specialized in micro greens, baby greens, 52 varieties of edible flowers, tropical fruits and oyster mushrooms  and sold to the best chefs at high-end restaurants in the Miami region.
  • Pioneered the local Farm-to-Table movement in Southern Florida
  • Recipient of the Miami Dade County Commission for Women’s “Outstanding Woman in Business & Economics” award and the ”Innovative Farmer Award” from the Florida Small Farms & Alternative Enterprises Conference
Wanda Braithwaite-Baril

Wanda Braithwaite-Baril

Mediator

  • Studied at Casco Bay College
  • Experienced Farm industry Mediator and Facilitator

.

Shannon Sneary Alabanza

Shannon Sneary Alabanza

Mediator

  • Virginia Supreme Court certified mediator for over 25 years
  • Certified Mediation trainer and the lead trainer with the FairField Mediation Center, Harrisonburg, Virginia.
  • Master’s Degree in Conflict Analysis and Resolution from George Mason University
  • Independent owner and operator of Changespaces LLC, an organization providing mediation, facilitation, restorative justice, and training services
Kathy Marth

Kathy Marth

Mediator

  • Kathy Marth, M.A. began her mediation career when she did Independent Study in
    mediation during her Master’s Degree studies, by interning at Justice Center of Atlanta
    and doing a practicum collaboratively with Justice Center of Atlanta and Atlanta Divorce
    Mediators in 1990-1991. She has mediated continuously since that time in multiple
    court and private settings. From 7 years, she was a co-trainer with Atlanta Divorce
    Mediators teaching all portions of Association for Conflict Resolution approved 40 hour
    course in divorce and custody mediation. For 5 years, she was a program manager for
    family mediation and a trainer of group facilitation methods and strategic planning at
    The Mediation Center in Asheville, NC. She was employed on a contract basis and as
    an employee by the North Carolina Administrative Office of the Courts custody
    mediation program for over 10 years. She was part of the initial group of mediators
    trained for the North Carolina Agricultural Mediation program.
Andy Silver

Andy Silver

Mediator

A 21-year mediator having started mediating NCAMP disputes at the program’s inception

  • Mediates for other state and federal agencies and is a North Carolina Dispute Resolution Commission (or NCDRC) Certified Family Financial Mediator
  • Master’s degree in Conflict Resolution from Columbia College, Columbia SC (1999).
  • His website features other credentials and certifications at ResolutionExperts.com
  • Previously, five years as a Human Resources generalist for the Charlotte DuPont organization
Janet Ford

Janet Ford

Mediator, Professor at Western Carolina University.

  • J.D., University of South Carolina in 1998
  • BM from Furman University in 1985

Mediation Director: Bob Holbert

Bob Holbert has been a Mediator with NCAMP since program’s inception in 2007, he’s also a lifelong resident of Polk County , NC. He’s married to his wife Linda and together that have two sons and five grandchildren.

He received A Bachelor of Science degree in Social Sciences Appalachian State University. He has spent 30 years working closely with USDA’s (United States Department Of Agriculture) Farm Service Agency.

Mr. Holbert was formerly employed with Polk County Clerk of Court. Mr. Holbert also has work with North Carolina Dispute Resolution Commission (Or NCDRC) Certified Superior Court Mediator since 2007.

.

Debra Burke

Debra Burke

Executive Director

Debra Burke is a Professor of Business Administration & Law in the College of Business at Western Carolina University.

  • Master’s degree in Public Affairs
  • Doctor of Jurisprudence from the University of Texas.
  • Professor Burke’s research interests include contract law, employment law and pedagogical studies.
  • She was licensed to practice law in Texas.

.

Contact Us

Bob Holbert, Mediation Director
828-200-5261
rholbert@wcu.edu