(Fairfax)
John C. Cook obtained his Virginia General District Court mediator certification in 2021. He formerly served as a mediator with the Multi-Door Division of the District of Columbia Superior Court from 2001 to 2013. His first mediation as a solo mediator on September 11, 2001, was interrupted when the courthouse was evacuated during the 9-11 attacks. He is the founding partner of Cook Craig & Francuzenko, PLLC, a Fairfax full-service law firm established in 2007. Mr. Cook’s practice emphasizes the representation of executives, employees, and small businesses in employment law matters. Mr. Cook is a past chair and co-chair of the Fairfax Bar Association’s Employment Law Section (2003-04, 2020-21) and is a former member of the Section Council for the Virginia Bar Association’s Labor and Employment Law Section (2009-14). He is a former motions conciliator with the Fairfax County Circuit Court. He is a frequent presenter of continuing legal education programs and has been named a Virginia SuperLawyer® over a dozen times. Mr. Cook is a former member of the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors (2009-2019). He currently serves the community as the Chair of the Fairfax County Diversion First Stakeholders’ Group. He is a member (and former Chair) of the Fairfax County Council to End Domestic Violence, where he chairs the Accountability Workgroup. He is a member of the Board of Directors for Celebrate Fairfax, Inc. Mr. Cook is a 1988 graduate of the George Washington University Law School. Born in upstate New York, he is a 1985 graduate of Gettysburg College, where he majored in political science and was named to the Phi Beta Kappa honor society.
John joined the VMN Board of Directors in 2022. He served as President-Elect in 2024-2025 and became President in 2025. He co-chairs the Bylaws/Legislative Committee and serves on the Outreach Committee.
(Fairfax)
Dr. Julie Minde received her PhD in conflict analysis and resolution from George Mason University’s Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution and an MS in geographic and cartographic sciences, also from GMU. She served as a postdoctoral research associate on environmental collaboration and conflict resolution, co-sponsored by the Udall Center for Studies in Public Policy (University of Arizona) and the National Center for Environmental Conflict Resolution. She is a certified mediator in the Virginia General District Court. As a full-time civil servant, Julie serves as a social science analyst at a federal agency. She is very interested in seeing VMN develop in the area of environmental collaboration and conflict resolution.
Julie joined the VMN Board of Directors in 2024 and became President-Elect in 2025. She chairs the Communications Committee.
(Williamsburg)
Doug Spoors is currently the EEO Education/ADR Manager for the Department of the Navy, Navy Exchange Service Command in Virginia Beach, Virginia, designing and providing EEO training and ADR services to over 14,000 civilian associates world-wide. He is also on the Adjunct Faculty of William and Mary Law School, teaching mediation.
He is an attorney, mediator, trainer, and the founder of the Institute for Mixed Method Mediation. He is the author of the book Mixed Method Mediation: A Hybrid Approach to Conflict Resolution, now in its 3rd Edition. He has mediated conflicts involving EEO complaints, workplace disputes, employment discrimination, wrongful termination, family law, consumer debt, landlord/tenant, and real estate. He is a member of the Mediators Beyond Borders International.
In March, 2019, he received the Ambassador for Peace in Conflict Resolution Award for his contribution in the field of mediation.
He received his J.D. and L.LM. in Transnational Business Practices from the McGeorge School of Law, the latter in conjunction with the University of Salzburg, Austria. He received his facilitative mediation training from the Loyola Law School/Los Angeles, a Certificate in Transformative Mediation from Dan Simon Mediation, a Certificate in Negotiation Mastery from Harvard Business School, a Certificate in Mediation and Conflict Resolution from Harvard Law School, and a Certificate in Neuro Design Engineering from the Academy of Wealth and Achievement. He has most recently completed a Certificate program on Conflict, Rule of Law, and Local Security at the Hague Academy for Local Governance, the Netherlands.
He is also an international photographer. His library of works displays photos from throughout the United States and around the world.
Favorite Quote: It’s not about who is right or wrong, it’s about problem solving and finding meaningful solutions.
Next Favorite Quote: You are only as brilliant as your last stupid mistake.
Doug joined the VMN Board in 2021. He served as President-Elect in 2023, President from January 2024 - October 2025, and now serves as Immediate Past President. Doug chairs the Nominating Committee.
(Fairfax)
Kimberly Jackson Davidson was appointed in the spring of 2023 to launch a new Office of the University Ombudsperson at George Mason University (Mason). (Her appointment followed five years without an ombuds presence at Mason.) Before working at Mason, Davidson spent two decades at Oberlin College in Ohio, first as a visiting lecturer and then sixteen years in progressively responsible positions in the Office of the Dean of Students. For fifteen years, Davidson served as a volunteer mediator through the Yeworkwha Belachew Center for Dialogue (YBCD). During her final five and a half years there, she served all campus constituencies as an Ombudsperson and Director of the YBCD.
Davidson’s primary practices rest on the foundations of social justice mediation, conflict management coaching, reflective structured dialogue, and nonviolent communication, among other strategies. Her experience includes studies in conflict transformation and interpersonal communication modalities. Davidson is active within the International Ombuds Association (IOA) and has been a member of the Virginia Mediation Network (VMN) since June 2022. She earned a B.A. in English Literature from Spelman College and an M.A. from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in African Literature.
Kimberly joined the VMN Board in 2023 and became Secretary in 2025. She chairs the Community Engagement Committee.
Robert N. Carpenter, Treasurer(Winchester) Robert N (Bob) Carpenter has been a mediator since 2009. Currently Bob serves as the mediation coordinator for Winchester/Frederick County General District court. Prior to his mediation experience, Bob served 39 years in the Farm Credit System financing agricultural properties and their operations, as well as rural housing financing. He was CEO for 34 years at Valley Farm Credit headquartered in Winchester. He operated for 36 years, as the third generation, the family beef cattle farm until 2018. He is a graduate of Virginia Tech; and has two daughters and three grandchildren. Bob rejoined the board in 2024 and is serving his third term as treasurer for VMN. |
(Warrenton)
Brandon Bastian is the Executive Director of Piedmont Peace Center, serving courts and communities in 9 counties in Virginia, and previously spent 10 years as the Mediation Services Director for the Prince William County Office of Dispute Resolution, overseeing the county's GDC and JDR mediation programs and the restorative justice program. Brandon is a certified GDC and JDR mediator and mentor. Brandon is a big fan of failing forward--learning from and moving past the things that don't work in order to cultivate and develop the things that do.
Brandon joined the VMN Board of Directors in 2024. He chairs the Conference Planning Committee.
(Midlothian)
Joseph Boisineau has 28 years of experience as a mediator, arbitrator, and ombudsman. He was certified as a mediator and mediator mentor by the Supreme Court of Virginia and has served in that capacity for the past 28 years. His experience also includes the following: Dispute Resolution Specialist / Investigator Unit Manager, Commonwealth of Virginia, Office of Consumer Affairs; Mediated, Arbitrated, Conciliated over 10,000 cases; Over 600 hours of Mediation, Arbitration, Negotiation, Ombudsman, and Investigation training; and, 35 years of experience in private Industry. He was educated at the University of Detroit, Henry Ford College, University of Michigan, Merchandising and Management Institute, J Sargent Reynolds Community College. He also attended The Office of Public Policy Training, The Center for Public Policy, L. Douglas Wilder School of Public Affairs, Virginia Commonwealth University. He has served previously on the Virginia Mediation Network Board of Directors as Vice President. He has also served on the Commonwealth Catholic Charities Board of Directors as Treasurer, Vice President, President, Chairman of the Board, Chairman of the Finance Committee, Chairman of the Board Development and Governance Committee, and on the Commonwealth Catholic Charities Housing Corporation as Vice Chairman.
Joe has been on the VMN Board of Directors since 2023. He serves on the Outreach Committee.
N. Joseph Elias(Ashburn) N. Joseph Elias, an accomplished mediator, management & technology, and organizational change management consultant. With decades of experience, Joseph has guided global enterprise change across various sectors, including healthcare, telecommunications, financial services, and government. As a Virginia Supreme Court Certified Mediator, Joseph brings a unique blend of change & crisis management, consensus building, and strategic vision to every engagement. He is known for his critical thinking and charismatic leadership. As the Managing Director of Elias Consulting, Joseph provides leadership training, organizational change management, business process improvements, and alternative dispute resolution services. He is also actively involved in Virginia's mediation community, collaborating with the Virginia Mediation Network and various regional mediation centers. Fluent in all dialects of Arabic, Joseph has extensive experience in multicultural conflict resolution, successfully mediating cases ranging from landlord-tenant and community disputes, to employment and family matters, particularly within Middle Eastern, North African, African, and Caribbean communities. His prior leadership roles include Service Delivery Director at Ascension Health, Consulting Director at Oracle Consulting, and Service Delivery Director at Oracle Managed Cloud Services, where he successfully managed multimillion-dollar portfolios and complex business transformations for global enterprises. Joseph holds an Executive Master’s in Leadership from Georgetown University, a Master of Science in Business Systems Analysis and Design, and a Bachelor of Arts with Honors in Computer Science and Management from Richmond University, London, UK. Joseph joined the VMN Board in 2025. He serves on the Communications Committee. |