Meet our office staff providing mediation services.
M.J. Bauer, Executive Director
M.J. Bauer is the Executive Director of the Conflict Resolution Center in Minneapolis. Prior to this role she was on the Board of Directors for non-profit organizations including the Conflict Resolution Center, the Jostens Foundation and the Minnesota Childrens Museum and the Clark Lake Conservation Association. M.J. has over 25 years of experience in the Twin Cities business community. She was the Director of Marketing at Thomson Reuters, and Jostens, General Sales Manager at Dayton Hudson and manager of advertising and promotions at CVN TV. M.J. holds a BA from the University of Minnesota, with executive marketing certification from the University of Columbia.
Erica Backstrom , Duluth Program Director
Erica holds a Juris Doctor from Hamline University School of Law and is a qualified neutral under Rule 114. Previously, Erica served as Executive Director of the Volunteer Attorney Program (VAP), a non-profit organization that works with volunteer attorneys to provide quality pro bono civil legal services to low-income individuals and families in Northeastern Minnesota. Bringing over ten years of experience working with victims of trauma, abuse and at-risk youth, Erica is passionate about conflict resolution’s ability to empower participants through a process that honors each individual’s voice and recognizes the value of seeing other perspectives respectfully. Erica is an experienced Restorative Services practitioner, participating in circles to address youth truancy, community building and Restorative Justice with Woodland Hills, Inc. and Men as Peacemakers.
Elise Chambers, Program Director
Elise is the Program Director of the Conflict Resolution Center, an attorney, a Qualified Neutral under Minn. Rule 114 and an adjunct professor at the University of Minnesota School of Law. Elise is also trained in facilitated dialogue methods, including Nonviolent Communication and Art of Hosting practices. Elise has over two decades of experience in nonprofit programming. At CRC, Elise has developed workshops and trainings in mediation, communication skills, brain science, youth mentoring, community leadership, and group facilitation processes. Elise designs and implements trainings and facilitated processes for non-profit organizations, coalitions, government offices and businesses to help them address communication, conflict and the challenges inherent in change processes to achieve their goals.
Paula Faraci, Intake & Volunteer Manager
Paula has over twenty years of nonprofit experience, mostly working with at risk and homeless youth. Paula has experience and enthusiasm for case management, intakes, and data management. Paula captures data that tells the story of changed lives. Paula’s blend of listening and exploring the conflict helps bring people in conflict to mediation. Paula is committed to providing the best possible service to clients and volunteer mediators. Paula’s understanding of multiple perspectives and collective solutions started when she studied international relations at the University of Minnesota.
Ona Lawrence, St. Cloud
Ona came to Minnesota 8 years ago from Oregon. She completed a Masters Degree at St Cloud State University where she developed an interest in relational conflict management and mediation. Experience in volunteer mediation has given her a passion for non-profit, community building work and the positive impact this work can have in communities.
Hannah Houts, Youth Services Manager
Hannah earned her B.A. from the College of Saint Benedict and Saint John’s University in Peace Studies and Political Science. She began her journey with CRC as a volunteer in 2015 co-facilitating circles with middle school girls in St. Cloud. She has taught classes in conflict resolution to high schoolers and most recently has served as an AmeriCorps Promise Fellow with the Check & Connect program in the Minneapolis Public Schools. Hannah manages CRC’s restorative programming for youth.
Leslye Taylor, Schools Program Manager
Leslye is a Qualified Neutral under Rule 114 with a background in Special Education in Speech Therapy & Audiology. She has been trained by and has practiced Circle Keeping with an array of seasoned Peacebuilding Practitioners in Minnesota and Wisconsin. She has managed Community Building Circles for adults coming out of incarceration working with practicing volunteers. Currently, Leslye manages the CRC School Mediation and Conflict Consultation program, working with youth in schools and the staff who support them and training volunteers to build community through consistent Circle Keeping practices.
Laurie Whipple, Operations Director
Laurie earned her B.A. from the University of Minnesota in Women’s Studies and Sociology. She brings 25 years of experience in project coordination and design and has been a certified Feng Shui practitioner for over a decade. Laurie is a trained mediator and is a passionate believer in the positive effects of resolving disputes through mediation.
Dawn Zugay, Volunteer Manager
Dawn holds a Juris Doctor from Drake University Law School and is a qualified neutral under Rule 114. Prior to joining the CRC staff, Dawn was a volunteer mediator for CRC for five years. She mediated community, EEOC, family, and youth disputes, and assisted in mediation training at the Conflict Resolution Center and the University of Minnesota. Dawn believes that mediation provides people in conflict with the opportunity to solve their problems in a respectful and lasting way.