Brief History of IAM

At a meeting of the Iowa Network for Conflict Mediation Education (INCME), a group convened by Noa Davenport of the Iowa Peace Institute; Ginna Booth, an Iowa Mediation Service mediator from Cedar Rapids, distributed a questionnaire to determine the extent of interest in an organization for mediators. As a result, about two dozen mediators met in Grinnell on June 24, 1994 and voted to form an organization designed to promote alternative dispute resolution throughout Iowa. An ad-hoc steering committee was formed and on September 24, 1994, in Carroll, Iowa, Iowa Association for Dispute Resolution (IADR) was born. The first election of officers was held January 21, 1995 in Ames. In the fall of 2006 the name was changed to Iowa Association of Mediators (IAM).

Liz Binger, Director of the Center for Creative Justice, Ames, was the first president, 1995-1996, followed by:

* Sandra Kaska, private attorney and mediator, Iowa City, 1996-1998
* Sue Wilden, therapist and mediator, Phoenix Associates, Clinton, 1998-1999
* Hank Ostward, mediator, Iowa Mediation Service, Spencer, 1999-2001
* Lois Crane, 8th District Small Claims Court Mediation, Mt. Pleasant, 2001-2003.
* Scarlett Lunning Huey, mediator, Iowa Mediation Services, West Des Moines, Iowa, 2003-2005.
* Steve Schodde, Mediator and Lawyer, West Des Moines, Iowa, 2005 to present

Since its inception, IAM has:

* increased opportunities for networking and interaction among mediators
* published a newsletter
* provided information on training opportunities
* publicized mediation
* produced yearly conferences
* and, lobbied for legislative support.

Our first president noted in the first issue of our newsletter, January 1, 1996, then called Resolution News, that we were beginning dialogue on mediator certification and standards. It has been a continuing major issue. In our July 1999 issue RE:solutions (renamed, courtesy of Chris Baker, our newsletter editor), Mike Thompson, Director of the Iowa Mediation Service, wrote a compelling article, “Mediator, Certify Thyself.” In April, 2002 Mike agreed to chair a Standards and Certification Committee. After several months work, the Iowa Association for Dispute Resolution Model Standards of Conduct for Mediators, was adopted by the IADR Council on October 26, 2002. Iowa Guidelines for the Certification of Mediators in the State of Iowa is in the final stage of review and should be available by March, 2003.

International Partnership

Through a unique arrangement between the IAM Executive Council and the Strategic Empowerment and Mediation Agency (SEMA) of Kaduna, Nigeria, Samie Ihejirika, Director, Nigerian mediators recognized by SEMA will receive Honorary IAM membership and Iowa Certification including individual links to our web site.

Mr. Ihejirika received conflict resolution and mediation training in Iowa through Iowa Resource for International Service (IRIS), a non-profit organization devoted to international understanding and directed by Bob Anderson, former Lieutenant Governor of Iowa. Noa Davenport, IAM Chair for International Issues in Mediation, has been associated with IRIS since its inception and has co-directed many of its international education and exchange programs.