<![CDATA[Dispute Resolution Center of Thurston County

<![CDATA[Dispute Resolution Center of Thurston County - Blog]]>Thu, 07 May 2026 22:25:40 -0700Weebly<![CDATA[A Celebration of Peacemakers 2026]]>Mon, 04 May 2026 21:28:59 GMThttps://www.mediatethurston.org/blog/a-celebration-of-peacemakers-2026

On Sunday, May 3rd, we gathered at South Puget Sound Community College's Lacey Campus for A Celebration of Peacemakers. This event honored our volunteers, supporters, advocates, and community partners - all those whose efforts help create a more civil and peaceful community.

Highlights of the afternoon included reflections on The Strength of Community by Parfait Bassalé and presentation of the Evan Ferber Peacemaker Leadership Award to Justice Raquel Montoya-Lewis and The Mosqueteers.

Established in honor of the DRC's Founding Executive Director, the Evan Ferber Peacemaker Leadership Award recognizes individuals who have demonstrated extraordinary leadership in strengthening civil discourse, and promoting peaceful dispute resolution and civility in our community.

Scroll down to view the photo gallery!

Justice Raquel Montoya-Lewis was honored with the 2026 Evan Ferber Peacemaker Leadership Award.

Tribute to Justice Raquel Montoya-lewis:
Click here to Read

For more than twenty years, Justice Raquel Montoya-Lewis has made
a difference in courtrooms across Washington, from tribal communities to the state’s highest court. In 2020 she became the first Native American to serve on Washington State’s Supreme Court and has opened doors for many who had never seen themselves represented.

At the heart of Justice Montoya-Lewis’ work is a deep belief in peacemaking and real restoration. She has worked tirelessly to advocate for a justice system that is accessible and truly listens, learns, and heals - encouraging people to listen to one another, find shared understanding, and see what can happen when compassion and courage guide us forward.

The Mosqueteers were honored with the 2026 Evan Ferber Peacemaker Leadership Award.

Tribute to The Mozqueteers: CLick here to Read

This small interfaith group - affectionately known as the “Mosqueteers” - has stood a quiet but extraordinary vigil outside the Islamic Center of Olympia every Friday during congregational prayers. Their presence over the past eight years has been a steadfast act of solidarity, courage, and moral clarity in a time when the local Muslim community has faced repeated incidents of hate and intimidation.

Rooted in a deep sense of humanity, these volunteers have transformed fear into trust, isolation into connection, and vulnerability into resilience. Their actions demonstrate that safety is not only the responsibility of institutions - it can also be the gift of neighbors who choose to stand with one another.

Parfait Bassalé
Keynote Speaker

Photo Gallery of the Peacemaker Event

Thank you to all who attended this much-anticipated annual community event. It takes a dedicated team of staff, volunteers, and community partners to make this event not only possible, but to help it flourish.

]]><![CDATA[Volunteer Appreciation Picnic 2025]]>Tue, 29 Jul 2025 19:42:58 GMThttps://www.mediatethurston.org/blog/volunteer-appreciation-picnic-2025

(L-R) Andra Wedding, Charlie Gavigan, Elizabeth Drake, Greg Voelker, and Mike Fraidenburg.

(L-R) Andra Weddington, Charlie Gavigan, Elizabeth Drake, Greg Voelker, and Mike Fraidenburg.

We want to extend a huge Thank You to all of our amazing volunteers who support us throughout the year! To all volunteers whether you were able to join us and for those that were not able to make it, we appreciate YOU. Your dedication and hard work do not go unnoticed, and we are grateful for your many contributions to the community building work of the DRC.

To show our appreciation, we hosted our annual Volunteer Appreciation Picnic on July 23rd at Tumwater Historical Park.

Congratulations to Greg Voelker, Charlie Gavigan, Andra Weddington, and Mike Fraidenburg (pictured above with Executive Director Elizabeth Drake), who we honored last evening as the DRC's Outstanding Volunteers for 2025 at our annual Volunteer Appreciation Picnic.

Thank You to Greg, Charlie, Andra, and Mike - and to all of the DRC's 140+ volunteers - for all you do to help build a more peaceful and civil community. Our volunteers are the heart and soul of the DRC.

Read more about our Outsanding Volunteers

Read below to learn more about the Outstanding Volunteers who were honored at the picnic last month. These four volunteers exemplify the work being done in our DRC community. The DRC could not do this work without our volunteers.

So, thanks to ALL the volunteers for showing up!

Greg Voelker

Greg Voelker. Some people just are mediators—and Greg is one of them. Although he’s the greenest of this group, he’s by no means a rookie. Greg brings the calm presence of a seasoned mediator and the heart of a community builder.

Whether he’s facilitating community dialogues, supporting our Spanish mediations, or simply approaching each mediation with compassion and clarity, Greg is our next generation, and we are lucky to have him in our community.

Charlie Gavigan

Charlie Gavigan is careful, thoughtful, approachable, and he leads with quiet strength. Longtime mediator and now also a conciliator, Charlie is grounded in our values and very active in our core work. He mediated 70 cases over a 3-year time period.

Charlie strikes a beautiful balance of strategic thinking and empathy. Charlie's humility and integrity make him an anchor in every space he enters—from the conciliator’s office to the mediation room to the training room!

Andra weddington

Andra Weddington - For 20-plus years, Andra has been a pillar for our community. This year alone, she contributed more than 120 hours to our multi-party mediation curricula and serving as the lead trainer. With her background in theater, she's a creative force behind the DRC’s role-plays.

Andra’s also been a mentor for staff and for me personally. She’s a guru, a life-long learner, and a leader. And she’s too humble to accept any of those labels.

Mike Fraidenburg

Mike Fraidenburg brings a steady rhythm of innovation to the DRC. From creating short learning videos to proposing new ways to engage the community, he’s always building in service of our mission.

Mike supports staff development (including myself), he role models leadership, and he helps us stretch into the future with creativity and courage. In just one year, Mike gave over 250 hours developing our facilitation services—leaving a lasting impact through his consistency, initiative, and persistence.

Greg Voelker, Volunteer Appreciation Award recipient.

Charlie Gavigan, Volunteer Appreciation Award recipient.

Andra Weddington, Volunteer Appreciation Award recipient.

Mike Fraidenburg, Volunteer Appreciation Award recipient.

]]><![CDATA[A Celebration of Peacemakers 2025]]>Mon, 12 May 2025 20:32:55 GMThttps://www.mediatethurston.org/blog/a-celebration-of-peacemakers-2025

On Sunday, May 4th, we gathered at South Puget Sound Community College's Lacey Campus for A Celebration of Peacemakers. This event honored our volunteers, supporters, advocates, and community partners - all those whose efforts help create a more civil and peaceful community.

Highlights of the afternoon included reflections on promoting civil discourse by Olympia Mayor Dontae Payne and presentation of the Evan Ferber Peacemaker Leadership Award to Lonnie Locke.

Established in honor of the DRC's Founding Executive Director, the Evan Ferber Peacemaker Leadership Award recognizes individuals who have demonstrated extraordinary leadership in strengthening civil discourse, and promoting peaceful dispute resolution and civility in our community.

Scroll down to view the photo gallery!

Lonnie Locke was honored with the 2025 Evan Ferber Peacemaker Leadership Award.

Tribute to Lonnie Locke - Click to read

Lonnie Locke is a consummate model of authentic compassion in action. She creates opportunities for community members to come together to explore their differences and celebrate their shared values.

A few years ago, Lonnie helped launch the non-profit Multicultural Services Center of South Sound to provide immigrant support services. In her role as a non-attorney judge in the Washington courts system, she helped ensure more equitable treatment of court-involved immigrants. She is currently working with a team to develop the new Community Collaboration for Immigrant Support, to address safety threats to vulnerable immigrants.

Lonnie led Race Unity in Action in Olympia, and she served on North Thurston School District’s Multicultural Board. In that role, she co-produced “What Unites Us?”, a video interview project.
She led the community project “Looking Back, Moving Forward” to preserve first-hand records of the 1965 Selma to Montgomery civil rights march.

By collaborating with both marginalized community members and people who hold privileges, Lonnie opens doors to a more joy-filled, equitable world.

Olympia Mayor Dontae Payne's keynote address touched on themes of promoting civil discourse, seeking common ground and looking for the humanity in one another.

Click here to read mayor payne's speech

]]><![CDATA[2024 Volunteer Appreciation Picnic]]>Thu, 01 Aug 2024 18:47:47 GMThttps://www.mediatethurston.org/blog/volunteer-appreciation-picnic-2024

We want to extend a huge Thank You to all of our amazing volunteers who support us throughout the year! To all volunteers whether you were able to join us and for those that were not able to make it, we appreciate YOU. Your dedication and hard work do not go unnoticed, and we are grateful for your many contributions to the community building work of the DRC.

To show our appreciation, we hosted our annual Volunteer Appreciation Picnic on July 31st at Tumwater Historical Park.

Congratulations to Kacia Bernier and Marieke McGovern (pictured below with Executive Director Elizabeth Drake), who we honored last evening as the DRC's Outstanding Volunteers for 2024 at our annual Volunteer Appreciation Picnic.

Thank You to Kacia and Marieke - and to all of the DRC's 130+ volunteers - for all you do to help build a more peaceful and civil community. Our volunteers are the heart and soul of the DRC.

]]><![CDATA[Board Reunion Social]]>Thu, 27 Jun 2024 16:29:44 GMThttps://www.mediatethurston.org/blog/board-reunion-socialCurrent and past members of the DRC's Board of Directors gathered at the home of former Board President Mickey Lahmann on June 26th to honor and bid farewell to Jody Suhrbier Leff, who is leaving the organization after nearly eight years as Executive Director. Thanks to everyone who attended and helped make this special event a success.

]]><![CDATA[A Celebration of Peacemakers 2024]]>Tue, 07 May 2024 07:00:00 GMThttps://www.mediatethurston.org/blog/a-celebration-of-peacemakers-2024

On Sunday, May 5th, we gathered at South Puget Sound Community College's Lacey Campus for A Celebration of Peacemakers. This event honored our volunteers, supporters, advocates, and community partners - all those whose efforts help create a more civil and peaceful community.

Highlights of the afternoon were a special tribute to Jody Suhrbier Leff, who is leaving the DRC after nearly eight years as its Executive Director, and presentation of the of the Evan Ferber Peacemaker Leadership Award to Rev. Corey Passons, Interfaith Relations Program Manager at Olympia's Interfaith Works.

Scroll down to view the photo gallery!

Jody Suhrbier Leff

DRC Executive Director

Tribute to Jody - Click to read

Empowering. Caring. Innovative. Courageous. These words describe Jody, who has led the Dispute Resolution Center since 2016. During her time at the helm, she has been instrumental in the DRC’s growth and transformation, including significant increases in funding, staff, volunteers, services, and the number of people served each year.

A strong collaborative partner on the local, state and national levels, Jody served as Co-president, and later as Interim Executive Director, for Resolution Washington, the network of Washington’s 21 DRCs, and as a board member for the National Association for Community Mediation. Her advocacy efforts helped secure a significant increase in state funding for DRCs across Washington state.

Jody oversaw the DRC’s office move to its current West Olympia location, and then the further expansion of that space. Most significantly, she successfully navigated the DRC through the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, the expansion of resources to address the eviction crisis, and re-envisioning mediation and training services to provide these resources online.

We applaud Jody for all she’s done to advance the mission of the DRC and wish her the best in her future endeavors.

Rev. Corey Passons

2024 Evan Ferber Peacemaker Leadership Award Recipient

Tribute to COrey - CLICK TO READ

An ordained Minister in the United Church of Christ, and Minister with Community for Interfaith Celebration, Corey has served as Interfaith Relations Program Manager at Olympia’s Interfaith Works since 2020. In this role he seeks to deepen connection,
understanding, and collaboration among the 30+ diverse congregations and affiliated organizations that make up Interfaith Works, to expand these efforts into the wider community.

The work that perhaps best exemplifies Corey’s commitment to promoting dialog, restorative justice and healing is an annual event called Resetting Our Sacred Table. Through collaboration with members of local tribes and acknowledging the legacy of colonization and suffering of indigenous peoples, this initiative re-thinks and re-casts Thanksgiving with the metaphor of the table as a place of community, sharing and nourishment for all.

Corey is guided by his commitment to strengthening civil discourse and civic harmony as a means to deepen relationships, especially where there are disparate histories and perceptions. His efforts to educate the greater community on historic injustice, and to foster healing and growth, are especially important during this time of ideological divides.

Thank you, Corey, for your dedication to this important work.

To read a special profile of Rev. Corey Passons and the Peacemaker Award recently published in Thurston Talk, Click here to follow the article!

]]><![CDATA[Conflict Resolution Day Open House]]>Sun, 22 Oct 2023 17:56:06 GMThttps://www.mediatethurston.org/blog/conflict-resolution-day-open-houseThanks to all the DRC volunteers, supporters and community leaders who attended our Open House on October 19th to mark Conflict Resolution Day. It was wonderful to have the opportunity to connect in-person with DRC staff and each other, and to show off our expanded mediation space and Training Center.

]]><![CDATA[Staff Introductions!]]>Tue, 25 Jul 2023 18:56:57 GMThttps://www.mediatethurston.org/blog/staff-introductions As a learning organization, the DRC is constantly evolving and changing to meet the needs of our community. Whether it is staff transitions, new or sunsetting programs, or simply the changing of the seasons, there is always so much change happening around us. We recognize we can get lost in the work that do and sometimes forget to pause and reconnect with each other.
We want to offer you the opportunity to get to know a little bit about the current DRC staff! Feel free to reach out with any questions that may come up or if you see you have something in common!

Jody Suhrbier - Executive Director
Jody started at the DRC in 2003 as a volunteer grant writer and stepped into her position as Executive Director in 2016. She has a graduate degree in Non-Profit management and loves dance of all types. The top item on her bucket list is learning to overcome her fear of the water and learn to swim. Jody's hidden talent is parallel parking!

Elizabeth Drake - Associate Director
Elizabeth came to the DRC as a mediator in 2019 and was brought on as staff in 2022. With her background as a non-partisan researcher, she highly values the role of the neutral third-party that mediation offers. She loves being outdoors, plays the ukulele for fun, and competed in an Ultimate Frisbee national tournament on a women's master's team.

Alice Sharrett - Mediation Manager
Encouraged by a former staff member, Alice began volunteering at the DRC in 2013 and joined as staff in 2017. She has extensive experience coordinating volunteers and admires the collaborative culture the DRC offers to it's staff, volunteers, and the community at large. Alice loves being in the natural world and hikes often.

Ash Edmonds - Volunteer Manager
Ash interned at the DRC in 2021 through the Counseling Skills Program while finishing their B.A. at Evergreen State College. They appreciate the ability to tangibly create opportunities for growth and understanding within our community that the DRC provides. For fun, Ash loves to create and play games, especially table top games. Top item on their bucket list: make a bucket list!

Jennifer Miller - Business Manager
Jennifer began volunteering in 2014 and finally joined the DRC staff in 2015. Jennifer has her bachelor's degree in English Literature and worked as a K-12 teacher. Currently, Jennifer is welcoming and supporting Afghan newcomers to Olympia and Seattle and enjoys showing them the beauty of the Pacific Northwest.

Jill Busby - Training Manager
Jill started at the DRC in January 2023. She has substantial experience in the nonprofit sector specializing in diversity and inclusion. She is a filmmaker and a writer, and published her book, "Unfollow Me: Essays on Complicity" in 2021. Jill will be stepping away from her position as Training Manager in August for her dream job. Bittersweet!

Joe Sanders - Community Engagement Manager
Joe began working at the DRC in 2016 as a semi-recent Olympia transplant. He brought his life experience in marketing, communications, and fundraisings. Joe has a passion for photography and travel and has lived overseas in New Zealand and India. He hopes to one day have his photography published in a travel guide like Lonely Planet.

Ken Stuto - Mediation Coordinator
Ken started working in the Eviction Resolution Pilot Program in 2022. Originally from New York, Ken moved to Olympia in the late 2010s. In his spare time, he enjoys spending time with his wife and son who is named after a character in the Assassin's Creed franchise.

Leah Rietema - Lead Trainer
Leah began working at the DRC in 2022 through a family connection who mentioned an open position. She graduated from Oregon State University with a B.S. in Speech Communication and really appreciates how important and impactful the work of conflict resolution is. Leah loves musicals and feels comforted listening to the songs from her favorites.

Luis Manzo - Business Resources Manager
Luis came to the DRC in 2022 as the Housing Program Manager. He felt a calling to address the housing crisis and is fulfilled by being a part of the Eviction Resolution Pilot Program and the Renter Certification Course. Luis is an avid comic book collector and he even writes and draws his own.

Olivia Huebner - Training Coordinator
Olivia is our newest addition to the DRC team, starting in May 2023. She received her B.A. with a focus in Psychology, Media Arts, and Communications and is also a touring musician! Olivia's hidden talent is her Elvis impersonations and welcomes everyone to stop by to get a peek!

Robyn Togesen - Administrative Services Manager
Robyn began as an intern at the DRC in 2020 and was hired on as staff in 2021. She joined the team while finishing her B.A. in Social Work and is currently working toward her M.A. in Organizational Leadership. Robyn loves to travel and lived in Germany as an Au Pair. Her favorite traveling activity is getting to experience local cuisine.

Yul Gamboa - Bilingual Mediation Services Coordinator
Yul came to the DRC in May 2021 to support the Eviction Resolution Pilot Program with community resources. He is currently finishing his master's in Education Policy and Leadership. Yul is always on the lookout for rivers to swim and dive as well as Mulberry, Marion, and Salmonberry bushes around Thurston County to forage.

]]><![CDATA[2023 Volunteer Appreciation Picnic]]>Tue, 25 Jul 2023 17:12:06 GMThttps://www.mediatethurston.org/blog/2023-volunteer-appreciation-picnic

A big THANK YOU to all those who were able to join us and make this year's annual volunteer appreciation picnic a super special event! We relish every opportunity to celebrate you, without whom the work we do would not be possible!
We are so appreciative to our amazing Board of Directors who brought snacks and libations and spent the afternoon grilling in under the sun! Another big thanks to all the volunteers who brought dishes to share! There were delicious salads, stir-frys, and desserts!
We already can't wait to see you all next year!

]]><![CDATA[A Celebration of Peacemakers]]>Fri, 02 Jun 2023 21:24:36 GMThttps://www.mediatethurston.org/blog/a-celebration-of-peacemakers

On Sunday, May 7th, we gathered at Lacey Community Center for A Celebration of Peacemakers. The DRC's first large indoor, in-person gathering since 2019, this new event honored our volunteers, supporters, advocates and community partners - all those whose efforts help create a more civil and peaceful community.

The highlight of the afternoon was the presentation of the Evan Ferber Peacemaker Leadership Award to Anne Larsen, in recognition of her community service. Anne Developed the Crisis Response Unit and Familiar Faces Program. These programs focus on community members in crisis due to poverty, trauma, and mental health issues or substance disorders, with the goal of connecting clients to housing, medical care, treatment, and to their families.

The presence of several past recipients of the Peacemaker Award, or family representatives, made this a doubly-special gathering.

Past Peacemaker Award Recipients.
L-R Evan Ferber, Glen Anderson, Rabbi Seth Goldstein, Anne Larsen, Kathy Baro Friedt, Betty Utter, Matt Grant, Jose Gutierrez (deceased - photo held by his sister, Stella Haioulani), Shelly Willis, Mary Fairhurst, (deceased - photo held by Shelly Willis)

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