the trainers

Macarena has worked professionally in the conflict resolution field for the past 14 years. As an accredited mediator, facilitator and trainer (specialising in family, workplace and community), Macarena engages with executives, academics, teams and community groups as well as young people in schools on mediation, conflict resolution and self-awareness.

She also works as a conflict coach helping people understand how to change their relationship to conflict and prepare for mediation processes.

Macarena is a trained assessor and supervisor for accredited mediation programmes. She has lectured on conflict theory and reflective practice at the PgCert and MSc courses at Birkbeck College, and supervised LLM students at the University of Hertfordshire.

Macarena is accredited with the FMC and is a member of the College of Mediators and the Association for Conflict Resolution. She is a contributor to Mediators Beyond Borders International where she is faculty member of the International Training Institute for women and co-leads the Colombia project.

Macarena was born in Malaga, Spain, and has lived in London for the last 20 years with her husband.

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Senior and lead mediator Jan Coulton qualified as a solicitor in 1980 and has been a mediator for 27 years.

She has extensive experience in all areas of family mediation and is qualified to conduct all issues, financial and child inclusive mediation.

Jan has been a professional practice consultant for 11 years and has supervised mediators in all areas of work including commercial and employment. She has been involved at national level in formulating policy relating to family mediation and professional practice.

Nicky trained as a family mediator in 1992, whilst working as a solicitor practising family law in Sussex. She has been involved in the supervision and training of family mediators for over 20 years.

Nicky was a practising family mediator and director of Cheltenham Mediation Services Ltd until her retirement in 2020. She is an accredited Family Mediation Council mediator and a member of the Family Mediators Association and The College of Mediators.

Complementary to her family mediation practice, she is also a civil & commercial mediator, and has trained and worked as a relationship therapist.

Nicky is passionate about her work and loves sharing her knowledge and experience with those wanting to learn about family mediation. When not working she enjoys sailing a dinghy on the river Avon and walking in the Welsh Mountains.

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Claire is an FMC Accredited Family Mediator, Peer Mediator Trainer, Child Inclusive Mediator and aRestorative Practitioner.

In 2015 she set up Wye Valley Mediation Community Interest Company where she provides private and legally aided family mediation from her offices in Hereford and Brecon.

Qualifying as a barrister in 1994, Claire practiced from 1 Dr. Johnson’s Chambers, Inner Temple, London. She then became Principal Lecturer on the Bar Professional Training Course, training post graduates to become barristers and solicitors.

Her specialism is family law and she also taught Alternative Dispute Resolution. On moving to Hay-on-Wye Claire decided to put teaching into practice and qualified as a Family Mediator. Until this year Claire was Vice Chair of the Standards Committee for Powys County Council.

Claire is passionate that children’s voices should be heard. She teaches primary and secondary school children how to set up their own community mediation service which lead to Hay-on-Wye Primary winning the Young Mediators of the Year award in 2018. Meanwhile in the adult arena, Claire practices Child Inclusive Mediation and is seeing an increased use of this process, including referrals from court.

Claire enjoys the outdoors, wildlife and walking. She is looking forward to meeting and working with the participants on this course, and sharing professional experiences, along with some laughter too.