Dave Moora is a senior partner with Impact Associates. He brings nearly two decades of experience as a mediator, facilitator, and organizational change practitioner. He has mediated hundreds of disputes, including employment, environmental, construction, transportation, regulatory, and collective bargaining negotiations and grievances. He has facilitated complex negotiated rulemaking, multi-party public policy discussions, and strategic planning initiatives. He has worked closely with senior executives to lead organizational effectiveness and change efforts and has trained hundreds of mediators, judges, and lawyers in mediation and conflict management both in the U.S. and internationally. Before co-founding Impact Associates, he served as a Commissioner with the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service, ADR Counsel at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and Director of the American Bar Association Section of Dispute Resolution. View full bio.

Emily Rife is a senior partner with Impact Associates and has extensive experience in conflict resolution across the public, private, and federal sectors. Prior to co-founding Impact Associates, she served as a Commissioner with the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service in Denver, where she mediated collective bargaining negotiations, grievances, and employment-related disputes using various problem-solving models. Her background also includes international work in Kosovo, where she helped professionalize local mediators and strengthen the ADR field. Earlier in her career, she represented classified school employees in Los Angeles as a Labor Relations specialist, negotiating contracts and managing grievances, while also providing mediation services through the County of Los Angeles. With a strong foundation in ADR and a compassionate, strategic approach, Ms. Rife continues to offer tailored mediation services to support sustainable and effective conflict resolution. View full bio.

Pete Swanson is a senior partner with Impact Associates. Mr. Swanson has extensive domestic and international experience helping a diverse range of national and international clients. He has worked in over 50 federal/state/local and international agencies and organizations in four continents and 25 countries. He specializes in merging the disciplines of conflict resolution, leadership development, coaching, organizational development and training/education to provide systemic and holistic approaches to client challenges. Prior to co-founding Impact Associates Mr Swanson served as the Manager for the Office of Conflict Management and Prevention/International at the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service (FMCS). He first served as a Mediator for FMCS from 1989-2000. Prior to re-joining FMCS in late 2018, he was a senior partner with Carr Swanson & Randolph, LLC for eighteen years. View full bio.

Kayla Mack is an ADR professional dedicated to delivering exceptional mediation, facilitation, and consulting services, across sectors and industries. With over fifteen years of experience in advocacy, negotiation, dispute resolution, and execution strategy, complemented by a strong foundation in organizational development, change management, and conflict systems design, Kayla helps individuals and institutions navigate complex conflicts, implement durable solutions, and build capacity for long-term collaboration in even the most dynamic and demanding environments.  Kayla empowers clients to structure their ideas, communicate with intention, foster transparency, make informed decisions, and develop agreements and outcomes that are both transformational and sustainable. Her presence earns trust, her methodology delivers value, and her track record speaks for itself. View full CV.

Michael Wolf helps organizations prevent and constructively manage conflict, resolve high-stakes disputes, and grow conflict-competent culture that improves organizational problem-solving, decision-making, performance, and quality of work life. Michael has spent 30+ years as a full-time mediator, trainer, educator, facilitator, consultant, and conflict coach. He spent the previous decade practicing labor and employment law after a brief time as a Congressional staffer. Michael has held leadership roles in several federal agencies, professional associations, and the Steering Committee of the Federal Interagency ADR Working Group. Michael’s work as a neutral encompasses many sectors, including defense/military, healthcare, construction/building trades, federal/state/local government, education, public safety (police and fire), transportation, environmental, manufacturing, hospitality, commercial, food safety, family/divorce, and utilities/energy.  View full CV.

Isabela Ferraz brings over a decade of experience in conflict management, focusing on early intervention and building rapport to foster lasting change. As a senior mediator, she played a pivotal role in rebuilding and expanding the U.S. Department of Energy’s ADR Office, providing conflict resolution support to over 100,000 federal employees and contractors. She helped design and launch a training program that emphasized skills practice, and its popularity contributed to a reduction in formal complaints for eight consecutive years. Isabela specializes in workplace and employment disputes, applying her compassionate, proactive approach in both the public and private sectors. She has also coached neutrals and students, supported restorative justice initiatives, and judged international ADR competitions.

Gary Shaw brings over 20 years of leadership experience in healthcare systems and hospitals across the U.S., along with two decades of service in the U.S. Navy’s Medical Service Corps. Most recently, he served as President and CEO of Nantucket Cottage Hospital, guiding the institution through the COVID-19 pandemic and implementing Whole Person Care principles. Previously, Gary led Cambridge Medical Center, advancing quality initiatives, and served as Administrator of Alaska Native Medical Center, improving service delivery in partnership with Southcentral Foundation. A U.S. Navy veteran who served during four wars, Gary holds degrees in Healthcare/Business Administration and Operations Management and is a Life Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives. He resides near Nashville, Tennessee. View full bio.

Cynthia Pyle Manley is a seasoned conflict resolution practitioner, certified coach, and wellness strategist with over 15 years of experience guiding individuals and organizations through transition, dialogue, and systems change. A former practitioner with the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service (FMCS), she has led national initiatives rooted in restorative practices, emotional intelligence, and behavioral transformation. Her work spans collaborations with the Department of Justice, U.S. Department of Education, and Office of Personnel Management, and she now leads Thrive Frameworks—integrating trauma-informed coaching, leadership development, and human-centered design. Cynthia holds an M.P.P. in Social Policy, is an ICF-certified PCC coach, and brings over 200 hours of mediation training and trauma-informed facilitation to her work. View full bio.

Denise Patterson McKenney is a recently retired Commissioner and Senior Mediator with the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service, Office of Conflict Management and Prevention. She also served 11 years as Director of Equal Employment Opportunity. Denise’s expertise includes mediating collective bargaining agreements, workplace disputes, training design and delivery, conflict coaching, and systems design. She authored “Labor-Management Partnership: A 12 Step Program for Change” in the ABA’s Desk Book for ADR Practitioners. With 34 years of experience, she has presented workshops nationally and internationally. Denise earned a B.S. in Speech Communication from the University of Maryland and an M.S. in Instructional Systems Technology from UDC. She serves on the Federal Dispute Resolution Conference Board, OPM’s Presidential Rank Awards Committee, and Mediators Beyond Borders.

Barbara Viney brings over 35 years of federal experience helping organizations and individuals restore productivity by identifying root causes of conflict. She incorporates multiple methodologies to resolve conflict, including conflict coaching, mediation, facilitation, climate assessments, and training. Barbara recognizes that conflict can significantly impact productivity—sometimes decreasing it by as much as 80–100%—and has a strong track record of restoring efficiency through targeted engagement practices. Barbara’s versatility and ability to tailor her approach to meet the needs of diverse client populations consistently delivers measurable improvements in areas such as communication, collaboration, and workplace civility. She deploys tools such as the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator, Strength Deployment Inventory, Thomas-Kilman Instrument, and World Café workshops. She works with both small groups and large organizations, including federal executives, church leadership teams, and private clients.

Gemma Deleon-Lopresti is a nationally recognized mediator and facilitator with deep expertise in resolving complex disputes and strengthening workplace relationships. She has mediated hundreds of high-stakes collective bargaining disputes across industries, including arts and entertainment, manufacturing, transportation, and energy, helping labor and management move past impasse toward durable, interest-based solutions. Previously, Gemma served as Commissioner/Mediator and Northeast Field Operations Manager at the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service, where she led initiatives to improve labor-management relationships nationwide. Her experience includes facilitating joint labor-management committees, steward-supervisor development, interest-based bargaining, and customized training programs that build trust and collaboration. Gemma began her career within a labor union, giving her first-hand insight into workplace dynamics and credibility with both labor and management. A certified Prosci change management practitioner, she also supports leaders through organizational transitions. She holds a BA in Public Administration and an MBA in Business Management from St. John’s University. View full bio.