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May 2020 President’s Message with Andy Shelby

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Greetings SCMA Colleagues,

Below is a synopsis of upcoming events / information or you can listen to my YouTube video (5 and 1/2 minutes) for additional details and updates about these events and activities going on with SCMA! Like, all of you, we are evaluating our activities and adjusting due to the current environment.

Upcoming and confirmed dates for SCMA events

  • Legal Nuts & Bolts online/on-demand webinar is now available on our website. The target audience is for non-lawyer mediators who want to understand the basic terms that are used in court proceedings. This course is one of the requirements of non-lawyers for mediator certification with MC3 and is eligible for 3.0 hours of CLE.
  • Watch for our PDG meetings. They are now all being presented via zoom. This is a program for members only and is an opportunity to network and learn with others.
  • Webinar, Friday, May 22 at 11:00 am. Topic: The Future of Mediation and You – How will today’s environment impact how and what we mediate? Hear from three distinguished panelists: Jeff Kichaven, Kristin Rizzo, and Wendy Kramer. Registration to open early next week. Free for members, small fee for non-members.
  • Recordings of previous SCMA webinars are available on our website for purchase.

Events with locations and dates being finalized

  • Future webinars, in the works.
  • Annual Fall Conference (October 17), being reviewed.

Internal Infrastructure

We started the process of revamping our website and the internal data processing systems used to run our organization. Such as: how you access your profiles, how you renew your membership, how you register for events, etc. Our target date for implementation is late July/early August (we are learning a new system!).

Important links

Shout Out…

  • To Mark Lemke for recording the three-hour Nuts & Bolts training session!
  • To Mariam Vartkis for her contributions as SCMA’s Administrative Assistant from November or 2019 through May 15, 2020.

Thanks for staying connected to SCMA.

Stay safe, Stay Healthy !!!

Andy Shelby
SCMA President 2020

May’s YouTube Message

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SCMA is Hiring for a New Admin Assistant

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The Southern California Mediation Association (SCMA), founded in 1989, is the largest professional mediation association in California. Our mission is to nurture, expand, and develop the practice, profession, and community of mediation. Our goal is to enhance the skills of mediators (at all levels) by providing opportunities for learning and networking, along with the services we offer our members.

Job Opportunity

SCMA is seeking to fulfill the position of part-time Administrative Assistant for the organization. This is an at-will position.

Summary of Job Position

Provide administrative support for day-to-day operations and for all events, programs, and services offered by SCMA. Report to the President of the SCMA Board of Directors.

Responsibilities

  • Provide administrative support to the SCMA Board President. This includes, but is not limited to, coordinating the logistics for the monthly board meetings, maintaining board member and committee reports and rosters, updating the President on activities in the organization that the Administrative Assistant is involved with, and coordinating meetings as needed.
  • Provide administrative support to the SCMA President-Elect and other board members as needed.
  • Provide administrative and project management support for SCMA events.
  • Operate the back-end software system that is used for generating events, membership registrations, membership profiles, and other items that feed into the SCMA website.
  • Serves in the ‘host’ role for SCMA webinars and meetings utilizing the Zoom platform.
  • Maintain and update a process manual for the job.
  • Provide information for people who call or email into the organization about SCMA membership, benefits, services, or events.
  • Processes membership requests and event registration requests when members need assistance.
  • Support updating of the SCMA social media pages and communications.
  • Other duties as determined by the SCMA Board President.

Skills Required

  • Strong computer and technical skills.
  • Knowledge of online meeting and webinar programs such as Zoom.
  • Expertise in the Microsoft Office Suite, including Excel.
  • Social media management.
  • Meeting and event coordination skills.
  • Strong writing and communication skills, including the ability to draft basic communications to the SCMA Board, members, and related persons or entities.
  • Ability to run reports from various database platforms.
  • Create surveys using the Survey Monkey program.
  • Project management.
  • Pro-active planning.
  • Excellent customer service skills.
  • Ability to work with a diverse group of mediators

Experience Desired

  • Administrative experience.
  • Experience with database programs used in a business environment.
  • Basic website updating.
  • Event planning.

Education Desired

  • BA/BS degree.

Pay and Hours

  • Pay range is $18.00 – $20.00 per hour, DOE.
  • Normal work week will be 15 hours per week, 3 hours per day, Monday through Friday during daytime hours.
  • Hours may be expanded and include some evenings or Saturdays for events. Daily start times and stop times may vary based on meetings or events.
  • The position is remote where you would work out of your home. However, your presence is required at events that we schedule during the year. This could range from 4 – 8 events, typically on a Saturday, lasting from 2 – 8 hours for each event. Occasionally we could have a weekday evening event.

Application Timeline and Submittal Process

By Friday, May 15, 2020, please send your resume, no longer than two pages, to SCMA President Andy Shelby at andycshelby@gmail.com.

SCMA is an equal opportunity employer. To learn more about SCMA, visit www.scmediation.org.

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April 2020 President’s Message with Andy Shelby

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Greetings SCMA Colleagues,

Below is a synopsis of upcoming events/information or you can listen to my video (6 minutes) for additional details and updates about other projects and activities going on with SCMA! Like, all of you, we are evaluating our activities and adjusting due to the current environment.

Upcoming and confirmed dates for SCMA events

  • Legal Nuts & Bolts online/on-demand webinar. The target audience is for non-lawyer mediators who want to understand the basic terms that are used in court proceedings. This course is also one of the requirements for mediator certification with MC3. The target date is late April.
  • SCMA annual conference on Saturday, October 17, 2020, at the LA Grand Hotel, Downtown Los Angeles. This could be moved depending on the environment and taking into consideration the advance planning that is required to put on such an event.
  • Recordings of previous SCMA webinars are now available on our website for purchase.

Events with locations and dates being finalized

  • Employment Mediation Institute to be held at the USC Gould School of Law. Format and date currently in review.
  • SCMA’s summer networking event in early August – Postponed as this is an in-person networking event.
  • Future webinars, in the works.

Internal Infrastructure

We are in the process of revamping our website and the internal data processing systems used to run our organization. Such as: how you access your profiles, how you renew your membership, how you register for events, etc. You will not see anything new for now but in about 90 days we hope to have this implemented.

Important links

Shout Out…

Thanks for staying connected to SCMA

Stay safe, Stay Healthy !!!

Andy Shelby
SCMA President 2020

April’s YouTube Message

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RECAP: 2020 Family Mediation Institute

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SCMA’s Annual Family Institute 2020 Recap

“Building Interdisciplinary Teams –
A Blueprint for Success”

We were fortunate to produce and complete our 3rd Annual Family Mediation Institute presented by the Southern California Mediation Association before the Coronavirus quarantine was upon us! This year the event was held on Friday, February 28th and Leap Year Saturday, February 29th at the Westin South Coast Plaza. Attendees at the FMI enjoyed Friday night’s Mixer and Reception sponsored by Commerce Home Mortgage at Antonello Ristorante in South Coast Village. In addition to networking, good food, and an overall good time, it was an absolute honor to present the inaugural SCMA Star Award for Innovation and Excellence in Family Conflict Resolution to the man who inspired the award and one of the leading stars in our field, our friend and colleague, Forrest Mosten “Woody”! The best part? We surprised him!

On Saturday we examined the definition of teamwork and highlighted the characteristics of an effective team. By emphasizing the importance of team-mates, and team building attendees learned how effective use of teams can help families that are facing conflict and reorganization. Effective teamwork requires that we connect with other divorce professionals and we provided plenty of opportunities for attendees to make those connections throughout the day, as well as having the opportunity to learn from our phenomenal team of speakers.

Forrest “Woody” Mosten inspired us with his innovative Keynote presentation on the benefits of the Interdisciplinary Team Model in family mediation. We were entertained by the affable and extremely knowledgeable, Mark C. Hill, CFP®, CDFA® who was able to explain the role of the financial consultant in a manner that was informative but never boring as one might expect whenever balance sheets and financial calculations are the subjects. After lunch, Christina McGhee helped us understand how we can shift co-parents out of change-resistance and towards better outcomes for their children and themselves. She also included a clip from the impactful documentary film “Split ”as part of her plenary presentation. At lunch, The SCMA presented four of our FMI Exhibitors during the new Exhibitor Spotlight featuring: OurFamilyWizard; Soberlink, Conscious Co-parenting and Learn to Mediate On-line. The day ended with an all-star group of Divorce Coaches, Kate Anthony, Karen Bigman and Wendy Sterling moderated by the SCMA’s own, Susan Guthrie.

What Our Attendees and Speakers are Saying…

“This Conference is definitely one to put on your radar. I have presented at and been to many conferences throughout my career. So when I say the event hosted by the Southern California Mediation Association this past weekend was AMAZING, it means something. Being a presenter at this conference was both an honor and incredibly humbling. The level of compassion and dedication of the dispute resolution professionals I met was inspiring. If you are interested in attending a conference that’s focused on changing the face of divorce, this is an event you should put on your calendar.” – Christina McGhee, Plenary Speaker

“Thank each of you for an absolutely amazing Family Mediation Institute! Frankly, an event of this quality is what I expected when I joined the SCMA. Thank you again for providing an absolutely fabulous professional development opportunity!” – Richard Erhard, Attendee and SCMA Board Member

“I wish to express my heartfelt appreciation for the wonderful honor that SCMA bestowed on me and my family. As SCMA is my home organization, it means more to me than I can express. You all should feel extremely proud of the conference that you offered our profession. You recruited a strong program, everyone felt warmly welcomed, and every detail was perfectly executed. I have spoken at many international conferences that could learn and improve by emulating SCMA. I look forward to creating peace with you all and my dear colleagues at SCMA for many years to come.” – Forrest “Woody” Mosten, Keynote Speaker and Star Award Recipient

Photo Highlights

Click Here to View Full 2020 FMI Photo Gallery

Thanks to All Our Sponsors and Exhibitors

 
Academy of Professional Family Mediators
Collaborative Divorce Solutions
Commerce Home Mortgage
Conscious CoParenting Institute
https://www.dcomply.com/
James Valle & Company, CPAs
John Rydell - A Plus Appraisals
Laurel Real Estate Resources
Learn to Mediate Online
New Day Divorce
Online Parenting Programs
QDRO Division
Soberlink
Steve Newman
USC School of Law
 
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March 2020 President’s Message from Andy Shelby

,

Greetings SCMA Colleagues:

Below is a synopsis of upcoming events / information or you can listen to my YouTube video (4 ½ minute) for additional details and updates about other projects and activities going on with SCMA!

Upcoming and confirmed dates for SCMA events

Events with locations and dates being finalized

  • Legal Nuts & Bolts online/on-demand webinar in April.
  • Employment Mediation Institute in June to be held at the USC Gould School of Law.
  • SCMA’s summer networking event in early August.
  • Future webinars, in the works.

Important links

Shout Out

  • To Terri Breer, who chaired SCMA’s Family Mediation Institute (FMI) on February 28 and 29 in Costa Mesa. FMI committee included Susan Guthrie and Laura McGee.
  • To Sidney Kanazawa, who is joining Aaron Larks-Stanford as the new co-leader of the Westside PDG (Professional Development Group).

Thanks for being a part of the SCMA.

Andy Shelby
SCMA President 2020

March’s YouTube Message

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