SAVANNAH, GA – May 22, 2018 – The Mediation Center of the Coastal Empire has been awarded $2,000 from South State Bank. The funds received will benefit the Mediation Center’s Community Conferencing program, which has gained momentum over the past few months as an in-demand dispute-resolution option.

The Community Conferencing program, which is overseen by Mediation Center’s Director of Youth Programs Crystal Commodore, provides a safe and structured space for people involved in a conflict or crime to meet and resolve the incident. Community Conferencing can be used to resolve a multitude of situations, such as minor assault, breaking and entering, shoplifting, property destruction, burglary,
trespassing and auto theft. The process helps people respond in constructive ways by inviting everyone affected to the conference and encouraging them to share their feelings and thoughts on how best to remedy the conflict.

Mediation Center Executive Director Jill Cheeks expressed gratitude for South State Bank’s generosity and the value the bank sees in the program.

“Community Conferencing is a response that has been demonstrated in many jurisdictions to be effective more than 90% of the time, which we’re currently exceeding in Chatham County. The conference provides an opportunity to heal the harm that has been caused and for the community to heal. The person who caused harm is held accountable for their actions and they contribute to the
development of a specific plan for how to prevent future incidents and define a better path going forward,” Cheeks said. “We’re thankful to South State Bank for awarding us these funds, which will support a program that, ultimately, benefits our whole community.”

Commodore and Mediation Center board member Buddy Metzger accepted the donation check this week from bank representatives Holden T. Hayes, Division President, and Eula J. Parker, Senior Vice President and Community Development Officer, during a brief ceremony at the Mediation Center.

For more information on the Mediation Center of the Coastal Empire or Community Conferencing, please visit mediationsavannah.com, call 912-354-6686 or email info@mediationsavannah.com.

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For media inquiries, please contact Hollie Barnidge at hollie@lesleyfrancispr.com or 912-272-8651 or Lesley Francis at lesley@francis.com at 912-429-3950 or the team at 912-417-LFPR (5377)

SAVANNAH, GA – MAY 17, 2018 – The Mediation Center of the Coastal Empire recently announced a rebrand and a refocus for one of its more successful youth programs. The Children of Peaceful Engagement (COPE) program was introduced on a trial basis in 2017 and
has now been expanded and launched as BRAVE – Building Relationships and Voicing Emotions.

“We are committed to building on our youth programs and, after a successful trial period working with school-age children, we believe that our program to help children develop the skills for Building Relationships and Voicing Emotions offers a real opportunity for the greater
Savannah community,” Mediation Center Executive Director Jill Cheeks said.

The BRAVE program teaches children who are going through stressful situations how to build skills to create healthy relationships and understand emotions. Proven engagement strategies that focus on understanding and emotional learning can be taught on-site in schools, libraries, meeting centers and other public facilities. BRAVE consists of four modules and can be customized to be delivered in one session or multiple sessions.

This summer, BRAVE will be implemented by Horizons Savannah and will continue at Park Place Outreach, a youth emergency shelter that provides support for troubled children and teens from Savannah and the surrounding area. Julie Wade, executive director of Park Place Outreach, said “BRAVE is a very informative program with impressive curriculum. It keeps the children’s attention and is centered on the biggest social issues youth face today, such as being able to deal with anger, the grief cycle, feelings of denial and acceptance. Youth need to feel heard, share experiences, and learn new skills, and BRAVE delivers.”

To learn more about the Mediation Center or the BRAVE Program, please visit mediationsavannah.com.

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For media inquiries, please contact Hollie Barnidge at hollie@lesleyfrancispr.com or 912-272-8651 or Lesley Francis at lesley@francis.com at 912-429-3950 or the team at 912-417-LFPR(5377).

SAVANNAH, GA – April 11, 2018 – The Mediation Center of the Coastal Empire is slated to host its 2018 Youth Awards Extravaganza at 6 p.m. Wednesday, April 25 at Woodville Tompkins Technical & Career High School, 151 Coach Joe Turner St., in Savannah.

This event serves to recognize student mediators who make a tremendous impact on both the community and as role models in their schools by helping their peers navigate conflict, develop conversation skills, and facilitate differences peacefully. WSAV news anchor Kim Gusby will emcee the event and Savannah-Chatham County Public School System Superintendent Dr. Ann Levett will be the keynote speaker.

The Mediation Center’s Peer Mediation Program is a confidential process for resolving conflicts. Students have the opportunity to talk through difficult situations with the help of these trained student mediators. Peer Mediators do not take sides and keep all information confidential. This process nurtures empathy and empowers students to develop their own solutions.

The Peer Mediation Program has trained students in over 35 schools. The program consists of delivering Peer Mediator Training to student mediators from second to 12th grade, which prepares them to mediate conflict among their classmates. Sixty-two percent of incidents occur
in the classroom, taking away from valuable instruction time. School coordinators have supported these Peer Mediators to mediate over 300 disputes during the 2016-17 school year, with 97 percent resulting in students reaching an agreement, and 92 percent of agreements remaining effective one-month post mediation.

“It is so important to our organization that we recognize these peer mediators who are committed to making their school a peaceful place to learn. These students go through intensive training in communication, problem-solving and conflict-resolution skills before becoming peer mediators and it’s vital that we recognize their hard work and accomplishments,” Mediation Center Executive Director Jill Cheeks said.

Please register to attend this event by emailing info@mediationsavannah.com as space is limited. To learn more about the Mediation Center or the Peer Mediation Program, please visit mediationsavannah.com.

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For media inquiries, please contact Hollie Barnidge at hollie@lesleyfrancispr.com or 912-272-8651 or Lesley Francis at lesley@francis.com at 912-429-3950 or the team at 912-417-LFPR(5377).

SAVANNAH, GA – March 22, 2018 – Mediation Center of the Coastal Empire Executive Director Jill Cheeks will present to members of the Rotary Club of Savannah South at 12:30 p.m. Tuesday, April 10, 2018 at Carey Hilliard’s, 11111 Abercorn Extension, Savannah.

Cheeks’ presentation will provide background information on the Mediation Center, which is staffed with a team of experienced mediators who are trained to help residents in Chatham and surrounding counties resolve legal disputes without turning to litigation. The organization’s reputation is built on over 30 years of integrity and expertise, with a high success rate in resolving thousands of conflicts through resolution.

Cheeks has spoken and given presentations at various civic organizations and educational institutions around the Coastal Empire, including Georgia Southern University. She also provides workplace conflict resolution and facilitation services through the Mediation Center and
has worked in partnership with many local businesses. Cheeks is eager to share the Mediation Center’s mission with Savannah South Rotarians.

“Partnerships with the community are a vital part of the Mediation Center’s mission and services,” said Cheeks. “We are thankful for the opportunity to speak with the Savannah South Rotary Club in the hopes of gaining additional support to help keep the Mediation Center
moving forward.”

Rotary is a global network of 1.2 million neighbors, friends, leaders, and problem-solvers who come together to make positive, lasting change in communities at home and abroad. Rotarians contribute their time, energy and passion to sustainable, long-term projects in local communities across the globe. Rotary brings together a global network of volunteer leaders who dedicate their time and talent to tackle the world’s most pressing humanitarian challenges. Their work impacts lives at both the local and international levels, from helping families in need in their own communities to working toward a polio-free world.

For more information about this event or the Mediation Center, please visit mediationsavannah.com, call 912-354-6686 or email info@mediationsavannah.com. To learn more about the Rotary Club of Savannah South, please visit www.savannahsouthrotary.com.

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For media inquiries, please contact Hollie Barnidge at hollie@lesleyfrancispr.com or 912-272-8651 or Lesley Francis at lesley@francis.com at 912-429-3950 or the team at 912-417-LFPR (5377).

SAVANNAH, GA – March 21, 2018 – The Mediation Center of the Coastal Empire announces the addition of five new members to its board of directors: Leslie Cecil Keene, Brian Dennison, Daniel Massey, Susannah Pedigo and Tara Scott-Brown.

Cecil Keene is the Senior Staff Attorney for Chief Judge Michael Karpf, having served in this position for 24 years. She holds a degree from the University of Florida, Florida Atlantic University, and the University of Miami School of Law. In Law School she served on the University of Miami Law Review and prior to moving to Savannah, Leslie practiced commercial litigation as an attorney in Miami. She is a member of the Florida and Georgia Bars, the Savannah Bar Association, and currently serves on the executive committee for the SBA, the Georgia Association of Women Lawyers, and is a graduate of both Leadership Savannah (2008) and Leadership Georgia (2007). She is also very active in the community, having served on several Boards, including CASA, the Junior League of Savannah, and the Board of Trustees at the Savannah Country Day School. She is married to Dennis Keene, a partner at Bouhan Falligant, and has two children, Michael, a Junior, attending the University of Georgia and Erin, a Freshman, attending the University of Alabama.”

Dennison has been a member of the Georgia Bar since 1999 and serves as the Assistant School Board Attorney for the Savannah Chatham County Public School System. He holds a Bachelors, MBA, and JD from the University of Georgia and a PhD in Private Law from the
University of Cape Town. Brian served as a missionary law lecturer at Uganda Christian University (UCU) from 2008 to 2015. While at UCU, Brian coordinated a clinical legal education program that engaged student teams in the mediation of land disputes and plea-
bargaining activities. Brian is the co-editor of the book “Legal Ethics and Professionalism: A Handbook for Uganda.”

Massey, a Mississippi native, attended Armstrong on the GI Bill after spending four years in the Air Force. He graduated in 1976 with a BBA (Management) and continued his education obtaining a MA from Central Michigan University. He started his career as the Court Administrator of Chatham County Recorder’s Court in 1976 where he designed and implemented the first local computer system for case management. He also implemented the first community service program for minor offenders in lieu of incarceration. Massey served as
City Manager for the City of Pooler at a critical time when expanding the infrastructure was imperative for future growth of the city. The City was the recipient of two Innovation Achievement Awards from the Georgia Municipal Association during his tenure. After his tenure with the City of Pooler Massey spent six years in the private sector before returning to his first love, the courts. In 1998 and started the Alternative Dispute Resolution Program serving all the local courts. He became a general and domestic mediator in addition to overseeing the program designed to speed up civil case resolution, reduce cost, and strive for a resolution amenable to all parties. He was the 2002 recipient of the Edward Hester Award from the Savannah Bar Association. He was elected to three terms as Clerk of Superior Court of Chatham County where he retired in 2016.

Pedigo is a local attorney with The Pedigo Law Firm, P.C. She focuses her practice exclusively in the area of family law, which includes divorce, child custody and visitation, child support, alimony, prenuptial agreements, legitimation and family violence. She received her BS in
International Affairs, with high honors, from the Georgia Institute of Technology in 1999 and her JD degree, cum laude, from the University of Georgia in 2004. She has been in practice in Savannah since her graduation from law school and is a member of the Savannah Bar
Association, a past-president of the Savannah Chapter of the Georgia Association for Women Lawyers, and a 2012 Leadership Savannah Graduate. She is also currently serving as a Board Member with America’s Second Harvest of Coastal Georgia.

Scott-Brown is a 1995 Alumnus of Savannah State University and holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Political Science. She is also a 2002 Alumnus of Georgia Southern University, where she received a Masters of Education degree in Higher Education-Student Services, and
a 2006 Graduate of Leadership Savannah. She is married to Mr. Jerome Brown, Jr. and they have two children, Taylor (15) and Nia (10) and is a Real Estate Paralegal for the Law Firm of Bonzo C. Reddick, Esq. She is very active in the community and actively involved in her church, Living Hope Community Fellowship under the Leadership of Pastor Joyce C. Hall.

The Mediation Center provides the coastal community with access to mediation and other dispute-resolution methods as an alternative to litigation. The Mediation Center also provides training to businesses, schools, organizations, other institutions, and individuals in order to
enhance conflict-resolution skills throughout the community. “We’re delighted to welcome such high caliber members to the Mediation Center’s Board of Directors. Mediation Center Executive Director Jill Cheeks said. “We are very excited about the leadership skills and guidance they bring to the table.”

For more information about The Mediation Center, please visit mediationsavannah.com, call 912-354-6686 or email info@mediationsavannah.com.

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For media inquiries, please contact Hollie Barnidge at hollie@lesleyfrancispr.com or 912-272-8651 or
Lesley Francis at lesley@francis.com at 912-429-3950 or the team at 912-417-LFPR (5377).