About UsU.S. Institute for Environmental Conflict ResolutionUSIECRCongress established the U.S. Institute for Environmental Conflict Resolution in 1998. The U.S. Institute's mission is to help resolve environmental disputes that involve the federal government, by providing mediation, training and related services.Included within the term "environmental" disputes are conflicts related to the environment, public lands and natural resources. Congress also directed the U.S. Institute to work to further the implementation of our National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) by providing negotiation, mediation, and other settlement efforts as alternatives to litigation.Udall FoundationCongress placed the U.S. Institute within the Udall Foundation. The Foundation is an independent federal agency based in Tucson, Arizona. As a result, the U.S. Institute is part of the federal government - but it is completely independent of all other federal agencies. Congressional sponsors of the legislation creating the Institute thought it was appropriate for it to be part of the Udall Foundation, as Sen. John McCain said, because Morris Udall's career "was distinguished by his integrity, service and commitment to consensus-building." http://udall.gov/USIECR StaffThe U.S. Institute has a staff of about 30, including Deputy Executive Director for Environmental Conflict Resolution program managers, project and administrative staff. The Institute provides services nationwide and frequently partners with private-sector mediators and facilitators who are located in the geographic area of a dispute. These outside mediators are among the more than 300 members of the Institute’s National Roster of Environmental Dispute Resolution and Consensus Building Professionals. This resource is also available to anyone searching for an ECR professional at Roster of ECR Practitioners.In addition to their mediation and facilitation skills, the Institute's professional staff have backgrounds in many related fields, including law, public policy, natural resource and public lands management, urban planning, air quality, transportation, energy, and Native American issues.Gail BrooksSenior Associate for Programs and Communication -- Roster of ECR Professionals Suzanne OrensteinDirector of the Udall Foundation’s Washington DC OfficePatricia OrrDirector of Policy, Planning & Budget -- Case & Project Evaluation Tina GargusProgram Associate -- ECR Training Olivia MontesAssistant to the Directors -- General Information Jerry CarterWebmaster Sarah PalmerSenior Program Manager -- Case consultation areas: Native American and Alaska Native, federal- tribal engagement on cultural and natural resource issues, Native Network Skills Exchange workshop Brian ManwaringProgram Manager -- Case consultation areas: Wetlands, rivers, fisheries, coastal and marine issues Cherie Shanteau-WheelerDirector of Programs -- Case consultation areas: Administrative proceedings, mediated settlements, military bases, training for Federal managers and others involved in environmental conflicts Debra Drecksel Senior Program Manager/Senior Facilitator -- Case consultation areas: Transportation, any other areas not listed ...Maggie McCaffreySenior Program Manager -- Case consultation areas: Public lands management, fire and fuels management, landscape restoration, ecosystems assessment, planning and management Mark SchaeferMark Schaefer Deputy Executive Director for Environmental Conflict Resolution -- Case consultation areas: National Policy Dialogues and Regional Environmental Forums Karen Siderelis Director of Technology CollaborationCaelan McGee Senior Program Manager/Senior FacilitatorTheresa Fernandez Receptionist/Financial AssistantKimberly Caringer Senior Program AssociatePat Lewis Senior Program AssociateMitchell Chrismer Program AssociateTo help resolve environmental disputes that involve the federal governmentImpartialitySince 1998 the U.S. Institute has been an impartial entity inside the federal government, independent of other agencies, that provides conflict resolution services to help public and private interests manage and resolve environmental conflicts nationwide. IndependenceThe U.S. Institute carefully guards its independence and impartiality. The Board of Trustees for the Foundation has adopted a strong conflict of interest policy, which emphasizes that the U.S. Institute's dispute resolution work is entirely independent of and without influence from the Board.ServicesResolve environmental conflicts and improve environmental decision-making by the appropriate use of ECR through U.S. Institute case services.1CapacityResolve environmental conflicts and improve environmental decision-making by increasing the capacity of agencies and other affected stakeholders and practitioners to manage and resolve conflicts through the appropriate use of ECR.2LeadershipResolve environmental conflicts and improve environmental decision-making by providing leadership to guide ECR practice and policy development within the federal government.32013-08-26http://www.ecr.gov/HowWeWork/AboutUs.aspxOwenAmburOwen.Ambur@verizon.net