Rob McLaughlin
M.A. in Conflict Resolution, 2002
Hometown: Lebanon, OH.
(Between Dayton and Cincinnati)
Rob is the
Founder and Executive Director of Community
Mediation Services of Southern Ohio, Founder and Principal of Mosaic Group LLC,
and serves as President
of the Ohio Community
Mediation Association. Rob is actively
working to create a comprehensive systems strategy for social transformation
whereby conflict resolution skills can be adopted and taught
within
the Business,
Education, Faith, Health & Human Services, Police & Fire, Government,
and Legal sectors. Rob hopes to introduce the model throughout
the state and eventually gain national support.
When he started
the Graduate Program in Conflict Resolution at Antioch University
McGregor, Rob was the Director of the Greene County Branch
of United Way of the Greater Dayton Area. After his first year
in the program and his practicum, Rob began sub-contracting with
The ARIA Group, Inc. to
provide Conflict Resolution Training in the workforce and served
as Project Manager for the Cincinnati Police Community Relations
Collaborative (an
unprecedented and historical effort to resolve alleged racial
profiling by police through participatory consensus building and
mediation). To date, Rob has trained over a thousand individuals
in dispute resolution techniques
and processes. Rob’s expertise is in Identity Based Conflict and
in building and bridging relationships between diverse populations.
According
to Rob, “My interest in this work originates from my days
as a paramedic in the late 80’s. I entered the field to help people
only to find myself saddened and frustrated when in situations
of providing late intervention. Once someone was the victim of
violence it was too late…what
good could I do? I vividly remember having these thoughts as
I worked on a man who had been shot in the head. It was my participation
in the Masters
in Conflict Resolution Program that enabled me to clarify and
understand my personal and professional interest and needs. The
program added new meaning
and understanding to my past experiences. I realized my interest
in violence prevention/early intervention, and in empowering
people to take action based
on informed and reflective decisions. The program has greatly
contributed to my career and my life.”
