Jessica Baen has devoted her career to bridging divides, whether interpersonal, religious or political. As a Conflict Resolution Specialist at the Center for Creative Conflict Resolution at New York City’s Office of Administrative Trials and Hearings, Jessica provides mediation, facilitation and training services for city agencies and employees and serves as a circle keeper through the Center’s Restorative Practices program. She also consults with a variety of NGOs and community organizations. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Religious Studies from McGill University and a Master in Public Affairs from Princeton University.

Practice Areas 

  • Mediation
  • group dialogue facilitation
  • conflict coaching
  • circle keeping and training.

Qualifications 

MPA (Master in Public Affairs)

Experience 

Center for Creative Conflict Resolution, Office of Administrative Trials and Hearings, City of New York

Conflict Resolution Specialist   8/19 – present 

  • Mediate workplace disputes for New York City employees and agencies.
  • Facilitate group dialogue and restorative circles to address conflict and improve team dynamics.
  • Provide trainings on mediation skills, conflict, de-escalation and restorative practices.
  • Provide coaching and strategic consultation to city agencies and mayoral offices.

 

Conflict Resolution Consultant, New York, NY       9/17 – present

  • Provide training, mediation, dialogue facilitation and curriculum design services to organizations including Mediators Beyond Borders’ Democracy, Politics and Conflict Engagement Initiative, Middle Collegiate Church, the Muslim Jewish Solidarity Committee, New York Public Radio, Make America Dinner Again and the New Jersey Interfaith Coalition.

 

Soliya, New York, NY       3/13 – 7/20

Trainer / Senior Facilitator / Facilitation Coach / Volunteer Facilitator  

  • Designed curriculum for incoming college students to engage in dialogue across differences.  
  • Co-led advanced training on cross-cultural dialogue facilitation.
  • Facilitated online, semester-long cross-cultural dialogue series on pressing global and social challenges between university students from Western and Middle Eastern or Muslim-majority societies. 

 

Saltzman Institute of War and Peace Studies, Columbia University, New York, NY       9/14 – 9/17

Research Manager/Staff Associate        

    • Oversaw field-based research project, “Assessing the Legitimacy of Timor-Leste’s Security Sector.”
  • Managed five-person research team and engaged in capacity building through provision of training in qualitative research methods and writing to staff at Timorese conflict prevention NGO, Belun.

 

School of International and Public Affairs, Columbia University, New York, NY       1/12 – 1/16

Coordinator, International Conflict Resolution and International Security Policy programs                 

  • Managed programming, budgeting, outreach and grant reporting for two graduate programs. Trained and supervised four program assistants and multiple graduate fellows each year.
  • Wrote grant proposals and successfully advocated for a multi-year extension of the International Conflict Resolution Practicum. Managed client recruitment and negotiation of memoranda of understanding. 
  • Planned and executed public events for government and United Nations officials. 

 

Center for Constitutional Rights, New York, NY       6/06 – 7/09                     

Paralegal – Guantanamo Global Justice Initiative

  • Coordinated legal representation for Guantanamo detainees with a national network of over 500 pro bono attorneys, assisted with attorney trainings and managed a database tracking over 700 detainees.
  • Participated in attorney-client meetings with detainees at Guantanamo Bay Naval Station, communicated with client families in Saudi Arabia, Yemen and Afghanistan and drafted client correspondence.
  • Drafted material for advocacy campaigns and congressional lobbying efforts, collaborated with NGOs in the United States and abroad and assisted in drafting asylum applications.

 

East Bay Community Mediation, Oakland and Berkeley, CA                   12/02 – 3/06

Supervising Case Manager, 2/04 – 3/06; Case Manager, 12/02 – 2/04

 

  • Provided pre-mediation assessment and counseling for landlord-tenant, police-civilian, family, small business and multi-party disputes, mediated cases, supervised case intake and maintained client database.
  • Established Civil Harassment Mediation Program at the Alameda County Superior Court.
  • Coordinated over 100 volunteer mediators and coached mediation trainings. Supervised team of eight volunteer case managers.

Languages 

  • English
  • French (proficient written and spoken)

Regions:

North America