About
MEDIATION PARTNERS
of New England
Mediation Partners of New England is a conflict consulting practice with proven expertise in the following areas:
- Family Discussions on Elder Care
- Family Discussions on Elder Care
- Business to Business Disputes
- Business to Customer Disputes
- Organizational Disputes
- Conflict Coaching
Firm principal Susanna Schweizer (Susan) has over 30 years of experience in business management, problem solving, and conflict resolution across multiple industries including banking, insurance, information technology, academia and nonprofits. Her most recent corporate position was at JP Morgan Chase in their worldwide information technology division. Prior experience includes positions at Fleet Bank, Oxford Health Plan, Digital Equipment Corporation, the graduate faculty at Simmons College, and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts.
Susan is a member of Association for Conflict Resolution, the New Hampshire Conflict Resolution Association and the Association of Family and Conciliation Courts. She has earned the designation of Certified Practitioner by the Association of Professional Family Mediators. Additionally, she is a Certified Dementia Practitioner. As one of five siblings and a mother in a blended family, Susan understands that harmony in families and businesses is priceless.
Principals That Guide Our Work
Patience/Stillness
A quiet but persistent curiosity about the situation with stillness as its background; the parties’ true beliefs and perceptions are uncovered.
Humility
An appreciation that seemingly unrelated circumstances are connected. Mediators do not judge or evaluate or propose solutions.
Listening
Full attention to both the large and small details of the situation. Effective listening discerns not only what is said but also what is in the heart of the speaker.
Susan's Resume Includes:
- 2014 graduate of Champlain College’s master’s program in Mediation and Conflict Studies
- Academy of Professional Family Mediators
- Certified Practitioner Member
- Experience in both Massachusetts and New Hampshire district courts including cases for small claims, civil writs and housing matters.
- Over 65 graduate credit hours in negotiation and dispute resolution principles, theories, and practices.
- Former elected Moderator for the Town of Grantham, NH
- Leadership positions in several non-profit boards.
- Masters in Mediation and Conflict Studies at Champlain College, Burlington VT
- Negotiating several multi-million dollar national contracts between businesses and service providers as well as managing complicated global service contracts acting in an ombudsman-like role.
- Instrumental in a re-organization that enhanced responsibilities of two business units catapulting each to successfully address their missions.
- Over 300 hours of experience in mediation and other conflict resolution work across the courts, non-profits, businesses and churches.
Our Philosophy
Susan brings to her clients focused energy, a trustworthy presence and a unique ability to assist parties in analyzing the situation while collaborating on solutions that are not only feasible, but very often beneficial to each party. Much of her work is guided by John Paul Lederach’s writings on the “…Art and Soul of Building Peace.”
Mediation is a subtle yet organized approach to building a platform of respect and eventual trust that will in turn generate ideas and alternatives from which solutions may evolve. Our platform is constructed by identifying what is important to the parties and finding a way forward considering their respective needs.
Once the platform of mutual understanding of needs is developed, the mediator can encourage the parties to be “smart flexible,” that is to “adapt to respond to, create and take advantage of emerging… challenges” and turn them into a workable solution by which parties can go forward with a common understanding. Respect and mutual support are more likely to remain intact.
