A Brief Biography

Born in Pennsylvania, raised in Rhode Island, schooled in Massachusetts and North Carolina, I have spent all of my adult life in California and Montana.
Married to Dede Taylor, an adjunct professor of art history at MSU, since 1994. We have four children: a daughter aged 39 (two granddaughters 7 and 4) and three sons, 30, 24 and 22 who attended Bozeman schools (the youngest from Kindergarten through Bozeman High).
Moved to Montana in 1994, after "retiring" from the practice and teaching of law. While licensed to practice law in Montana, since 1994 my primary employment has been as a neutral (mediator, arbitrator and facilitator) in legal and public policy disputes or discussions. Work has taken me as far away as Sweden, but is mostly concentrated in Montana and Wyoming.
Adjunct professor in College of Business, MSU, teaching Business Law since 2005.
Mediation/arbitration/facilitation practice

The key to success in all consensus processes is a group of people who have different points of view and experiences, who are well informed, and who are able to listen to each other and to competently articulate their understanding of a situation. I believe that this is also one of the keys to good government.

My work has been in the following areas:

Mostly in areas of high conflict, such as family mediation.
Consensus processes involving all points of view in a given issue.
Facilitation with dozens of consensus-related processes:
- Bozeman School District
- Cities of Helena, Kalispell, Missoula, Jackson, Wyoming, Bozeman

INVOLVEMENT WITH CITY GROUPS AND ISSUES

Facilitation with groups involved in City issues:

Bogert park neighbors and skate boarders
City of Bozeman, zoning variance application discussions, in conjunction with the Community Mediation Center
Library Land Task Force
Affordable Housing Task Force
Citizen meetings updating the 2020 plan
Meeting with North East Neighborhood Association and City representatives
Meeting of GALLEP
Meetings related to Story Mansion

PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATIONS

Montana Mediation Association, President-Elect 1998-1999, President 1999-2002, Past-President 2002-2004
Association for Conflict Resolution 1995-present, Advanced Practitioner 2008 State Bar of Montana 1995
Dispute Resolution Committee, Term 1997-2000, 2000-2003, 2003-2006 Chair 2002- 2004
Montana Arbitration Association, Board of Directors, Vice President 2001- present

COMMUNITY SERVICE

Bozeman School Board 2001-present, Vice-Chair 2004-2006, Chair 2006-2008
Board, Community Mediation Center, 1996-2003 , Secretary to the Board 1996-2000, 2001-2002
FCBozeman Soccer Club, Board Member 2000-2003
Bozeman Area Soccer Referees Association, 1999-2005
AYSO Coach and referee, 1995-1999
Emerson Center for the Arts and Culture, Board Member 1995-2001, Board Chair 1997-2000
Cemetery Advisory Board, Member 1997-2003, Chair 2001-2003