GET TO KNOW US
Our Staff
Before joining the Upstate Mediation Center as Executive Director, Jennifer Olmert worked as an attorney at Lawrence, Lonon & Rudasill in Spartanburg. Prior to that, Jennifer spent nearly three years as a law clerk to the Honorable John W. Kittredge, then an associate judge of the South Carolina Court of Appeals. Immediately following law school, Jennifer worked as a Staff Attorney for the South Carolina Supreme Court. She received her Juris Doctor from the University of South Carolina School of Law and her Bachelor of Science in Psychology from Wofford College. Jennifer is a certified family mediator and is responsible for the day-to day operations of the UMC.
Spencer is an accountant specializing in bookkeeping and tax. After receiving her Master's Degree in Taxation from The University of Missouri - Kansas City, she has worked with various CPAs and is currently working on getting her CPA license. Spencer works with a variety of non-profit organizations and start-ups. Her favorite part of accounting and tax is helping clients. She is responsible for the accounting and financial operations of the UMC. Besides tax and accounting, she also enjoys tennis and fishing.
Our Board
Upstate Mediation Center is operated by a volunteer board of directors and is managed by an Executive Director and Mediation Coordinator. Our Board consists of the following individuals from different careers, backgrounds, and skills:
About
Our Mediators
Our team of volunteer mediators is an integral part of the UMC’s mission. The professionals who mediate for the UMC have received extensive training. All UMC mediators have completed 40-hour classroom training and have been mentored by experienced mediators. The majority of our mediators have advanced training or significant work experience in specialized areas such as family, real estate, business disputes and contract claims and most are certified by the South Carolina Board of Arbitrator and Mediator Certification. All of our mediators are encouraged to take continuing education classes which are provided by the UMC and other organizations. The mediators at the UMC come from a variety of backgrounds including business, government, education, health care, and many are lawyers. What they all have in common is a strong desire to assist others to effectively manage and resolve conflict. They are great listeners and communicators who are skilled at guiding people through the conflict resolution process with neutrality, confidentiality, sensitivity and fairness. UMC mediators do not make decisions or provide legal advice or advocate for either party. To insure the “affordable” aspect of our mission, all UMC mediators (both lay and attorney) are volunteers who donate their time and expertise as a community service and receive no compensation.
Emeritus Board Members
Attorney
Nexon Pruet, LLC
Dana Professor and Director
Furman University
Senior Litigation Attorney
South Carolina Legal Services
Co-Excecutive Director
Writers Block Project
Attorney
Wyche, PA
