Local Mediator receives International Recognition

MONTGOMERY COUNTY, TX -- Charlsie Moore, volunteer mediator with The Dispute Resolution Center of Montgomery County, Inc. (DRC-MC) has been mediating cases since 2000, generally 1-3 cases weekly. Last week she received national and international recognition from the National Association for Community Mediation (NAFCM) from Lori Diekman, Strategic Partnership & Resource Coordinator for NAFCM via ZOOM video conferencing in an event at the DRC-MC office in Conroe. NAFCM recognized Charlsie as the Outstanding Community Based Volunteer Mediator in the United States and Canada for the last quarter of 2019. She is the only recipient of the NAFCM award for this quarter.

The mission of the NAFCM is to advance the work of community mediation, aggregate the wisdom of community mediation and project the voice of community peacemakers. The membership-based, non-profit organization “supports community-based mediators in the United States and Canada in creating safe spaces for the transformation of conflict to opportunities for engagement, resolution and partnership through the work and will of the participants and those impacted”.

Charlsie has a special passion for conducting Child Protective Services (CPS) mediations for children who may have been abused or neglected. “My CPS parent clients find her endearing and responsive as well as attuned to their feelings”, said Michelle Finger Cantoni, Attorney at Law. “Charlsie allows the parents to have a voice, which is crucial when many times they are not allowed to be heard. She is an asset to mediations”.
Charlsie Moore has performed thousands of mediations free of charge for Montgomery County over the years. Charlsie has also been the primary advocate for CPS mediations enabling families to work on family plans sooner and begin working collaboratively for the best interests of the child(ren) as soon as possible. A scholarship is given annually in her honor at Texas Tech University allowing individuals interested in conflict resolution to financially complete their ADR education and training. The scholarship is awarded to the top-ranking student in the Advanced Mediation Clinic.

Over the years, Charlsie has also been a trainer for 23 General and 23 Family Mediation Training Classes and has taught 3 Child Protective Service Mediation Classes. Charlsie also works with Montgomery County students in grades K-4 dressing up as Mama Bear so that the children can mediate the dispute between Goldilocks and the 3 Bears. Kids love her as much as the adults in her training classes.

“Charlsie has been the mediator for well over 100 mediations in CPS cases where I represent either the children or the parents. She works well with attorneys, CASA, CPS, parents, and caregivers alike. She not only takes the time to understand the cases but encourages us to work outside the box to settle our cases amicably”, said LeeAnne Hill, Divorce and Family Law Attorney. “She does amazing work and never gives up hope that we will settle keeping relationships intact.”

Although she is approaching 80 years of age, she is always available to come in at the last minute to mediate, even in bad weather. Charlsie is a TMCA Credentialed Distinguished Mediator and has a conference room at the DRC-MC named the Charlsie Moore Mediation room for her contributions to the organization.