Susan Borke grew up in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and has lived in the Washington, DC, area for most of her life. She received her undergraduate degree from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania and a JD from Temple University Beasley School of Law. Susan has over 30 years of experience working in television finance at CBS, for a private law firm, and as in-house counsel at National Geographic. She now runs her own business providing negotiation skills training and consulting to individuals and organizations. Susan volunteers with Negotiation Works because she is passionate about helping people develop as effective negotiators. She believes no one is born a master negotiator and that great negotiation skills come from a combination of knowledge, training, and practice. Susan joined Negotiation Works as a volunteer instructor in July 2021 and is an inaugural trainer for the men's and women's programs at the DC Jail. In teaching these negotiation classes, Susan has seen firsthand that the Negotiation Works curriculum speaks to the people who participate in its programs and that all participants learn something they can use to make their lives better.  She particularly enjoys hearing how the participants use the skills they've learned to negotiate more effectively for themselves and others. About her experience volunteering at Negotiation Works, Susan says, “I am so proud to be able to contribute to that process."

Originally from outside of New Haven, Conn., volunteer instructor Sharon Dennis has a BA from Mount Holyoke College and a JD from the University of Virginia School of Law. She has worked as a lawyer and lobbyist for a major conservation organization and done child advocacy work professionally and as a volunteer. Most recently, she helped build and run a women's collective giving organization known as Impact100 DC, which makes an annual transformational grant of $100,000 to a local nonprofit working to meet unmet community needs. Sharon volunteered with NW because the idea of supplying people with the tools they need to handle conflicts, negotiate positive results, and self-advocate really resonated with her. She is excited for the opportunity to work hands-on with clients in role playing and other scenarios to test how the elements of negotiation theory play out in real life contexts.

Margaret Emery, Negotiation Works instructor, was born in New York City and grew up in Burlington, Vermont. A graduate of Princeton University (B.A. English), Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies (M.A. International Development) and Georgetown University Law Center (J.D), she has worked as a journalist, policy analyst, and attorney for several legal aid organizations in the DC area. As an attorney who assists clients whose legal problems can be exacerbated by poor communication and conflict-resolution skills, she was drawn to Negotiation Works as an opportunity to help program participants develop the ability to advocate for themselves and learn the skills to make positive changes in their lives. 

Jayme Epstein grew up in Phoenix, Arizona. She attended Scripps College and Georgetown Law School. Upon completion of law school, Jamye worked for a private law firm and then joined the General Counsel's office of the Consumer Product Safety Commission. More recently, Jayme taught language arts and social studies to adults at Academy of Hope Adult Public Charter School who are working to earn their high school diplomas. What brought Jayme to Negotiation Works was a combination of her love of teaching and her appreciation of the importance of self-advocacy skills. She began volunteering with Negotiation Works in 2022 and teaches at both Calvary Women’s Services and Together We Bake. Jayme appreciates sharing negotiation tools with program participants and watching them put their skills to use in role play scenarios and gain the confidence necessary for negotiating life's everyday challenges.

Mike Jobbins grew up in Highland Park, New Jersey. He earned a Master's degree in Conflict Resolution from Georgetown University and a B.A. in Government from Harvard University. Mike currently serves as a Vice President of Global Affairs and Partnerships at Search for Common Ground, an international conflict transformation non-profit, where his work focuses on managing, designing and developing conflict resolution programs and supporting peace processes. Mike began volunteering with Negotiation Works in 2022 and teaches with the Negotiation Works programs at the DC Jail. Having been involved in conflict resolution activities internationally, Mike knows the importance of having effective negotiation skills, which is what led him to volunteer with Negotiation Works. He has also found that using negotiation skills serves him well in his personal life, and he looks forward to sharing those negotiation skills with individuals in the DC community.

Phuong Lue was a Vietnamese refugee whose family was accepted by Britain, where she grew up and graduated from Royal Holloway with a degree in Medical Biochemistry. She later received her MA in Education from George Mason University.  Phuong began her career in the non-profit sector with AALEAD, supporting low-income families in DC and evaluating educational programs, which fueled her passion for education and led her to become a special education teacher. Since then she has held various roles, including as a chemistry teacher, lead mentor for new teachers, school equity leader, department chair, and is currently a high school assistant principal. Phuong says she remains dedicated to closing the equity gap for students and their families, and striving to create inclusive and supportive learning environments. As a volunteer instructor, she believes negotiation and conflict resolution skills are invaluable for everyone and can play a crucial role in closing the equity gap for marginalized individuals.

Renee Matalon grew up in New York City. She received her bachelor's degree in Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations from Harvard College, and her JD from Harvard Law School. Renee began her legal career working in commercial litigation and administrative law before transitioning to work in the field of international development, including serving in the Office of the General Counsel at USAID. More recently, Renee founded her own firm where she provided legal counsel to nonprofit organizations on international operations. Currently, Renee serves as a family mediator in D.C. Superior Court, and her experiences in that role drew her to the mission of Negotiation Works. She is looking forward to providing people with tools to find their voices, achieve constructive outcomes, and reduce conflict.

Kathryn Menefee grew up in Fort Worth, TX. She received a B.A. from the University of Texas at Austin and a J.D. from Georgetown Law. Currently, Kathryn is a legal fellow at the National Women’s Law Center in Washington, D.C. Kathryn has been involved with Negotiation Works since 2019. Initially drawn to Negotiation Works’ mission and opportunity to teach, Kathryn has taught at Together We Bake, Reach Up, Calvary Women’s Services, and Friends of Guest House. She greatly enjoys helping participants work through disputes in their own lives. It is exciting when they tell her they’ve applied the negotiation concepts to their own life situations and found them to be effective! 

Adina Mobin grew up in Ashburn VA. She received her bachelor’s degree in Foreign Affairs from the University of Virginia, worked as a paralegal specialist with the Disability Rights Section of the Civil Rights Division in the U.S. Department of Justice, and is currently a law student at Northeastern University School of Law. Adina joined Negotiation Works as a volunteer instructor and storyteller because she believes that the negotiation skills of perspective-taking, persuasive communication, and active listening are critical to anyone, regardless of their background. She looks forward to teaching and learning from the communities that Negotiation Works serves.

Derek O’Leary, grew up in Boston. He studied French and Political Science at Amherst College and then received an M.A. in International Relations and Conflict Resolution at Tufts University and a PhD in U.S. and World History from the University of California, Berkeley. Derek, a practicing historian with a focus on 19th century U.S. history, is the Academic Director of the Archer Center, the Washington, D.C. campus of the University of Texas System. He believes that negotiation is an essential skill set and mentality that we can all apply in different aspects of our lives. Derek teaches with the Georgetown Pivot Program. He enjoys learning from his students who sometimes see situations differently from how he sees them.

James Palmer, originally from Illinois, is a data volunteer for Negotiation Works. He earned a BS in Operations Research with Honors from the United States Military Academy in 2019 and currently serves as an infantry Officer in the US Army. Previously stationed at Fort Carson, Colorado, he now performs business and data analytics for Army Human Resources (G-1) in Crystal City, Virginia. His hope is  to earn an MBA and an MS in Applied Math in the near future, and eventually either an MS or PhD in education. James joined Negotiation Works because he believes the work the organization does is incredibly important to build a more equitable society. He is eager to apply some of the data analysis techniques he’s learned throughout his educational and professional experience to support the mission. Negotiation Works empowers people at vulnerable points in their lives, he said, and it’s inspiring to see the students of the program showcase their strength and drive by seeking further education.

Sofia Pignataro has been a Volunteer Data Analyst with Negotiation Works since January 2021. She grew up in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil and has two Bachelor's degrees, one in Marketing, from the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, and one in Statistics, from the Brazilian National School of Statistical Sciences. Sofia has worked in advanced analytics for five years, helping companies monitor and improve their processes and services. In Brazil, Sofia worked as a Data Science Analyst at Accenture, and she is currently based out of New Jersey, where she works in the Analytical Solutions Consulting team at Ciena, extracting strategic information from telecom data to obtain optimized network migration plans. Sofia was drawn to Negotiation Works not only because volunteering as a data analyst lets her apply data analysis skills to improving people’s lives, but also because she loves the organization’s mission to empower individuals so they can advocate for themselves and others around them. Sofia enjoys measuring the impact of Negotiation Works’ programs and producing reports to communicate those results, and she hopes that doing so will allow more people to learn about the benefits of Negotiation Works’ programs. Sofia truly believes that the best way to help society is to give tools and confidence to individuals so they can be the agents of change in their own lives - and she thinks Negotiation Works does both of these pretty well!

Gary Rubin grew up in Brooklyn and Queens, New York. He received his bachelor's and master’s degrees in English Literature from Hofstra University, as well as his PhD in Literature from SUNY Binghamton. He received a law degree from The Catholic University of America and has been a practicing attorney in D.C. for nearly 40 years. Concurrently, he served as an adjunct English professor in the evening program at George Mason University. Gary is also a mediator with the DC Superior Court and the D.C. Court of Appeals. He has a great appreciation for the importance of self-advocacy and negotiation skills and is excited to help individuals from underserved communities learn to be strong advocates and negotiate for effective, long-lasting solutions.

Tory Ruttenberg received a BA from Yale University and a JD from University of Virginia. After practicing law in both large law firms and the federal government, Tory opened a consulting firm where she provided services in conflict resolution, organizational development, and executive coaching. More recently, she founded the Climate Change Group, through which she provides training on facilitating productive conversations regarding climate change. Tory is also a certified mediator.

Shinji Ryu grew up in Dexter Hill, Pennsylvania. He studied economics at Harvard University and earned a law degree from Columbia Law School. Currently Shinji is an associate at the Covington & Burling law firm. As a mediator, he has mediated dozens of disputes in the New York City community courts, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, and the federal District Court in the Southern District of New York. Shinji’s experience as a mediator has taught him that negotiation and communication skills are essential to getting more of what one needs from a difficult situation. He is motivated to be a part of Negotiation Works due to its mission to educate members of the District community, and he wants to contribute to helping everyone in the community thrive. His goals are to listen to and connect with the people with whom he shares the District community and to help individuals empower themselves with skills to tackle everyday problems. Shinji’s hope is that program participants leave the classes with confidence that they can negotiate and get what they need from a difficult situation. Shinji teaches Negotiation Works classes with the Georgetown Pivot Program.

Rachel Sanni grew up in Pasadena California. She received her bachelor's degree in business administration from California State University, Pomona and a master's degree in Negotiation, Conflict Resolution & Peacebuilding from California State University, Dominguez Hills. Rachel is currently a Dispute Resolution Specialist with DC Superior Court’s Multi-Door Dispute Resolution Division, where she also mediates child custody and visitation cases. Rachel has a huge passion for volunteering. When she learned that Negotiation Works was seeking volunteer instructors, she knew it was her unique calling; given her years of community work, volunteering, and negotiation studies, she realized she wanted to gracefully serve others in this capacity. She understands the importance of creating, building, and nurturing relationships through effective communication, active listening and perspective-taking. What Rachel appreciates most is that Negotiation Works' programs help educate vulnerable individuals on the importance of self-awareness and being proactive and teaches them multiple skill sets to feel empowered and fully equipped to address conflicts and challenges for better fulfilled outcomes. 

Pam Schwartz grew up in Wilmington, DE. She earned her undergraduate degree in Chemical Engineering from Drexel University and her law degree from George Washington University. Pam worked for many years at the United States Patent and Trademark Office as a patent examiner. During those years, she was a federal labor organization representative and negotiator. In 2021, President Biden appointed Pam to the Federal Services Impasses Panel, a position she held until 2024. As a Panel member, Pam resolved impasses between federal agencies and unions representing federal employees. Pam loves that Negotiation Works help people by teaching them ways to communicate more effectively, which is a skill they can use in their everyday lives. Pam has been teaching at Together We Bake since the beginning of 2020. She enjoys the interactive classes and watching participants gain confidence as they practice applying their new skills.

Varun Sharma grew up in Jersey City, New Jersey. He received a B.S.in Commerce and Economics from the University of Virginia and an M.S.in Global Affairs from Tsinghua University.

He currently works as a Chief of Staff at JusticeText, a startup focused on using technology to improve criminal justice outcomes, and he previously worked as a consultant in Mastercard's Data & Services division focusing on impact evaluation. Beginning in the fall of 2022, Varun will be attending law school. Varun was drawn to Negotiation Works because he enjoyed learning negotiation in his undergraduate business school and is excited to make this content more broadly available in the community. Varun volunteers with the data analyst team in helping to monitor the data from our “Negotiation Blueprint for Everyday Life” video series. Being able to leverage his background in data analytics and impact evaluation to support the Negotiation Works team will allow him to tell powerful, substantiated stories about the contributions the program is making to those less fortunate in the Washington, DC area.

Khiran Sidhu grew up in Western Maryland. She completed her undergraduate degree in Government and Politics from the University of Maryland, College Park and earned a J.D. from Columbia University. An attorney since 2008, Khiran’s practice focuses on investigations in the securities and financial services industry. She has also represented clients in immigration matters on a pro bono basis. Through her legal training and mentorship from skilled communicators and negotiators, Khiran has learned strategies and techniques that help her resolve personal and professional conflicts. Khiran started volunteering with Negotiation Works in the fall of 2020 and, since then, has taught at both Trinity Arms and Friends of Guest House. Khiran appreciates the insightful contributions of the class participants that teach her new ways of looking at negotiation. She is thrilled to be a part of a dynamic and thoughtful organization that teaches an essential skill set in a respectful and understanding environment.

Sherri Smith grew up in a small town near Charlotte, NC. She received a BS in Criminology, Law, and Society from George Mason University and a BS in Biology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Sherri is currently a Program Officer with D.C. Superior Court’s Multi-Door Dispute Resolution Division, where she manages the mediation programs for the Court’s Landlord & Tenant and Probate cases. Sherri, an experienced teacher, joined Negotiation Works in early 2019 as a volunteer instructor. She believes that negotiation skills are a life-changing set of skills that everyone—but especially the most vulnerable people in our communities—should develop. Sherri has taught Negotiation Works classes at the District Alliance for Safe Housing and for members of The WIRE. She loves helping the participants interact with and internalize the course material, and she finds it particularly rewarding to watch as the lessons resonate with the class participants and they begin strategizing ways to use these skills in their own situations. Sherri equates the ability and willingness to negotiate and advocate for oneself with realized personhood. She hopes that by teaching these skills, we are helping people learn, relearn, or remember that they have worth.

Crystal Song, originally from Seattle, is a policy analyst at a national criminal justice nonprofit working on the economic mobility team. She provides technical assistance to state/local agencies, colleges and universities, Tribal nations, and community organizations providing reentry education. She holds a BA in Law, Societies, and Justice from the University of Washington Seattle and an MPA from the Evans School of Public Policy & Governance at UW Seattle, and says that teaching is one of the most rewarding jobs she’s ever had. She’s excited to be back in the classroom as an NW volunteer instructor working to support our participants’ wellbeing through negotiation skills.

Alice Tavares grew up in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. She received a bachelor’s degree in Geophysics from Universidade Federal Fluminense and a Master’s degree in International Development from IE School of Global and Public Affairs. Alice currently works at the Office of Strategic Planning at the Inter-American Development Bank, monitoring the Bank's corporate results, and she previously worked at UNICEF. Alice has volunteered in some capacity practically all her life, and when she moved to DC, she began searching for organizations that needed volunteers. She was drawn to Negotiation Works because of its focus on training individuals in marginalized communities with such a universal, important, and needed skill. Alice enjoys being part of Negotiation Works’ data analysis team and helping the organization draw insights from the participants’ survey responses, create better processes, increase communication, and reflect upon what works and what can be improved.

Kristen Wall grew up in Texas and North Carolina. She studied politics at Princeton University and received a masters in Conflict Transformation and Peace Studies from Eastern Mennonite University. She has worked as a writer, editor, teacher, facilitator, and entrepreneur and currently holds a fellowship with the US Institute for Peace. She is also a violist with the Cherry Blossom String Quartet. After leading classes on Nonviolent Communication in prisons, Kristen witnessed the true transformative power of negotiation. She believes that the skills Negotiation Works offers serve as tools for empowerment and can be used to increase personal agency, especially for people who have lived in marginalizing conditions. Kristen joined our volunteer team last year to support our communications and evaluation work and will now also be serving in an instructor’s role. 

Shantelle Wright, with a BA in Sociology from Hampton University and a JD from the George Washington University School of Law, boasts a diverse background. Formerly a practicing attorney at a large law firm, Shantelle then shifted gears to found Achievement Prep Public Charter School, where she served as CEO for nearly fifteen years. Currently heading a consulting firm, Shantelle supports public school leaders, nonprofit executives, and public sector teams. As a member of the DC Public Charter School Board (a position appointed by Mayor Muriel Bowser) and a family mediator, she brings valuable expertise and insight to her role as a volunteer negotiation instructor. Shantelle finds excitement in her volunteer work with Negotiation Works through witnessing participants' transformative "aha" moments, from feeling powerless or unheard to feeling empowered to effectively express themselves.  Shantelle emphasizes empowerment and self-advocacy as key to the program's impact.

Susie Zimmermann grew up in Atlanta, Georgia. She then attended the University of Virginia where she received a Bachelor's in English. Susie has worked in communications for over 35 years for federal government programs, in education, and for nonprofit organizations. Susie first came to Negotiation Works as a communications volunteer through Compass Pro Bono to help update and enhance our strategies relating to social media, website, marketing materials, and more. When her Compass project finished, Susie felt such a connection to our team and the work that we do that she agreed to stay on as a volunteer to support the organization moving forward. Susie looks forward to continuing her volunteer work with Negotiation Works so she can “help the staff get the word out – clearly, concisely, engagingly – about the important and impactful work they're doing.”