About our Expert Team 

Anne-Marie Cade is an award-winning Lawyer a Nationally Accredited Mediator, a Family Dispute Resolution Practitioner, Certified Conflict Coach and Parenting Co- ordinator as well as a Speaker, Trainer and Lecturer in law. She has a Masters in Family Dispute Resolution and Negotiation. She is also the Mayor in her local Municipality of Glen Eira in Victoria, Australia. She has training in mediation, negotiation, relationship mediation, conflict coaching, high conflict divorce, divorce coaching, Brain Based Conversation skills, Brain Based Coaching Skills and Neuro Linguistic Programming. She is passionate about the work she does as an Alternative Dispute Resolution professional to help her clients reach a peaceful resolution. She provides training and coaching on topics such as constructive conflict resolution, effective communication, divorce coaching, negotiation, resilience, wellbeing, and parenting coordination. In her training she provides valuable insights and strategic advice on building conflict intelligence, constructive conflict resolution, conflict management and navigating difficult conversations and works with Corporate Teams, Local Government, Elected Officials and Lawyers.

Leanne Levinge is a Kombumerri (Gold Coast) and Ngugi (Moreton Island) descendant (with a mix of other heritages) who lives on Turrbal and Yugara/Yuggera Country in Magandjin/Meanjin (Brisbane). Leanne is a narrative therapist / counsellor, coach, mentor, and facilitator with experience (design and delivery) in healing, negotiation, and business contexts and with a range of individuals, groups and communities.  Leanne has walked in two worlds her entire life and thrives in shaping generative conversations and building bridges. She is passionate about: living intentionally; compassion; social and collective learning; curiosity; and the art of a good question. She is a member of the Board of Directors for Triple A Murri Country and, before a COVID-related career change, spent 20 years in management and leadership roles in the higher education sector. She is a 2024 participant of the Mind & Life Institute’s Summer Research Institute (Garrison Institute, NY), and a 2024 Coralus First Nations Activator.

Adam is a high performing Senior Executive with extensive experience in higher education, dispute resolution, equal opportunity, employment law and other regulatory environments. He scrutinises core issues, and devises creative and realistic solutions, while stimulating ‘buy-in’ and support from key stakeholders. He is an effective communicator and collaborator, with flexible and forward-thinking leadership, openly sharing information and providing quality input to decision making and team efforts. Adam is results driven and skilled in operational and strategic leadership, change management, and able to build strong, effective long-lasting stakeholder relationships. He leverages business acumen and knowledge to provide effective operational strategies and improve business performance by maximising good business judgement and improving business practices through team leadership, mentoring and coaching.

John is an experienced dispute resolution professional, having worked in Australia and internationally, particularly in business-community disputes and extractives’ regulation. He has conciliated many cases for the Australian National Contact Point for Responsible Business Conduct, involving both mediation and decision-making. ohn also conducts a private practice in commercial mediation and as a barrister, based in Perth and also online. He is an adjunct academic with universities in Scotland and Australia, teaching and supervising research regarding mining regulation, agreement-making, and human rights. His qualifications include ODR [Online Dispute Resolution] Practitioner Certification, National Mediator Accreditation System (Australia), MBA (Mineral Resources Management) and Bachelor of Laws.

Margo is an experienced family dispute resolution practitioner (family law mediator). Margo runs Olive Branch Mediation specialising in family and property disputes, child inclusive mediation, elder mediation, and conflict coaching for clients. She is also the Team Leader for Mediation at Bayside Community Legal Centre coordinating over 20 private mediators and FDRPs. ​ Margo brings a wealth of experience, knowledge and resources to the mediation space. She has both professional and lived experience in a Family Relationship Centre as an FDRP, in Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia, in legal negotiations and as a socio-legal academic. Margo holds a Juris Doctor, Master of Justice (Intelligence), BA (Politics), Grad. Dip Theology, FDRP (Child Consultant) and is a community Justice of the Peace (Qual).

Justin is a highly experienced conciliator, mediator, lawyer and manager. Justin has developed his dispute management skills in senior government roles for over 20 years. Justin was first accredited as a mediator in 2002. His key qualifications include Masters of Law, Bachelors of Law and Environmental Science (Hons), Graduate Certificate in Management and Certificates IV in Training and Assessment and Community Mediation. Justin was the Director of Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) at the Administrative Appeals Tribunal (AAT) for a decade before being appointed as a Member in the NDIS Division in 2024. Justin’s leadership in the ADR community was more recently recognised through his election to the board of the Resolution Institute in 2023.

Richard is an experienced conflict resolution specialist, negotiator, lawyer and mediator. Richard helps groups and individuals to have difficult conversations, and specialises in family businesses, workplace and startup conflicts. Richard has resolved some of the most emotionally complex conflicts in society, as a manager at the Queensland Human Rights Commission since 2019.   Richard was first accredited as a mediator in 2021 (NMAS) and he has recently completed a Conflict Coaching Fundamentals course with the Conflict Management Academy (2024). Richard’s qualifications are Bachelor of Laws (Hons) from the University of Queensland and he was admitted to the Supreme Court of Queensland in 2016.  ​ Richard can help you navigate a way through an impasse or to prepare for a difficult conversation that’s overdue.

Dr Serge Loode combines academic teaching and research experience with a deep understanding of conflict resolution and peacebuilding practice. Originally from Germany, Serge worked as a civil law lawyer before developing his conflict resolution and peacebuilding practice. At university Serge teaches academic courses in Mediation, Negotiation and Theories of Conflict Resolution. He is also a mediator with the Department of Justice and Attorney-General. Serge is a highly experienced facilitator, conflict coach, conflict resolution trainer and assessor, as well as a nationally accredited mediator under the National Mediator Accreditation System (NMAS). Serge mediates workplace, child protection and neighbourhood disputes and designs processes for large-scale community conflicts. He has worked with a variety of clients, including local and state government, police, military, businesses, primary and secondary schools and community groups.

Kieran Plasto is a seasoned ‘people professional’ adept at navigating and resolving intricate and complex workplace dynamics to drive enhanced performance and foster employee engagement. With over thirty-five years of experience spanning roles as a Psychologist, Senior Leader in Human Resources and Safety across global mining and heavy industry sectors, and a distinguished career in Law Enforcement as a Criminal Investigator and Police Negotiator, Kieran possesses a profound understanding of human behaviour in organizational settings. His expertise lies in deciphering the complexities of human interaction, empowering leaders at all levels to cultivate environments conducive to productivity and satisfaction. A former appointed Detective, accredited as a Mediator, Internationally  Certified Coach, Conflict Coach, and Harvard- trained Negotiator, Kieran brings a wealth of knowledge and skills to the table. By leveraging his innate ability to discern motivations, dismantle barriers, and nurture effective communication, Kieran equips businesses with the tools necessary to cultivate engaged and fulfilled employees through the analyses and resolution of all types of workplace complexities. Through his guidance, leaders and teams develop the essential tools to cultivate resilient, agile teams, along with fostering attributes and skills required to enhance business results through elevated people performance.

​Mark Kumarathash is a seasoned finance professional with a strong track record in financial management and strategic planning. With over four decades of experience in senior accounting and finance roles in the government, university and aged care sectors, Mark brings a wealth of financial management expertise to our team. As the Finance Manager at Shiv Martin Consulting, Mark is key to supporting responsible business growth and ensuring accountability and clarity for our clients, particularly in relation to government and community sector funding. His approachable nature and dedication to excellence make him a valued member of the team.