the trainers

Macarena has worked professionally in the conflict resolution field for the past 14 years. As an accredited mediator, facilitator and trainer (specialising in family, workplace and community), Macarena engages with executives, academics, teams and community groups as well as young people in schools on mediation, conflict resolution and self-awareness.

She also works as a conflict coach helping people understand how to change their relationship to conflict and prepare for mediation processes.

Macarena is a trained assessor and supervisor for accredited mediation programmes. She has lectured on conflict theory and reflective practice at the PgCert and MSc courses at Birkbeck College, and supervised LLM students at the University of Hertfordshire.

Macarena is accredited with the FMC and is a member of the College of Mediators and the Association for Conflict Resolution. She is a contributor to Mediators Beyond Borders International where she is faculty member of the International Training Institute for women and co-leads the Colombia project.

Macarena was born in Malaga, Spain, and has lived in London for the last 20 years with her husband.

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Jan is a recognised name in the field of mediation and is an experienced trainer approved by the Family Mediation Council. It is her extensive knowledge of the subject that has gained her invitations to lecture and present at conferences worldwide. She also writes and delivers bespoke training courses and provides Professional Practice Consultancy (PPC) to professional mediators who are accredited or working towards accreditation.

Nationally recognised for her 30 years of work in family mediation, Jan has received the National Mediation Awards two years running. She has a solid legal background, having qualified as a solicitor in 1980.

Jan is currently the Chair of The College of Mediators and has been involved at national level in formulating policy relating to family mediation and professional practice. She is a committed mediator, accredited by the Family Mediation Council and is passionate about ensuring best practice by way of accredited mediation standards. Jan is a trained assessor and supervisor for accredited mediation programmes.

When not working Jan is a marathon cold water swimmer, a Channel swimmer and a bronze medal holder at the Winter Swimming World Championships, Siberia 2016.

Jill has been a qualified family mediator since 2003 and holds Family Mediation Council Accreditation (FMCA). She is also a child-inclusive mediator.

Jill runs her own mediation practice in South Woodford and has worked with mediation services across East and North West London, as well as Berkshire. Since 2012, she has served as a Professional Practice Consultant (PPC), training and supervising mediators in both service settings and private practice.

In 2023, Jill joined the training team at Ataraxy and has recently become an assessor for the Family Mediation Council. She also served on the College of Mediators' Professional Standards Committee for six years and was a trainer for the Separated Parents Information Programme.

Jill’s background is diverse, including experience in couples counselling with Relate, managing a local authority neighbour mediation service, refugee work, and teaching.

Claire is an FMC Accredited Family Mediator, Peer Mediator Trainer, Child Inclusive Mediator and aRestorative Practitioner.

In 2015 she set up Wye Valley Mediation Community Interest Company where she provides private and legally aided family mediation from her offices in Hereford and Brecon.

Qualifying as a barrister in 1994, Claire practiced from 1 Dr. Johnson’s Chambers, Inner Temple, London. She then became Principal Lecturer on the Bar Professional Training Course, training post graduates to become barristers and solicitors.

Her specialism is family law and she also taught Alternative Dispute Resolution. On moving to Hay-on-Wye Claire decided to put teaching into practice and qualified as a Family Mediator. Until this year Claire was Vice Chair of the Standards Committee for Powys County Council.

Claire is passionate that children’s voices should be heard. She teaches primary and secondary school children how to set up their own community mediation service which lead to Hay-on-Wye Primary winning the Young Mediators of the Year award in 2018. Meanwhile in the adult arena, Claire practices Child Inclusive Mediation and is seeing an increased use of this process, including referrals from court.

Claire enjoys the outdoors, wildlife and walking. She is looking forward to meeting and working with the participants on this course, and sharing professional experiences, along with some laughter too.