Meet Mary Dumas, Certified Mediator
Mary Dumas is an independent dispute resolution professional supporting individuals, community groups, government agencies, and non-governmental organizations to resolve complex or sticky problems through confidential mediation, consultation, and training.
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Helping Leaders & Teams
As President of Mary Dumas & Associates, Mary helps leaders and teams translate technical information and regulatory mandates into actionable information and meaningful pathways forward. With more than 30 years in practice, she is known for using a systems approach to co-create resilient teams ready to address historic harms and generate resources that sustain ongoing learning and collaboration.
Mary has worked with agencies at all levels of government, government-to-government engagements, research teams, private and nonprofit organizations, and educational institutions to navigate change in ways that build people, teams, and communities. Her expertise in addressing historical trauma, building organizational resilience, and healing consultation informs her approach to every engagement.
Experience with Organizations of All Types
Engagements include private, confidential negotiations, large-scale public involvement initiatives, community education programs, and organizational trauma interventions with leaders, teams and whole organizations. Mary has presented workshops at local dispute resolution centers, universities, community leadership programs, regional and national conferences including Association for Conflict Resolution, Environment & Public Policy Section Leadership Council, current (co-chair 2018-2023); Community Leadership Conference, League of Women Voters of CA State Convention, League of Women Voters of WA State Conference.
Certified Mediator & Trainer
Mary is a certified mediator and trainer with Washington State dispute resolution center and court programs in Whatcom and Skagit Counties.
She maintains membership in the Association for Conflict Resolution (ACR), Environment & Public Policy Section Leadership Council, current (co-chair 2018-2023) and adheres to the ACR model standards of conduct for mediators and ethical guidance for EPP members. Visit the Association for Conflict Resolution for more information on the mediation ethics, multi-party guidelines and practices of the profession.
Mary’s Current Contracting Vendor Relationships
State of Washington V#0278124-00
National Science Foundation ID#000655231
City of Bellingham Vendor #033323
Community Organizations
A long-time resident of Washington State, Mary actively contributes to transpartisan community organizations including:
- Presenter, Facilitator Toolkit Co-Author - Civic Synergy, MIT and Mediators Foundation (2021-Present)
- Curriculum Committee - Leadership Skagit (2019-present)
- Co-founder and Educational Coordinator - Leadership Whatcom (2005-2009; 2017-present)
- Association for Conflict Resolution, Environment & Public Policy Section Leadership Council, current (co-chair, 2018-2023)
- Board Member - Garchen Buddhist Institute (2019-present)
- Co-investigator - National Dialogue Network Seed Grant, NCDD Member selected (2009-2011)
- Board Member - Whatcom Land Trust (2011-2018)
- Program Committee - Bellingham City Club (2012-2015)
- Appointed Community-at-Large Position - Bellingham-Whatcom Commission Against Domestic Violence (2012-2017).
- Board Member - Friends of the Everson Library (1992-1997)
Continuing Education
Mary pursues and contributes to continuing education in the fields of interest-based negotiation, citizen engagement, and collaborative approaches to leadership and governance; areas of study include:
- High Conflict Disputes and Strategies, High Conflict Institute (2020)
- TORCH Community of Practice, Trauma & Organizational Resilience Consulting & Healing Consortium (Founding member, 2019-current)
- Inquiry as Intervention, Public Conversations Project (2014)
- World Water Diplomacy Workshop, Fletcher School of Law, Tufts University, Harvard Project on Negotiation (2011)
- Planning for Meaningful Evaluation, NOAA Coastal Services Center (2011)
- Project Design and Evaluation Workshop, NOAA Coastal Services Center (2010)
- Resolving Land Use Disputes, Consensus Building Institute and Lincoln Institute of Land Policy (2009)
- Language of Leadership, Institute for Generative Leadership (2009)
- Handling Complex Public Disputes, Institute for Alternative Dispute Resolution, Humboldt State University (2005)
- Public Dialogue on Divisive Issues, Public Conversations Project (2004)
- Advanced Family Mediation Training, Continuing Legal Education Society of British Columbia (1995)
- Advanced Commercial Mediation Training, Continuing Legal Education Society of British Columbia (1995)
- 40-hour Mediator Certification Program, Washington State Dispute Resolution Center (1994)
- Bachelor of Arts in Psychology & Human Development, Union Institute (1994)
- High Conflict Disputes and Strategies, High Conflict Institute (2020)
- Domestic Violence Intervention/Trainings/Treatment Provider Training (DVIT 30 hour, 2019)
- Inquiry as Intervention, Public Conversations Project (2014)
- World Water Diplomacy Workshop, Fletcher School of Law, Tufts University, Harvard Project on Negotiation (2011)
- Planning for Meaningful Evaluation, NOAA Coastal Services Center (2011)
- Project Design and Evaluation Workshop, NOAA Coastal Services Center (2010)
- Resolving Land Use Disputes, Consensus Building Institute and Lincoln Institute of Land Policy (2009)
- Language of Leadership, Institute for Generative Leadership (2009)
- Handling Complex Public Disputes, Institute for Alternative Dispute Resolution, Humboldt State University (2005)
- Public Dialogue on Divisive Issues, Public Conversations Project (2004)
- Advanced Family Mediation Training, Continuing Legal Education Society of British Columbia (1995)
- Advanced Commercial Mediation Training, Continuing Legal Education Society of British Columbia (1995)
- 40-hour Mediator Certification Program, Washington State Dispute Resolution Center (1994)
- Bachelor of Arts in Psychology & Human Development, Union Institute (1994)
