Steve Charbonneau

Steve Charbonneau is the Executive Director of Community Mediation Concepts, a Colorado nonprofit which specializes in conflict resolution, mediation, and facilitation. He has provided leadership for CMC since 1996. Steve is actively involved in managing a full caseload, developing education for mediators and utilizing many aspects of practical and effective conflict resolution.

Steve regularly works with individuals, small groups and large neighborhood groups who are involved in direct conflict. Often these situations involve workplace issues, organizational conflict, and land-use disputes. His varied facilitations include working boards, department leaders and taskforce groups guiding them through their conversations around concerns, challenges, strengths, opportunities, goals and priorities. He helps them engage in open, honest and respectful conversations. The direction he provides enables these groups to identify their interests and goals in a collaborative manner, using their knowledge to develop and reach specific expectations and measurable results.

Steve also provides management and oversight of conflict resolution, facilitation and mediation contracts in Denver, Thornton, Colorado Springs, Aurora, Douglas & Boulder Counties, some Colorado State agencies, Centura Health and others. 

These mediation programs regularly involve community type mediations, land-use issues, taskforce facilitations, large group and neighborhood processes. We manage over 350 cases a year, and when parties agree to come to the table, we’re successful over 90% of the time.

CMC also operates community – officer complaint mediation programs.  We are currently in the top spot in the nation when it comes to mediations per capita, successful resolutions and satisfaction of the officer and citizen.

Steve continues as part-time professor at University of Colorado – Denver, in the Communication Department teaching conflict resolution and mediation.

Education:

MA in Theology, Andrews Theological Seminary, Berrien Springs, Michigan
BA in Theology, Andrews University, Berrien Springs, Michigan
Advanced Mediation, CDR Associates, Boulder, Colorado
Alternative Dispute University of Denver Law School, Colorado
Church Administration, Fuller Theological Seminary, Pasadena, California
Active Listening Skills and Communication, Lab I & II John Savage Institute, Billings, Montana

Conflict comes in many different shapes and sizes, but one thing is consistent - conflict brings about change.  Our choice in how we deal with conflict determines if this change is positive or negative.  A commitment to constructive conflict will often create positive outcomes.  However, failure to deal with conflict in a constructive way damages individuals, organizations and relationships.  Unfortunately our traditional adversarial process of conflict resolution has a negative influence upon us all.  Unresolved conflict often escalates into avoidance, confrontation or violence - all having a very negative impact on everyone involved.

CMC provides, through mediation:

• The opportunity to talk. People don't talk, not to their neighbors, co-workers, or the developer bringing a project to the block.  The try to ignore the conflict or expect someone else to fix it.  Finally, when the conflict is just to much to ignore, they stop talking, they stop working together, and they explode in anger and unproductive behavior.

• The opportunity for constructive conflict.  When conflict is constructively managed, creative ideas are produce, long-lasting resolutions are agreed upon because I take personal, face-to-face responsibility for my choices and am involved and committed to the outcome.

•  The opportunity to discuss real issues & interests.  When we're in conflict we don't know how to discuss issues.  I get stuck in my position, my solution.  CMC will help you move from your positions to your interests, creating the opportunity for genuine resolution.

•  An alternative approach for dealing with many conflicts that are unlikely to find an adequate resolution in the courts, the HR department, avoidance, or the police station.

•  The opportunity to genuinely resolve conflicts. Life doesn't come in "one-size-fits-all".  Everyone and every situation is different.  Shouldn't conflict resolution provide us with the individuality needed, with resolutions that work for each of us?   


CMC provides mediation for the following types of conflict

•  Land use issues.  We work regularly with developers & neighborhoods, complex infill, historic preservation, and many other challenging project opportunities.

•  Citizen-Police complaints. We're a national leader in providing mediation for citizen complaints against the police, resulting in the best satisfaction rates in the country.
•
  Groups. We facilitate complex taskforce groups, neighborhood association conflicts, planning sessions, and other multi-party situations.

•  Community conflict.  Maybe it is two neighbors fighting over barking dogs, loud stereo's or parked cars.  Maybe it is a block of unhappy people, a homeowner association, or community.  We'll mediate it!

•  Workgroup disputes. CMC mediates with teams and workgroups in conflict, large or small.  We do this in a confidential and forthright manner focusing on issues and finding resolution.  We'll help you stop the unresolved conflict productivity drain.  

"CMC - Helping People Talk to People"

Email us: [email protected]

Call us:  303/651.6534