Austin Mediators Association upcoming events

Parenting Coordination & Facilitation (Friday, April 17, 2026)

Fri, 17 Apr 2026 17:00:00 GMT

Parenting Coordination & Facilitation

Location

Zoom

Date & Time

Friday, April 17, 2026 @ Noon

Dr. Char Wittenberg, LPC, NCC will present on Parenting Coordination and Facilitation, two ADR roles defined by statute to address high-conflict co-parenting. This presentation will answer questions like:

What's the difference between these two approaches?

What are the goals of this work?

What strategies are used to pursue these goals?

What qualifications are required to serve as a court-appointed Parenting Coordinator or Facilitator?

Dr. Wittenberg will also share her experiences and stories to help attendees understand the joys and challenges of this work.

1 hour of mediator continuing education,

including 0.50 hour of ethics approved for attendees

1 hour of MCLE, including 0.50 hour

of ethics approved by the State Bar of Texas

Registration is free for AMA Members/$15 for non-members. Attorneys who wish to receive Texas MCLE credit are asked to pay a $5 fee to offset the cost of MCLE sponsorship.

------

Char Wittenberg, DPA, LPC, NCC is an experienced Parenting Coordinator and Parenting Facilitator. She is a Credentialed Distinguished Mediator and a Lead Trainer at Mediators & Arbitrators of America (Texas). She is a co-convener of the Texas Mediation Trainers Roundtable. She is also a trained arbitrator and is contracted to provide supervised visitation. Since 2015 she has been a principal at Central Texas Counseling and Education PLLC. There she has focused on various aspects of mental health and family functioning, including co-parenting, high-conflict families, and reunification counseling.

Dr. Wittenberg is a retired first responder with over 32 years of experience as a law enforcement officer with the federal government. One of her specialties is preparation, intervention, and follow-up care for major incidents, traumatic events, and crises. She has extensive background as an educator and trainer, having taught at all levels of government (federal, state, and local), at various learning institutions, and for private organizations. She holds a Doctorate in Public Administration from the University of Southern California’s School of Planning and Policy Development; an M.S. in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Walden University; and an M.A. in Sociology, Criminology and a B.A. in Political Science from Kent State University.

Throughout her career, Dr. Wittenberg has been passionate about communication and conflict resolution. She believes communication is the groundwork for success in all aspects of life: professional and personal.

Become a member of AMA today for as little as $35!

Social Happy Hour (Thursday, May 14, 2026)

Thu, 14 May 2026 22:00:00 GMT

Social Happy Hour

Location

Home Slice Pizza

501 E 53rd St, Austin, TX 78751

Date & Time

Thursday, May 14, 2026 @ 5 pm

Lets gather for food, conversation & community. Pizza provided.

Registration is appreciated so we can plan for ordering pizzas.

Become a member of AMA today for as little as $35!

State Law Library Services & Austin DRC Update (Friday, June 26, 2026)

Fri, 26 Jun 2026 17:00:00 GMT

State Law Library Services

& Austin DRC Update

Location

Travis County Civil and Family Courts Facility

1700 Guadalupe St., 78701

Rm. 1.700

Date & Time

Friday, June 26, 2026 @ Noon

Curious about what services are available at the Texas State Law Library? Ever send parties to the Law Library for "more information" and wondered how they are helped? Join AMA and the Director of the State Law Library, Amy Small, to learn more about how the services offered, and how mediators can best direct parties to utilize the library's services.

In addition, Erin Robertson, Executive Director of the Austin DRC will provide an update on the new DRC location and initiatives the DRC is currently working on. Bring your questions!

1 hour of mediator continuing education,

including 0.25 hour of ethics pending for attendees

1 hour of MCLE, including 0.25 hour

of ethics pending by the State Bar of Texas

Registration is free for AMA Members/$15 for non-members. Attorneys who wish to receive Texas MCLE credit are asked to pay a $5 fee to offset the cost of MCLE sponsorship.

Become a member of AMA today for as little as $35!

Child Protective Services [CPS] Mediations (Friday, August 21, 2026)

Fri, 21 Aug 2026 17:00:00 GMT

Child Protective Services [CPS]

Location

Zoom

Date & Time

Friday, August 21, 2026 @ Noon

1 hour of mediator continuing education,

including 0.25 hour of ethics pending for attendees

1 hour of MCLE, including 0.25 hour

of ethics pending by the State Bar of Texas

Registration is free for AMA Members/$15 for non-members. Attorneys who wish to receive Texas MCLE credit are asked to pay a $5 fee to offset the cost of MCLE sponsorship.

Become a member of AMA today for as little as $35!

ABA's Ethical Opinion 518 (Friday, October 23, 2026)

Fri, 23 Oct 2026 17:00:00 GMT

ABA's Ethical Opinion 518

Location

Zoom

Date & Time

Friday, October 23, 2026 @ Noon

1 hour of mediator continuing education,

including 0.25 hour of ethics pending for attendees

1 hour of MCLE, including 0.25 hour

of ethics pending by the State Bar of Texas

Registration is free for AMA Members/$15 for non-members. Attorneys who wish to receive Texas MCLE credit are asked to pay a $5 fee to offset the cost of MCLE sponsorship.

Become a member of AMA today for as little as $35!

End of Year Lunch (Friday, December 04, 2026)

Fri, 04 Dec 2026 17:30:00 GMT

End of Year Lunch

Location

Travis County Civil and Family Courts Facility

1700 Guadalupe St., 78701

Rm. 1.700

Date & Time

Friday, December 4, 2026 11:30 am - 1:00 pm

Join us for our End of Year presentation [speaker TBD], lunch, and election of officers. More details to come.

1 hour of mediator continuing education,

including 0.25 hour of ethics pending for attendees

1 hour of MCLE, including 0.25 hour

of ethics pending by the State Bar of Texas

Registration is free for AMA Members/$15 for non-members. Attorneys who wish to receive Texas MCLE credit are asked to pay a $5 fee to offset the cost of MCLE sponsorship.

Become a member of AMA today for as little as $35!