Cynthia M. Jurrius, Esq. - Program Director
Cynthia Jurrius is the Director of the Maryland Judiciary’s Mediation and Conflict Resolution Office (MACRO). MACRO’s mission is to collaborate with stakeholders statewide to promote the availability, use and quality of alternative dispute resolution (ADR) throughout Maryland. MACRO works to develop, evaluate, and consistently improve high quality and innovative dispute resolution programs, to expand awareness of the benefits and uses of ADR, and to increase the use of ADR to respond to changing community needs.
In her previous position at MACRO as Court ADR Resources Director, Ms. Jurrius served as MACRO’s primary point of contact for all Maryland circuit courts, working collaboratively with court personnel and other stakeholders to develop and enhance civil and family court ADR programs, as well as providing legal and policy guidance on ADR related matters. Prior to joining MACRO, she served as the Executive Director of Mid Shore Community Mediation Center, where she developed strong partnerships with courts, schools, and other community partners for the resolution of disputes, including matters involving families, youth, parents, grandparents, elders, neighbors, employers/employees, landlords/tenants, businesses, and organizations. Working with hundreds of Mid Shore residents, Ms. Jurrius witnessed the power of ADR to make a positive impact on lives and communities.
Cynthia first trained in mediation in 2005, is trained in Collaborative Law, and is a certified trainer in Restorative Practices. She is also experienced in large group and public policy facilitation. Prior to joining the ADR field, Cynthia practiced law in Prince George’s County and on the Eastern Shore, in the areas of land use and real property, environmental law, trusts and estates, business, and commercial transactions. She is a graduate of Lehigh University (B.A) and George Washington University, National Law Center (J.D). Cynthia is a past chair of the Alternative Dispute Resolution Section of the Maryland State Bar Association.
Bringing a diverse background and a willingness to listen to a broad range of perspectives, Cynthia works to promote fair, efficient, and effective justice for all by expanding the availability of high-quality dispute resolution in Maryland.
Alecia A. Parker - Grants and Strategic Initiatives Director
Alecia Parker is the Senior Program Manager for Grants and Strategic Initiatives at the Maryland Judiciary’s Mediation and Conflict Resolution Office (MACRO). With over 20 years of experience, Alecia has played a pivotal role in promoting mediation and conflict resolution across Maryland. Her responsibilities encompass a wide range of duties, including supervising MACRO’s grant programs, directing community mediation grants and initiatives, providing project management and implementation support for mediation and grant-making software projects, overseeing MACRO’s budget and expenses, and helping to lead the department. Additionally, Alecia contributes to projects and initiatives that benefit the Programs Division and the Administrative Office of the Courts.
Alecia is a graduate of the Institute for Court Management program from the National Center for State Courts. She has a master’s degree in applied anthropology from University of Maryland, and a bachelor’s degree in history from Michigan State University.
Nick White, Ph.D. - Research & Evaluation Director
Nick White, Ph.D., Research & Evaluation Director for Maryland Judiciary’s Mediation and Conflict Resolution Office (MACRO), works collaboratively with dispute resolution program managers in the courts, external justice partners, and state and local government agencies to help develop assessment tools and procedures to evaluate conflict resolution initiatives. Nick is on the Judiciary’s leadership team for Online Dispute Resolution (ODR) and is supporting courts as they develop their remote ADR capacity. To foster the development of the field, he has served as Co-Chair of the American Bar Association Dispute Resolution Section’s Court ADR Committee, consulting with multiple federal agencies, universities, and judiciaries in other parts of the world.
Nick is both a practitioner and scholar of ADR. Trained in mediation in 1996, Nick has mediated and facilitated a broad range of issues, including real estate, multi‐party, U.S. Postal Service, domestic and international public policy and natural resource, parent‐child, community, inter‐governmental, and court‐referred cases. Nick’s doctoral work at the University of Michigan focused on issues of institutionalization of ADR. Additionally, Nick has taught negotiation and mediation to undergraduate and graduate students, managers, attorneys, and judges at a variety of universities. He currently holds an adjunct professor appointment with Johns Hopkins University, serves as a Core Instructor for the Academy for Excellence in Local Governance, School of Public Policy, University of Maryland, and Senior Research Fellow with the Bosserman Center for Conflict Resolution at Salisbury University.
One of Nick’s favorite conflict resolution books is, Settling Things: Six Case Studies in Environmental Mediation by Allan R. Talbot (1983). This is one of the earliest books on environmental mediation. When he stumbled upon an old and worn copy in Michigan State University’s library in the 1990s, reading the book helped him crystallize his master's thesis research in public policy and environmental conflict resolution.
Lisa Mannisi, Esq. - Senior Program Manager
Lisa Mannisi serves as the Senior Program Manager for Complex Litigation and court-connected ADR initiatives. Her responsibilities include providing legal and policy guidance regarding ADR to the courts, serving as staff to the Committee on Complex Litigation and its work groups, providing guidance, technical assistance, and support to courts in applying for grants to fund ADR, assisting appellate and trial courts with the complex litigation program track, planning business and technology training programs for trial judges, and supporting and advancing complex litigation ADR programs throughout Maryland.
Lisa practiced as a complex litigation attorney for over ten years, representing individuals and businesses in medical malpractice, technology and business disputes, toxic torts, and other general litigation matters. Working as both a plaintiff and defense attorney has given her a comprehensive understanding of the needs and challenges of both sides in complex litigation. Lisa is a trained mediator with specific experience in representing clients in complex litigation ADR. She is a graduate of American University (B.S.) and the University of Maryland (J.D.).
Prior to joining MACRO, Lisa was the Civil and Criminal Case Administrator of the Circuit Court for Anne Arundel County. In this role, she worked with the civil and criminal coordinating judges to administer the civil and criminal differentiated case management (DCM) plans, managed the Court’s grant-funded ADR and research grants, and was responsible for evaluating complex cases for specialty tracks.
Jenn Williams - Program Manager, Maryland Program for Mediator Excellence
Jenn Williams is the Program Manager for the Maryland Program for Mediator Excellence at the Maryland Mediation and Conflict Resolution Office (MACRO). With over a decade of experience in the world of ADR, Jenn has supported countless individuals, families, and community organizations as they navigate change and resolve conflicts. Jenn is an experienced mediator whose passion lies in developing best practices for mediation and supporting mediators as they develop their skills. Prior to her role at MACRO, Jenn pioneered school-based conflict resolution programs and served as the Executive Director at the Mid Shore Community Mediation Center. Her commitment to conflict resolution led her to complete the Master of Arts program in Conflict Resolution at Salisbury University. Jenn's passion for fostering understanding and collaboration continues to drive her work, making her a respected leader in the field.
Cheryl Jackson - Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) Media Resources Coordinator
As the ADR Media Resources (ADR) Coordinator, Cheryl’s responsibilities include advancing ADR through public awareness campaigns, professional mediator development, outreach events, website development, and partnerships and collaborative initiatives. She is a restorative justice practitioner and manages MACRO’s restorative justices grants. Additionally, Cheryl manages the annual Conflict Resolution Day Bookmark Art Contest. The contest is open to all Maryland students in grades K-8 and has grown to include nearly 4,000 bookmark entries.
Cheryl is a graduate of Howard University’s School of Communications. She was formerly the Public Relations and Development Director at the Community Mediation Center of Calvert County after leaving her position as Senior Director of PBS Educational Media. Cheryl is also a mediator and community conferencing facilitator.
Tara Cuffia - ADR Resources Specialist
Tara is the ADR Resources Specialist for the Maryland Judiciary’s Mediation and Conflict Resolution Office (MACRO). Tara assists with the collection and analysis of court ADR data, management of the statewide mediator roster, and lends support to court programs throughout the state. Tara came to MACRO via the Circuit Court for Anne Arundel County, where she was the ADR Coordinator and a family law paralegal. Tara completed her 40-hour mediation training in 2022 but got her start in mediation as a peer-mediator in middle school and high school.
Judy Muller - Administrative Office Specialist
Judy is responsible for assisting in a broad range of activities within MACRO, including member support for the Maryland Program for Mediator Excellence (MPME) and MACRO’s grant program. Her responsibilities encompass reviewing applications, tracking grant reports, supporting the post-award process, and processing all grant payments.
In addition to her administrative and grant-related duties, Judy manages updates to the online Consumer Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) Resource Guide, which helps the public identify and locate mediation and other ADR programs in their area to assist in resolving disputes. She also contributes to the success of the annual Conflict Resolution Day Bookmark Art Contest, which is open to all Maryland students in grades K-8 and attracts nearly 4,000 bookmark entries each year.
In her personal time, she enjoys spending time with her 2 children, and volunteering with The Senior Dog Sanctuary of Maryland and the Anne Arundel County SPCA.