Practice Areas:
• Family Business
• Divorce Law

Contact us today to schedule your mediation!

By phone: +1 949 667 0402

By email: [email protected]

“A bad marriage doesn’t have to mean a bad divorce. Given the opportunity most divorcing couples will respectfully, intelligently, and with good faith, brainstorm and negotiate the best solutions for their own divorce using mediation.” – JoAnna Konogeris

OVERVIEW: My teaching style is based on the premise that people are intelligent and willing to participate in an experience which will enhance their internal and external selves. Teaching others involves the assumption that they are willing participants seeking new information and knowledge and as a teacher it is my responsibility to engage others through methods of inclusive learning that translates culturally, be that culture based in economic, social, race, color, age, or gender.

BIOGRAPHY: Beginning her career as a journalist writing for local newspapers, JoAnna later worked in advertising as a copy writer and advertising manager with agencies and corporations throughout Southern California. Cumulatively these positions all shared common aspects of active listening, information gathering, and brainstorming to find solutions for communicating ideas and understanding – skills which are hallmarks of a third party neutral. JoAnna found these skills transferred seamlessly to alternative dispute resolution and began her career as a volunteer mediator while earning her master’s degree in Negotiation, Conflict Resolution, and Peacebuilding at California State University Dominguez Hills. After graduating JoAnna began her private mediation practice and continues to volunteer with the courts and community outreach programs. JoAnna has served as a panelist with the Orange County Human Relations Hate Crimes Community Listening Sessions, facilitating dialogue among community members, leaders, and activists.
Having helped over 100 families create sustainable resolutions to divorce and custody issues, as well as working with families to facilitate elder issues and family disputes, JoAnna has found that the importance of giving voice to problems and concerns of families relies on a confidential and safe process like mediation to affect authentic change and long lasting solutions. Her approach is to be respectful of all parties, actually let them process their beliefs and understanding of the issues and to help them facilitate agreements empowering the participants to make wise decisions and good faith agreements.

COURT ADMISSIONS: JoAnna volunteers as a mediator at the family Court of Orange County with Orange County Human Relations.

EDUCATION & TRAINING
• MA, Behavioral Sciences, Negotiation, Conflict Resolution, and Peacebuilding. California State University Dominguez Hills, Carson, California
• BA, Liberal Studies Thomas Edison State College, Trenton, New Jersey Arnold Fletcher Award for Academic Achievement Advanced Family Mediation Certification, 2011 Orange County Human Relations, Santa Ana, California
• Family Mediation Certification, 2011 Orange County Human Relations, Santa Ana, California
• Advanced Mediation Certification, 2010 Orange County Human Relations, Santa Ana, California
• Basic Mediation Certification, 2009 Orange County Human Relations, Santa Ana, California

PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS & AFFILIATIONS
• Southern California Mediation Association
• Pi Lambda Theta National Honor Society for Educators
• South Coast Collaborative Professionals

PAST EXPERIENCE & QUALIFICATIONS
• Mediator, Orange County Human Relations 2009 – Current Mediator/Conciliator using both dual and single model mediator format for dispute resolution for small claims, civil harassment, family, and elders for the Orange County Superior Courts, Santa Ana, California, as well as in-office family cases and community disputes for Orange County Human Relations.
• Facilitator Orange County Human Relations 2012 Listening Sessions Leader, group listening sessions determining under-reporting of racial hate crimes in Orange Count. The sessions created a safe and open forum for communal sharing of events and experiences among participants as well as data collection for the OCHR study on racial hate crimes.

AWARDS
• Arnold Fletcher Award for Academic Achievement Thomas Edison State College, Trenton, New Jersey