The CPR Institute Announces 10th Class of Young Leaders in Alternative Dispute Resolution (Y-ADR)

New York, NY – The tenth class of Young Leaders in Alternative Dispute Resolution (Y-ADR) was announced today by the International Institute for Conflict Prevention & Resolution (CPR Institute). The CPR Institute has selected 15 new members to join the Y-ADR Steering Committee, comprising corporate counsel, law firm counsel, and neutrals from the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Brazil, and the United States, for the 2025-2028 term.

“These new members are rising stars in their organizations,” said Knar A. Nahikian, Vice President of Global Initiatives at CPR Institute. “In addition to cultivating their own professional development, by participating in the Y-ADR Steering Committee, they are making valuable contributions to their companies, firms, clients, colleagues, and those in the general Y-ADR community as well as the CPR Institute community at large.”

This new group of Y-ADR Steering Committee members went through a careful selection process and represents some of the most talented emerging professionals in ADR. Serving three-year terms, they will join two other cohorts as part of a 50-member committee that has hailed from countries worldwide, including Europe, Asia, Africa, North America, and South America. The selection process started in June.

The Y-ADR Steering Committee is the leadership group that oversees the Y-ADR Program, a successful initiative by the CPR Institute to develop new talent in Alternative Dispute Resolution, attracting both members and non-members. The program aims to educate the next generation of leaders from corporations, law firms, academia, and other organizations about the full spectrum of dispute resolution and prevention methods through the CPR Institute’s educational programs, training, and networking opportunities with more senior members worldwide. The Y-ADR Steering Committee accomplishes this goal through bespoke Y-ADR programming and by creating joint initiatives with CPR Institute committees and Industry Alliances, such as a recent program on AI with the Technology Advisory Alliance, and through collaborative training programs with CPR Dispute Resolution Services.

Examples of the Y-ADR Steering Committee’s programming include:
 

• An in-person Speed Mentoring event in London in May 2025, featuring 11 mentors from in-house, law firm, and international arbitration backgrounds.
• An investment disputes program for London International Disputes Week in June 2025, which discussed innovations proposed for resolving disputes of the future.
• A three-part ADR Skills Training Series in the fall of 2024, covering Energy Disputes, Insurance Disputes, and Employment Disputes with CPR Dispute Resolution Services.
• A new flagship event for the CPR Institute: Africa Arbitration Day-New York (AAD-NY) Conference with Arbitration Moot, in December 2023, now held annually each fall. Please join us at this year’s AAD-NY Conference.
• And many other initiatives, including a quarterly Y-ADR Newsletter, participation in ADR conferences around the world, holding annual mentoring programs, hosting various webinars and interview series, and supporting CPR Institute’s flagship events, such as the International Mediation Competition held annually in Brazil and the Annual Meeting, a multi-day substantive conference for ADR and legal professionals.

The innovative Y-ADR program provides unique professional development opportunities for participants, along with an insider’s view on managing disputes more effectively and efficiently, if not preventing them altogether.

New Y-ADR Steering Committee Leadership Team

The Y-ADR Steering Committee will be Co-Chaired by Erin Klewin from Danone and Adam Weiss from Linklaters, with Nefeli Lamprou of Linklaters serving as Committee Secretary.

New Y-ADR Steering Committee Members

The following new members will be joining the continuing members of the Y-ADR Steering Committee:

Corporate Counsel

• Isabella Rangel da Silva of EY Law Brazil, São Paulo
• Ellen Kim of Workday, San Francisco
• Angela Healey of General Dynamics, Washington, D.C.
• Jason Kleinwaks of Johnson & Johnson, New Brunswick, N.J.
• Cyril Djoukeng of Verizon, Washington, D.C.
• Alina Leoveanu of Atos, Paris

Law Firm Counsel

• Lauren Friedman of King & Spalding, New York

• Sudhanshu Roy of Foley Hoag, Washington, D.C.
• Ronan O’Reilly of Jenner & Block, London
• Patricia Snell of Covington & Burling, London
• Ishaan Madaan of DLA Piper, New York
• Bettina Gomes Omizzolo of Mosimann-Horn, Sao Paulo
• Marija Ozolins of Curtis, Mallet-Prevost, Colt & Mosle, Washington, D.C.

Neutrals

• Allison Torline of Busse Disputes, Frankfurt, Germany
• Victoria Pochtar, an Independent Consultant, New York

For more information about Y-ADR and the Steering Committee, visit cpradr.org.

ABOUT CPR INSTITUTE
Established in 1977, this independent nonprofit organization promotes the prevention and resolution of conflict to better enable the pursuit of purpose through the CPR Institute and its subsidiary, CPR Dispute Resolution Services LLC. The CPR Institute builds capacity for dispute prevention and resolution through the thought leadership of its diverse members – companies, leading mediators and arbitrators, law firms, individual practitioners, and academics – who share best practices and develop innovative tools for dispute management through committee discussions and projects, publications, education and training, and hosting events.

CPR Dispute Resolution is a responsive, user-focused provider of dispute management services – arbitration, mediation, custom appointing services, a panel of dispute prevention specialists, and more - that leverages resources generated by the CPR Institute. The case administrators are responsive, efficient, and detail-oriented, and have extensive backgrounds in alternative dispute resolution (ADR).

The Panel of Distinguished Neutrals is a carefully curated, diverse group of prominent, experienced subject matter and ADR professionals on over 30 specialty panels. And CPR Dispute Resolution’s Complete Case platform, a holistic end-to-end digital environment designed for ADR, handles matters efficiently and securely. To learn more about CPR Dispute Resolution, visit drs.cpradr.org.

To learn more about the CPR Institute, visit cpradr.org.

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MEDIA INQUIRIES: 
Peggy Swisher
Director, Marketing & Communications
pswisher@cpradr.org
646-753-8204