About Us

Chris Sheesley, In-Accord’s owner and principal, guides participants towards concrete solutions to concrete problems while improving working relationships.

Chris’s commitment to conflict resolution is rooted in his conviction that effective interpersonal communication is essential to transforming conflicts into opportunities for growth and change. Having devoted his entire career to conflict resolution, Chris offers his clients a fresh and unbiased perspective. Clients and colleagues consistently describe Chris’s style as ‘sensitive’ ‘compassionate’ ‘respectful’ ‘professional’ and ‘effective.’

 

Selected Career Highlights

• Serves on 12 professional mediation rosters.
• Facilitated the State of Oregon Workers’ Compensation Division’s review of its internal processes.
• On-call mediation service provider, for the following employee assistance programs: Providence Health Systems, Wellspring, Magellan Behavioral Health and Wellness 2000.
• Oregon Governor’s Task Force on Medical Malpractice Insurance – Facilitated task force process and recommendations report to the governor and legislature.
• Resolutions Northwest, Portland’s Neighborhood Mediation Program – Developed and orchestrates annual 40-hour basic mediation training for new volunteer mediators. Conducts same training for City of Beaverton.
• The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission selected In-Accord to serve along side 11 other professional mediators to resolve workplace discrimination claims in the Pacific Northwest.
• Marylhurst University – Adjunct faculty member of Conflict Management graduate program.
• Nationally recognized mediation trainer with recent trainings in Florida, Montana and Colorado.

 

Education

M.A. Organizational Communications, 2002
Marylhurst University, Portland, OR

B.A. Peace & Conflict Resolution, 1989
American University, Washington D.C.

Over 450 hours of advanced training in eight mediation models.

 

Professional Affiliations & Leadership

• Oregon Mediation Association (Board Member, 2000; Ethics Committee, 2000 – 02)
• Washington Mediation Association (Certified mediator in labor, employment and organizational disputes)
• Resolutions Washington (Board Chair, 1998)
• Federal Shared Neutrals (Joint-Founder and Committee Member, 1996 - 99)
• Association for Conflict Resolution (Member since 1993)