Fern F. Kaufman

Director, Center for Alternative Dispute Resolution

Fern F. Kaufman is the Director of the DOT Center for Alternative Dispute Resolution, where she is responsible for training and education, neutral services, and dispute resolution design and evaluation.  Ms. Kaufman mediates two-party and multi-party disputes, coaches managers and employees on improving communication and conflict management skills,  and provides training in basic and advanced communications, interest-based problem solving, facilitation, and conflict management. Ms. Kaufman also represents the Department at conferences and seminars and on the Steering Committee of the Attorney General's Interagency Dispute Resolution Working Group.  Ms. Kaufman previously served DOT as an attorney in the Office of Chief Counsel for Dispute Resolution at the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

Before DOT, Ms. Kaufman was Director of the Collaboration and ADR program at the Federal Labor Relations Authority (FLRA).  At the FLRA, Ms. Kaufman provided alternative dispute Resolution services in pending unfair labor practice, representation, negotiability and bargaining impasse disputes and provided facilitation and training activities to assist labor and management in developing constructive approaches to conducting their relationships.  Prior to FLRA, Ms. Kaufman was Deputy Director of Mediation services at the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), where she directed the Federal Sharing Neutrals Program.  Ms. Kaufman has mediated hundreds of disputes throughout the government and has provided training and mediation for both federal and community mediation programs in the Washington metropolitan area.

Ms. Kaufman is a member of both the District of Columbia and the New York Bars.  She earned an undergraduate degree from Cornell University and a Juris Doctorate from Duke University School of Law.