Danielle Cosgrove

Executive Director | she/her

danielle.cosgrove@clevelandmediation.org

Danielle Cosgrove is the Executive Director of Cleveland Mediation Center (CMC). Danielle has over 20 years of experience in the field of mediation and conflict resolution and 13 years of experience managing mediation programs. Danielle worked at CMC from 2006 - 2013, most recently as the Director of Programs and Development, and was hired as the Director of CMC after a merger with a larger organization in 2017. She also has a Masters Degree in Conflict Resolution from Antioch University McGregor. 

 

Danielle enjoys reading, knitting, and watching her sons play soccer and basketball in her spare time. She is excited to be leading CMC in its new era as an independent 501(c)3 organization once again.

Kareemah Hairston

Mediation Coordinator | she/her

kareemah.hairston@clevelandmediation.org

Kareemah Hairston is a Cleveland native and graduate of Kent State University in Applied Conflict Management. Originally studying political science and philosophy; she was introduced to the field of Peace Studies and Conflict Resolution at Cuyahoga Community College. Very quickly she realized that enthralling herself in this field of study would equip her with the language and tools to do her life’s work.

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Kareemah has nearly 10 years of experience supporting and facilitating change work processes in communities and organizations. Kareemah is most fulfilled when she is collaborating and equipping individuals with skills that support how to navigate and create more sustainable, equitable, and just communities. Her continuous work in program and workshop development, group facilitation design, and guiding collaborative work processes, has advanced her expertise in fostering spaces for communities to learn and grow together through dialogue-based practices that nurture understanding and challenge institutional and systemic inequities.

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Today, she is a proud Mediation Advocate at Cleveland Mediation Center, with a primary focus on tenant/landlord disputes. Kareemah also stays on her toes with consultant work. In her spare time, she enjoys brain-tingling conversation, any and all creative pursuits, walks with nature, and savoring a nice cup of spiced tea.

Cassadi Hanley

LGBTQ+ Diversion Advocate | she/her

cassadi.hanley@clevelandmediation.org

Cassadi attended the University of Akron where she received a degree in History. Her passion for history came from her belief that 'you don't know where you're going if you don't know where you've been'.

 

Cassadi joined the staff of Cleveland Mediation Center to advocate for mediation as a conflict resolution process. She feels it is important to touch at least one life in her lifetime or be a part of something bigger than herself. She believes in the philosophy that one drop of water can make a huge ripple.

 

Cassadi comes from a family of 7 kids - the youngest of her siblings and the only girl. She is married and has two lovely and silly pups, Clinton and Arlo. She enjoys reading mystery novels and watching documentaries until she is dizzy.

Laura Hurtado

Mediation Advocate | she/her

laura.hurtado@clevelandmediation.org

Laura Hurtado is a first-generation Colombian American who recently graduated from Case Western Reserve University, obtaining a Master's in Social Work with a concentration in Community Practice for Social Change. By the end of her undergraduate program in Human Development and Family Studies at Penn State University, Laura has been working in the social services sector since 2021.

Steven Molnar

Mediation Advocate Supervisor | he/they

steven.molnar@clevelandmediation.org

Steven Molnar obtained his Bachelor’s Degree in Communication Management with a focus on mediation and health from Cleveland State University in Fall of 2013. This caused him to look into and start working with Cleveland Mediation Center as a volunteer in January 2014 for the Family Shelter Mediation Program. He continued his path in the conflict resolution field by fulfilling the criteria needed to become a Rule 16 qualified mediator, as designated by the Ohio Supreme Court.

 

Steven currently manages CMC's Family Shelter Mediation Program which works with Central Intake and homeless shelters in Cuyahoga County to prevent shelter residents from being involuntarily discharged. Additionally, he mediates cases for The Supportive Services for Veterans Families (SSVF) Program to help finalize agreements between landlords and tenants to continue their tenancies. Steven also assists with CMC's Fundamentals of Mediation training, providing coaching and feedback to new mediators.

Kirby Broadnax

Trainer | she/her

Kirby Broadnax is a consultant and facilitator from Northeast Ohio who aspires to understand the roots of conflict in order to co-create opportunities for community transformation and healing. She has a bachelor’s degree in Sociology and Women’s Studies from Miami University (OH) and a master’s degree in Conflict Transformation from the Center for Justice and Peacebuilding at Eastern Mennonite University. Kirby brings an eye for detail, curiosity, empathy, and thoughtfulness to her practice. She stays curious about how restorative justice and connection to the environment can support our individual and collective well-being.

 

Kirby’s work with Cleveland Mediation Center has seen many iterations, including her roles as a shelter diversion advocate and more recently an advocate with court-involved youth, serving on two advisory boards, and as an occasional consultant and trainer.

 

She currently works with Cleveland VOTES as a program facilitator for the Democracy Collective, a leadership development and equitable civic engagement program for community builders in the city. Kirby also does narrative change and vision consulting with one of her mentors, and also works part-time as a Patient Advocate at Preterm, ensuring access to abortion and reproductive care.

 

Beyond her work, Kirby loves snuggling her sweet cat Stella, finding new places to hike, building her flower identification skills, having thought-provoking conversations, singing, and playing board games.

Sarah Day Chess

Trainer | she/her

A proud nutmegger, Sarah Day is based in the great state of Connecticut and facilitates training in Diversion, Rapid Resolution, and Housing Problem Solving. She has collaborated with the Cleveland Mediation Center as a trainer since 2017 beginning with their collaboration at the Connecticut Coalition to End Homelessness to get statewide adoption of Diversion practices throughout the community. Since then she has assisted dozens of communities across the US in adopting best practices to integrate human-centered care and keep people from experiencing homelessness.

Sarah Day got her start in homeless and housing services with the Catholic Worker Movement at St. Josephs in New York and Montana while studying Peacebuilding & Economic Development at New York University Gallatin. She went on to pursue a Masters in Developmental Economics from the London School of Economics as well as explore the housing market more directly by getting a real estate license. Her academic work focuses on exploring how incentives in the housing system and housing policy can make things better for the most vulnerable.

 

When she is not training, you can find her with her cat Marmalade playing video games, listening to a podcast on a walk with her rambunctious labs Nora and Arlo, or in the back working on a project with her alpacas Sunny, Cosmo, and Biscuit. 

Kara Tellaisha

Trainer | she/her

Kara Tellaisha is a seasoned mediator and presenter, bringing over a decade of experience in mediation and conflict resolution to her role at Cleveland Mediation Center (CMC). Since 2011, Kara has been involved with CMC in various capacities and has served as the lead trainer for CMC’s Fundamentals of Mediation course since 2018. As a dedicated educator, she draws on her extensive experience in community, family, and business mediation when teaching her courses.

 

Kara also facilitates conflict resolution, facilitation, LGBTQ+ inclusivity (SafeSpace) trainings, and advanced/specialized mediation courses, all aimed at fostering more inclusive and empathetic environments.

 

In addition to her work with CMC, Kara oversees the administrative and business operations at Cleveland Sex & Intimacy Counseling. She previously served as the inaugural Director of LGBTQ+ Student Services at Cleveland State University, where she championed equity and inclusion for LGBTQ+ students.

 

Kara holds both a BA and an MBA from Cleveland State University and serves on the Board of Directors for CMC.