Our Staff & Board

Lauren Abramson, PHD
Founder, Executive Director, Community Conferencing Center
Assistant Professor, Child Psychiatry, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine
(410) 889-7400

Lauren Abramson is a psychologist who has worked with children and families in communities for the past 25 years. She is the Founder and Executive Director of the Community Conferencing Center in Baltimore, Maryland and Assistant Professor (part-time) in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine.

Lauren focused attention on Community Conferencing in Baltimore in 1995. She advances conferencing as a means of building social capital and collective efficacy on many levels, including:

• empowering individuals and communities to resolve their own conflicts
• keeping young people out of the criminal justice system, and
• mobilizing the existing untapped human assets in communities.

Lauren publishes articles on both the theoretical and empirical socio-political aspects of conferencing. The work of the Community Conferencing Center is groundbreaking for its multi-sector use of conferencing in highly distressed urban American communities.

Conferencing has helped Lauren learn that: while we can learn about conflict resolution through books and concepts, conflict--and personal--transformation happens through relationships and meaningful emotional experiences.

Nicole "Nikki" Glass-Brice
Deputy Director
(410) 889-7400

Since arriving in Baltimore in 1992, Nikki has worked in nonprofit development, helping to raise funds for local and national organizations.

Over the past 5 years, she has moved into providing direct service working as a Community Conferencing Facilitator for the Community Conferencing Center. In addition to facilitation, she has served as the organization's Office Manager and is currently Deputy Director of the organization. She provides community outreach, facilitates training efforts for Community Conferencing and the Daily Rap program, and oversees the day-to-day operations of the Community Conferencing Center.

Nikki graduated from Morgan State University in 1997 with a B.S. in Psychology, and has completed graduate course work in Industrial/Organizational Psychology at University of Baltimore.

Conferencing has helped Nikki learn that: she truly cares about the participants making their situations better, especially the children.

Patricia Escarfuller
Program Coordinator, Community Conferencing Center
(410) 889-7400

Patricia Escarfuller graduated from Middlebury College in 1992 with a degree in Art & Math, and earned her Art Teacher Licensure, K-12 from the University of Minnesota, Minneapolis in 1997. She served as a dedicated teacher and strong advocate for Latino families in Minneapolis until the birth of her first son in 2004, at which time she became a full-time stay at home mom. In January 2008, Patricia and her family relocated to Baltimore and she began facilitating with Community Conferencing Center. She brings with her a genuine respect for people from all walks of life, deep love of children, and strong organizational skills. She enjoys spreading and teaching the Community Conferencing model for conflict resolution, as a necessary and healthy alternative to the pervasively violent war-ridden models presented to our youth.

Patricia has come to recognize that she gears towards prevention in all aspects of life. Her love for education stems from its use as a preventive tool. The Community Conferencing Center's Daily Rap Program is such a preventive tool. Having this program available to all schoolchildren would be a good start in helping children better cope with daily conflicts and avoid violent behaviors.

Conferencing has helped Patricia learn to: make no assumptions.

David Williams
Outreach Coordinator, Community Conferencing Center
(410) 889-7400

In 1992, David discovered his passion for peace work while becoming a facilitator for the Alternatives to Violence Project (AVP) through the Western New York Peace Center.  Their use of the circle process and its healing-equalizing potential helped him develop his facilitation skills as well as his connection to others.  Since then he has worked for nonprofit organizations in the state of New York that handle violence prevention and intervention, peer mediation, and diversity training.

In 2006, David moved to southern Maryland and joined the Tri-County Youth Services Bureau as a Youth Development Interventionist and The Institute of Family Centered Services as a Family Centered Specialist. As a consultant, David conducts therapeutic and staff development Drumming Circles for youth organizations, The US Navy, and the community.

Community Conferencing is the next step in his evolution as a peace worker and he appreciates the opportunity to learn and grow with kin folk who believe that people are our greatest assets and healers.  He graduated with a B.S in Liberal Arts and a concentration in Human Services from Medialle College in 1993.      

Community Conferencing has helped David recognize the need to “unlearn”.  Instead of bringing a therapeutic approach, he wants to allow people to resolve their own conflicts by talking to each other.

Cindy Lemons
Facilitator, Community Conferencing Center
(410) 889-7400

Cindy Lemons has been a staff facilitator with the Community Conferencing Center since 2004. Her previous work as a community organizer allowed many opportunities for community conferencing in the neighborhoods of southeast Baltimore. She became excited about the process after participating in a Community Conference and she was trained in 1999.

As a seasoned staff facilitator, Cindy's life experiences contribute greatly to her effectiveness. Her abilities are apparent time and again as she provides a safe space for participants to come up with their own resolutions, many of which she could not imagine.

Conferencing has helped Cindy learn to: trust the process.

Schoene Mahmood
Facilitator, Community Conferencing Center
(410) 889-7400

Schoene joined the Community Conferencing Center in November 2004 upon completing training as a Facilitator. In her position, she helps to advance conferencing principles as a means of empowering individuals and communities to resolve their own conflicts. She also provides community outreach and supports promotional efforts for the organization.

Schoene has worked in marketing and public relations in both the corporate and nonprofit sectors. She holds a B.A. degree in General Studies concentrating in Psychology, Philosophy and Business from University of Missouri, Columbia.

Conferencing has helped Schoene learn that: if given a safe space and structure, people can and will resolve conflicts themselves without the need for an outside authority.