Janet Schmidt

Bio

Janet has been working in the field of conflict resolution and mediation since 1986. She has a Masters of Education Degree (1987) with a focus on organizational behaviour, and a Certificate in Mediation Skills (1996). While working as a trainer and then as Executive Director of a local non-profit specializing in mediation services, Janet gave leadership to the development of a twenty-two day Certificate Program with a goal to make conflict resolution training accessible to people from all walks of life. From 1996 to 1999, Janet developed a nine-month Peace Building and Conflict Transformation program in a pan-African leadership-training Institution in Kitwe, Zambia. Upon her return from Africa, Janet co-founded an organization specializing in workplace mediation and group facilitation. She is currently working independently as a workplace facilitator/mediator/coach/trainer. Janet has taught courses in conflict resolution at the University of Manitoba and the University of Winnipeg, has written articles on topics such as decision-making, guilt and shame, apologies and forgiveness, and has worked in 19 countries including Canada, the US and Mexico, as well as several African, Asian and Middle Eastern countries. Janet’s current focus is in the workplace – facilitating difficult conversations, and designing and leading trainings, assisting managers to be effective leaders in their organizations, and equiping them to deal with the inevitable relational challenges they face in their jobs.