Greg Abell

Greg is the Principal at Sound Options Group, LLC, a Conflict Engagement firm located in Washington State. In this role he coordinates the design, implementation and delivery of all services. His particular area of expertise is in assisting agencies, organizations and communities in designing and implementing systems for more effectively engaging conflict and facilitating productive and collaborative work environments. Services include mediation, facilitation, professional development, coaching, and consultation.

As a professional mediator, he has 30+ years’ experience mediating highly contentious, multi-party community and institutional disputes. He has the ability to weave this experience into his consulting and teaching as he assists individuals and organizations in collaboratively navigating conflict and change.

In the context of this project, Greg has consulted with multiple SELPAs over the past 20 years to address and support building capacity for effective conflict engagement. Specific experience related to this role includes:

• Administrative Agent to the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction for Washington State and Department of Children, Youth, and Families to provide Mediation, IEP Facilitation and Professional Development in Special Education
• Consults nationally in the design and delivery of Conflict Engagement resources
• Senior Consultant to CADRE (OSEP funded TA center for ADR in Special Education)
• Partner with TAESE (Technical Assistance for Excellence in Special Education) in the Center for Special Education Leadership and Conflict Engagement
• Core faculty member of the ECSEL program at the University of Washington, Bothell, a two-year certificate program for special education leadership
• Past President of Washington Mediation Association
• Founding Board Member of the Dispute Resolution Center of Kitsap County
• Previous experience as a School Psychologist and Administrator

A key distinctive of our current work is in the upgrade of ADR systems and resources by implementing a MTSS framework for Conflict Engagement. This framework is designed to build a continuum of local options for supporting effective collaboration.