Cheshire Mediation began about 16 years ago under the enthusiastic direction of Pamela Whitney.  In 1997 Pamela moved out of state and Greg Hessel, parent-youth mediation coordinator, became the Director for the next ten years.

Under Greg’s direction, Cheshire Mediation continued the Parent Youth and Private Divorce mediation programs, and added the Child Impact program, a required training for parents involved in divorce or other court-based parenting issues.   During that same time, Cheshire Mediation provided grant-funded mediation to low-income parents in the court system, and explored a Restorative Justice program and mediation for families with adult children with special needs.

When Greg became Director, Kate Kerman became the Youth programs coordinator, overseeing the Parent Youth mediation program,  Circles of Support and Accountability for at-risk youth, and Peer mediation training and coordination.

Charlotte Guyer served as the Director from December of 2007 to December of 2008, after Greg left to work as a private consultant.  Cheshire Mediation was then brought under the umbrella of the Monadnock Family Services (“MFS”) prevention programs and was without its own Director for three years.

MFS hired Adriana Elliot as the director of Cheshire Mediation in the spring of 2011, and released the business to her on 10/1/11, when lack of public funds for mediation required a structural change.  The Child Impact Program remains with MFS as part of the Parent Outreach Program.

Adriana now directs Cheshire Mediation from her office in the Hannah Grimes Business Incubator Program, in downtown Keene.  She provides private mediation services, and collaborates with area mediators to promote awareness and utilization of mediation.