Loraine Della Porta

Loraine M. Della Porta (she/her/hers) is an experienced mediator, arbitrator, facilitator, ombud, trainer, coach, and dispute systems designer. Her career reflects extensive experience in public engagement, consensus building, organizational development, and conflict prevention. Prior to affiliating with The Mediation Group (TMG) in 2013, Loraine served for 12 years as the Deputy Director of the MA Office of Public Collaboration (MOPC), a free-standing institute of the University of Massachusetts Boston that assists public entities in resolving conflict, facilitating public engagement, and collaborating on important policy issues within government and across sectors.

Over her career, she has mediated hundreds of disputes focusing on EEO/civil rights, employment, union, labor/management, education, foreclosure, land-use, and environmental disputes. She recently added ERISA disability cases to her list of competencies. As a member of the Organizational Practice at TMG, she brings a wealth of experience in private and public sectors providing conflict prevention, conflict assessment and organizational development. Loraine is a skilled facilitator and has led facilitation teams for a number of consensus building and public engagement processes for federal, state and municipalities. She has designed and delivered conflict resolution trainings and internal capacity building programs with a focus on leadership development and diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives. Loraine is also a seasoned investigator providing a neutral and respectful approach to claims of harassment, retaliation and discrimination.

Loraine graduated with honors from Providence College and Roger Williams University School of Law. She studied at the Straus Institute for Dispute Resolution at Pepperdine University and later earned an Executive Certificate in Diversity & Inclusion from Cornell University. Loraine is also certified by the International Association of Public Participation (IAP2) and assists government entities and other organizations (domestic and foreign) in framing issues for public dialogue and deliberation.

Loraine serves as a Senior Fellow at the Center for Peace, Democracy, and Development at the University of Massachusetts Boston where she has taught Advanced Intervention Techniques for Public Disputes and Deliberative Dialogue. She  also currently serves as adjunct faculty at Roger Williams University School of Law and Quinnipiac University School of Law, where she teaches mediation and also co-directs the Connecticut Agricultural Mediation Program. Loraine is admitted to legal practice in Massachusetts and is currently Co-Chair of the American Bar Association (ABA) Section of Dispute Resolution’s Public Disputes and Consensus Building Committee. She is also a member of the International Ombuds Association.  Loraine is a proud past president of both the New England Chapter of the Association for Conflict Resolution (NEACR) and the Center for Mediation and Collaboration of Rhode Island (CMCRI). 

• Juris Doctorate from Roger Williams University School of Law
• Bachelor of Science degree in Business Management from Providence College
• Studied extensively at Pepperdine University’s Straus Institute for Dispute Resolution
• Executive Certificate in Diversity & Inclusion from Cornell University

• Adjunct Professor of Law at Roger Williams University School of Law
• Past President of the New England Chapter of the Association for Conflict Resolution (NE-ACR) 
• Past President of the Center for Mediation and Collaboration Rhode Island (CMCRI)
• Co-Chair American Bar Association, Dispute Resolution Section Public Disputes & Consensus Building Committee\
• Member, International Ombuds Association

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