Karen Aurit believes that mediation is best taught from the inside out. She is a trailblazing mediation entrepreneur and trainer, mindfulness expert, and Licensed Associate Marriage and Family Therapist. Under Karen’s leadership as Director and Co-Founder of The Aurit Center for Divorce Mediation in Scottsdale, Arizona, her team has helped thousands of people resolve their divorce and child custody issues in a healthier way. Karen teaches mediation as an Adjunct Professor of Law at The Straus Institute for Dispute Resolution at Pepperdine University School of Law, and at Arizona State University's Sandra Day O'Connor School of Law. She provides mediation training and private personalized coaching as Director and Co-Founder of The National Mediation Training Institute, where they believe that it doesn’t have to take a lifetime to become a master mediator and they teach mediation core values, attitudes, techniques, and strategies from the inside out.

Karen and Michael Aurit—her everything-partner—co-host, Inside the Mediation Room with Michael and Karen Aurit, a live monthly podcast in partnership with Mediate.com. Karen is honored to serve as Conference Co-Chair for The American Association of Marriage and Family Therapy in Arizona, and on the Town Hall Committee of The Academy of Professional Family Mediators (APFM). She earned her Master’s Degree in Clinical Psychology from Antioch University and holds her Mediation Certificate from The Straus Institute for Dispute Resolution. She earned her Bachelor of Arts Degree in Psychology from Arizona State University. Karen lives in Phoenix, Arizona with Michael and their daughters, Daniella and Eliana.  

Michael Aurit can help any aspiring mediator reach their greatest potential. He is a nationally respected professional mediator, prominent mediation trainer, and inspiring thought leader in the field. As Director and Co-Founder of The Aurit Center for Divorce Mediation in Scottsdale, Arizona, he and his team have helped thousands of people resolve their divorce and child custody issues in a healthier way. Michael teaches mediation as an Adjunct Professor of Law at The Straus Institute for Dispute Resolution at Pepperdine University School of Law and at Arizona State University's Sandra Day O'Connor School of Law. He was honored to serve as President of The Academy of Professional Family Mediators (APFM) from 2019 to 2021, where he led the family mediation field through the pandemic’s many challenges and opportunities and championed the embrace of online mediation for mediators everywhere. He currently serves as Ethics Chair of the Maricopa County Association of Family Mediators. 

He provides mediation training and private, personalized coaching as Director and Co-Founder of The National Mediation Training Institute, where they believe that it doesn’t have to take a lifetime to become a master mediator and they teach mediation core values, attitudes, techniques, and strategies from the inside out. Michael and Karen Aurit—his everything-partner—co-host, Inside the Mediation Room with Michael and Karen Aurit, a live monthly podcast in partnership with Mediate.com. He earned his Juris Doctorate from Pepperdine University School of Law and Master’s Degree in Dispute Resolution from The Straus Institute for Dispute Resolution. He sang his way through his Bachelor’s of Fine Arts Degree from The Boston Conservatory of Music at Berklee College. Michael lives in Phoenix, Arizona with Karen and their daughters, Daniella and Eliana. 

Susan Guthrie, nationally recognized as one of the Top Family Law and Mediation Attorneys in the country, has been helping individuals and families navigate separation and divorce for more than 30 years. Susan provides legal coaching services to select clients around the world.  

Susan recently partnered with legal and mediation legend, Forrest "Woody" Mosten to create the Mosten Guthrie Academy for Mediation and Collaborative Law Training.  The Academy provides cutting edge and gold standard training for legal and dispute resolution professionals around the world.

As a leading dispute resolution professional, Susan is honored to serve on the Executive Council of the American Bar Association’s (ABA) Section of Dispute Resolution as the Membership Officer and to be a Co-Chair of the Mediation Committee.  Susan also serves on the Board of Directors of The Southern California Mediation Association (SCMA).

After a year and half of co-hosting the award winning podcast, Breaking Free: A Modern Divorce Podcast  which reached almost 3 million listeners, Susan recently launched her fresh and inspiring new podcast, The Divorce and Beyond Podcast with Susan Guthrie, Esq. (www.divorceandbeyondpod.com) which debuted on iTunes' “Top Podcasts” List for self-help podcasts!  Divorce & Beyond is focused on pulling back the curtain on the mysteries of the divorce process and bringing tips and resources to help people to thrive and shine in their new future beyond divorce. 

Susan has been featured in and on media outlets such as CNBC, Market Watch, Forbes, the ABA’s Just Resolutions Magazine, Thrive Global, The Nook Online and many more. She is licensed to practice law in the States of California and Connecticut as well as before the Supreme Court of the United States.

Forrest (Woody) Mosten

Forrest (Woody) Mosten has been in private practice as a mediator since 1979 and currently is practicing mediation and collaborative law 100% online serving clients throughout the world. Woody is a founding partner of the Mosten-Guthrie Online Training Academy for Mediators and Collaborative Professionals. He is Adjunct Professor at UCLA School of Law where he teaches Mediation, Family Law Practice, and Lawyer as Peacemaker. He and has been in private practice as a mediator since 1979.

Woody is the author of six books and numerous articles on mediation, collaborative law, legal access, and building a peacemaking career. Woody served as convener for the 1999 international symposium, Training Mediators for the 21st Century. He has been Guest Editor for the Family Court Review’s special issues 4 times, most recently for the July 2015 issue on Peacemaking for Divorcing Families.

Woody trains mediators, collaborative professionals, and lawyers in conflict resolution courses ranging from basic to master classes and trainings for mediation trainers and presents keynotes at conferences throughout the world.  In 2019, Woody received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Academy of Professional Family Mediators and, in 2020, the Southern California Mediation Association established the Forrest Mosten Star Award for Excellence and Innovation in Mediation. Woody can be reached at www.MostenMediation.com.