I begin my term as AFCC president deeply impressed by the achievements of my predecessors and each of you, my colleagues. Each one of you brings something important to the table, and hopefully, takes something back. I am grateful to all of you for the work you have done, and for this amazing opportunity I have been given to assist in leading AFCC. Thank you.
It is not an exaggeration to say that AFCC has changed my life. What about you? Has AFCC changed how you do your work or even changed your life ? Has it honed your focus? Challenged you to do more than you thought you were capable of? Helped you find or refine your purpose? Contributed to your personal and professional advancement? Kept you grounded? Enabled you to meet the people who wrote the books and papers you read? Provided you with resources? Aided you in staying engaged and energized in your practice?
What is AFCC about? You. It really is about You. Each one of you. You bring your knowledge, education, experiences, insights, passion, and perspectives, to the table. Not all of us are known superstars, although AFCC certainly has more than its share of them--to name them here would take the entire newsletter. Whether you are one of the known superstars or not, you matter to the success of AFCC. To quote a past president of AFCC, Larry Fong,
It is worth remembering that our rich history of volunteerism comes from all corners of the association, and includes individual members, chapter leaders, current and previous Board members, presidents, committee and task force members and chairs, FCR contributors, and conference and webinar presenters, all of whom demonstrate a strong commitment to AFCC.
AFCC offers much through the efforts of our members, executive director, and staff. This past year, AFCC has bridged gaps, pioneering new approaches and shaping the future of our field while always putting safety first. We trained on PC and PE fundamentals, introduced advanced training on Parent Child Contact Problems, and joined our Canadian colleagues for Family Law Responses to Violence and Coercive Control.
We completed the update to the Model Standards for Family and Divorce Mediation, launched the Parent Education Task Force, and began revising the Court Involved Therapy Guidelines. Chapters were born and grew. Congratulations to British Columbia for achieving chartered chapter status and to Georgia, our newest provisional chapter!
We gathered at the 16th Symposium on Child Custody in Columbus and the 62nd Annual Conference in New Orleans. The annual produced some notable firsts. 1. At The Dangerous Paradox workshop, the paradox may not have been the only dangerous thing. You had to be there to understand. If you were not, I look forward to seeing you next time. 2. NOLA street performers and fortune tellers entertained us with no rubber chicken in sight. If you have not yet had the opportunity to attend an AFCC annual conference, you are missing something remarkable. Take advantage of a scholarship!
We also experienced transition, after 3 decades of Peter Salem’s stellar leadership. I sometimes thought Peter could predict the future. We gained Bryan Altman, who has been effective, forward thinking, and just plain amazing at every turn, filling shoes that were not only the best on the market, but big ones to fill.
Finally and fondly, in reflecting on this past year, there is Michael Saini, who as AFCC President lead us through the challenges of this important transition. Mike is quiet, when he is not teaching formally or informally (a rare occasion); prolific, having authored and co-authored more than 200 publications; always moving; always analyzing; continuously reminding us about false binaries, innovative; solution focused; influential; open minded; professional; thoughtful; dedicated; and collaborative, among many other things. Mike has a mischievous sense of humor and buys ice cream for his students the last day of class. I am not certain, but I do not think he sleeps. You would have to ask his family or Leslie Drozd and Nancy Olesen about that. Mike, thank you for all you have taught me.
It is good to reflect and to look ahead with optimism. We can muster a lot when it comes to AFCC.
Coming up:
See you there. Meanwhile, feel free to reach out.
Warm regards,
Hon. Dolores A. Bomrad (Ret.), AFCC President
Dolores Bomrad is a mediator with the Family Mediation Center, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, an interdisciplinary team mediation organization. Until 2021 she was the Washington County, Wisconsin, Judicial Court Commissioner for thirty years. The majority of the cases she presides over are family and juvenile law cases. She is a Board director, founding member, and former President of the Wisconsin Chapter of AFCC. She serves on the Wisconsin Supreme Court Public Policy Advisory Committee (PPAC) and its Planning Sub-committee, the Washington County Coordinated Community Response Team on Domestic Violence, the Washington County Heroin Task Force, the Boards of Directors of the Wisconsin Professional Committee on Divorce (WIPCOD) and the State Bar of Wisconsin Family Law Section. She chairs the Washington County Supervised Visitation and Exchange Collaborative, and the Washington County Bar Association Family Law Section, and coordinates the Washington County Family Law Assistance Program. She is a former President of the Wisconsin Family Court Commissioners Association. Commissioner Bomrad is a frequent presenter at judicial and legal education programs.