Lynn Vavra, Organization Development Specialist for St. Francis Medical Center, Los Angeles, California, has graciously provided the following reference. Director of Training Debra Dupree has been assisted by Certified Trainers Alicia McLain, Mauricio Estrada, and Patrick Quinlan in providing training services for St. Francis.

Corporate clients of training vendors can be a tough crowd for vendors. Mediation Training Institute International (MTI) is an organization's dream.

With very little lead time (sound familiar?) I was charged with coordinating a conflict resolution skills workshop for managers, directors & executives. My own director advised in no uncertain terms that we needed to work together with a vendor and give this event a "full court press"; success being the only option. My main concern still was that the content justified the attendees' time off-line. I work at the largest private trauma center in Los Angeles where time indeed counts.

After considering several vendors, I happened on MTI. Their reputation in mediation circles is what was referred to me as "the gold standard". Even with so little lead-time, I still needed the gold standard for this crowd. But I wanted to see for myself. Debra Dupree, Executive V.P. & Director of Training, understood my needs. She arranged for me to attend a MTI presentation to see for myself. Within weeks I locked in a date with them.

One full court press and a successful workshop later, I'm still getting compliments. A director said he tried the techniques the following day after avoiding two employees' conflict for months. It was resolved. A nurse educator stopped by my office this afternoon saying her new mediation skills not only successfully salvaged a new nurse hire being released (in a national nursing shortage) but received praise from physicians for resolving the situation. This nurse educator can't wait to use her new mediation techniques in another hospital as well.

I personally and professionally recommend the services of Mediation Training Institute International for your next workshop. The content of this workshop speaks to working professionals in a language and layout that they truly find worthwhile. MTI's professionalism, customer service levels even for us "needed it yesterday" organizational clients, and their ability to deliver worthwhile training truly reflects "a gold standard".

Lynn Vavra
Organization Development Specialist
St. Francis Medical Center
Los Angeles, CA