Sharon Tom, founder of ‘Ohana Resource Group, has been a practitioner and trainer in the Alternative Dispute Resolution Industry for over 20 years.  Her expertise is in working with communities, families, businesses and schools teaching skills to understand and utilize the unique strengths of individuals, the fine art of effective communications, cultural diversity and various modalities to deal with disputes.  She has taught lawyers, judges, therapists, police, government officials, parents and teachers these skills to enhance their abilities to strengthen their interpersonal relationships and to communicate more effectively when confronted with adverse situations.  

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Ms. Tom graduated from California State University, San Jose, in Business and entered the computer industry where she spent over ten years in analyzing and assessing the needs of clients, designed an implementation program and trained the users on the systems.  She took those skills to pursue her passion of helping people to problem solve their personal and working relationships when she left the computer industry.

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In 1996, Ms. Tom became a certified mediator by completing the 40-hour certification training with Mediation Services of Castro Valley.  In her ten years of service with this organization, she became one of their primary Mediation Training instructors and later became their Executive Director.  Mediation Services developed a program with Police Departments in South Alameda County by providing them with mediation support for community calls.  When Mediation Services merged with Berkley Dispute Resolution Services and Conciliation Forum of Oakland to form SEEDS Community Resolution Center in 2004, Ms. Tom left and founded ‘Ohana Resource Group as a family mediator and parenting coach. She has remained with SEEDS as a volunteer providing mediation services, assisted as a trainer and coach for their 40-hour mediation training, facilitator and Restorative Justice practitioner.

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Affiliations:

• Certified Independent Consultant for Birkman International – Houston, TX

• Member of American Council of Hypnotic Examiners

• Certified Mediator/Trainer for Mediation Services of Castro Valley

• Facilitator for “Becoming a Love and Logic Parent” – Denver, CO 

• Mediator/Trainer/Facilitator/Circle Keeper for SEEDS Community Resolution Services - Berkeley, CA

• Community Well - San Francisco, CA

• Community Boards of San Francisco

• Mai Vu Leadership/Business Coach - Hayward, CA

• Asian Business Alliance - Hayward, CA

• Citizen for a Better Community - Fremont, CA