Dr Nurit Zubery
Nurit is a mediator and researcher and an accredited Family Dispute Resolution Provider based in Auckland New Zealand. She completed a Master of Laws at the Auckland University Law School, specialising in mediation, with her Master’s thesis based on a qualitative research project examining how fathers experience family mediation. The study equipped her with a deep understanding of the dynamics of family mediation and how to best address the needs of both mothers and fathers, as well as protect the well-being of children. Nurit regularly presents on this topic to various organisations worldwide.
Dr Angharad Rudkin
Dr Angharad Rudkin is a Clinical Psychologist and Associate Fellow of the British Psychological Society. Angharad designed and facilitates the popular What About Henry? course for family law professionals, now in its 6th season. She has co-authored parenting books and children’s books and is the Consultant Editor for the divorce guide ““101 questions answered about separating with children” (Bath Publishing; 2020). With children’s author Ruth Fitzgerald, Angharad wrote “The Split Survival Kit” (Wren & Rook 2022), a book for children going through parental separation. Angharad is an Agony Aunt for the Metro relationship column and regularly appears on TV and radio as an expert on child and family issues, including divorce.
Dr Liza Thompson
Dr Liza Thompson has been working in the field of Violence Against Women and Girls for two decades. Having previously worked as an Independent Domestic Violence Advocate, to leading a specialist women's domestic abuse charity in Kent - Liza now chairs and authors Statutory Fatality Reviews as a freelance reviewer.
Liza launched the Domestic Abuse and Mediation Network in 2020 alongside mediation colleagues - their collective aim being to bring the two sectors together to make mediation safer for victim/survivors of domestic abuse.
Marilyn Selwood
Marilyn Selwood has been involved in Domestic Abuse services for over 22 years. She began by working
with the local DA outreach service and Avon & Somerset Police drawing on her own lived experiences to
create a survivor group (SEEDS) with funding from The Evaluation Trust. Marilyn delivered training and
presentations to organisations such as Yarlington Housing Association, Devon & Somerset Fire & Rescue
Service, Avon & Somerset Police, CPS and Somerset County Council. Marilyn worked with GOSW
(Government Office of the South West) as a survivor voice for the VAWG strategy.
Marilyn went on to become an IDVA (Independent Domestic Violence Survivor) supporting high risk victims
in the community and then progressed to be a manager for the commissioned Integrated Domestic Abuse
Service in Somerset managing IDVAs, outreach workers, referral coordinators, young people’s advocates,
perpetrator programme facilitators and the safe accommodation service. Marilyn was responsible for the
delivery of Domestic Abuse Awareness Training throughout Somerset on behalf of the local authority and
sat on various forums and strategic panels such as the MARAC Steering Group, regional CPS forum and
Domestic Abuse Housing Group. She completed the SafeLives Specialist Service Managers qualification in
2015 and successfully lead the service through SafeLives Leading Lights accreditation.
At the beginning of July 2017 Marilyn joined The ManKind Initiative as Services Associate focusing on
delivering ManKind’s CPD accredited training as well as writing and project managing the ACORN Recovery
Programme. Marilyn is an experienced trainer delivering training, presentations and guest speaking at
events across the UK and throughout Europe. She has a vested interest in supporting men from the Armed
Forces and recently secured three years funding to deliver the ACORN Recovery Programme to male
survivors both serving and veterans in the UK and overseas. Marilyn sits as a specialist panel member on
Domestic Homicide Reviews and Serious Case Reviews across the UK.
Marilyn is a member of the Avon & Somerset Police Independent Advisory Group as a specialist critical
friend for the force. She is Chair of the Somerset East Regional group and also attends the Strategic IAG
(SIAG) and the Counter Terrorism IAG (CTIAG). She has also volunteered as an Appropriate Adult for the
Youth Offending Team
Alex Drummond
Alex Drummond is a mental health professional with clinical and research interests in gender identity and conditions of neurodivergence. In this workshop she will be drawing on both clinical and personal experiences of being transgender (and ADHD) and what that means for individuals and families. In recent months trans identities have become something of a political football, and there is much mis-information and media rhetoric that adversely impacts families and individuals on this sensitive subject. The workshop will be a chance to hear from a grounded, balanced and personal lived experience perspective and the aim is to demystify the topic. Importantly - and highly relevant to professionals working in the field of marital/family breakdown, the presenter will also briefly discuss the intersection of autistic and ADHD identities (which occur in much higher prevalence in the trans community) offering some clues that can give important insight when working with trans families
