Andy Wunsch | President Laura Bottaro | VicePresident Yvonne Baglini| Treasurer Theodore DeMarco| Secretary Maria Di Nitto Walter Hunter David Joseph Carolyn Mark Nicholas Obolensky | Past President Marilyn Quinn CMCRI Board members come from local businesses, universities, major law firms and many other backgrounds. The Board members are the lifeblood of the agency, providing advice, ideas, logistical and financial support, and fundraising support. CMCRI has a 100% giving board, representing the Board’s commitment to and belief in the mission of community mediation. Board members serve a three-year term with an option to renew. If you are interested in becoming a Board member, please contact our Executive Director, Martha Machnik. Martha@cmcri.org Andy Wunsch | President
Andy Wunsch is a mediator and investment advisor. After a career in sales, training and management with regional and national broker-dealers, in 2009 Andy founded South County Financial Advisors LLC, a registered investment advisor. Andy's work as a mediator started after he attended Basic Mediation Skills training at Center for Mediation & Collaboration Rhode Island. He began volunteering as a mediator in Rhode Island District and Family Courts in 2009. In 2010, Andy was appointed a Financial Regulatory Authority mediator, where he assists investors, broker-dealers and their attorneys with evaluation and resolution of arbitration claims. Andy joined the board in 2016, served as Treasurer 2020 - 2021 and was elected President in 2021. Andy graduated from University of Hartford in 1986 with a BS in Business Administration. An avid beach enthusiast and musician, he lives in Narragansett with his partner, Ann Marie. Laura Bottaro |Vice President Laura Bottaro, Esq. is an attorney and neutral at the Law Offices of Laura Bottaro, LLC. Her legal practice emphasized commercial, construction, consumer, and personal injury litigation. Having advocated for both plaintiffs and defendants, Laura is now pursuing her true passion as a neutral arbitrator and mediator with the Center for Mediation, American Arbitration Association, FairClaims, and Rhode Island Superior Court. She volunteers as a pro bono mediator in the Center’s Rhode Island court program. She continues to train in advanced mediation techniques to understand the neuroscience and best practices of conflict resolution. Laura is also passionate about the outdoors, spending her free time with her husband and two children trail racing and mountain biking. Laura has served on environmental nonprofit boards. She is a member of the Legislative Commission to Study the RI Water Resources Board and Water Supply. Laura graduated with a J.D. from the University of Colorado School of Law and a B.A. with honors from Northwestern University. Yvonne Baglini | Treasurer Yvonne Baglini is a Mediator and an ADR Executive. As an Assistant Vice President, she has been a Leader at the American Arbitration Association‘s Northeast Case Management Center since its inception 16 years ago. In addition to her management activities, she is a staff trainer facilitating national trainings for new arbitrators which includes the Core arbitrator training program. She has also served on several Muscular Arbitration panels at in person events and webinars in the New York metro area. As a trained mediator, Yvonne has volunteered as a mediator in Rhode Island District Courts since 2013. Yvonne is an advocate for ADR, particularly mediation as a way to preserve relationships between parties, especially those that find themselves on opposite sides of the court room. As a long term resident of Rhode Island she is committed to giving back to the community and assisting nonprofit organizations. Yvonne is a proponent of innovation both personally and professionally. She has attended several Innovation Conferences and has visited Innovation Labs in the Boston metro area. Yvonne, along with her family, enjoys boating, fishing, and jet-skiing during the summer and snowmobiling, skating, and snowshoeing during the winter. Theodore DeMarco | Secretary T.J DeMarco is an ordained minister in the Presbyterian Church (USA). He is the pastor of Woodbury Union Church, Presbyterian located in Warwick, RI and the Stated Clerk for the Presbyteries of Boston and Northern New England. He is a mediator and serves as a volunteer mediator in the CMCRI court program. Maria Di Nitto Maria Di Nitto is a graduate of the University of Rhode Island with a B.A. in Psychology and a M.M. in Music Education. Maria is also a trained Lead Mediator. She has been teaching in the Coventry Public School System for 21 years as a music educator. She enjoys opening children’s minds to the many possibilities of their future. In 2015, Maria received her Juris Doctor from Novus University School of Law and in 2018 received her Master of Studies in Law from Roger Williams University School of Law. After seeing students from many different backgrounds struggling to learn, and to cope within our society, Maria decided to specialize in family law to be an advocate for children. Maria is a Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA). Walter Hunter Walter C. Hunter is a labor and employment law arbitrator and mediator with over 35 years of prior experience in complex labor and employment law matters, both as a practicing attorney and as Vice President of Administration at Brown University. He is a graduate of West Point and the University of Virginia School of Law. Mr. Hunter is well known for his labor and employment law expertise in higher education, health care, manufacturing, banking, trucking, warehousing, retail, food service, municipalities and executive contract matters. At Brown, he orchestrated comprehensive improvements in human resources programs and administration and was a creative force behind enhancements to reward and recognition programs for staff. He spearheaded and oversaw the sensitive process of arming campus police officers, chaired the public safety oversight committee and introduced numerous innovative emergency preparedness enhancements in the aftermath of the September 11th and Virginia Tech tragedies. He drafted and oversaw Brown’s anti-sweatshop initiatives designed to address working conditions for employees manufacturing Brown licensed apparel overseas. David Joseph Dave Joseph, MSW, is a Senior Associate at Essential Partners, formerly the Public Conversations Project, where he has helped communities, organizations, congregations, universities and non-profit organizations have productive conversations across differences. He has provided training and consultation in the United States, Canada, Romania, Nigeria, Greece, Burundi, Thailand and Liberia. Trained as a mediator in 1995, he co-founded and later served as Executive Director of the Community Mediation Center of Rhode Island. Prior to that, he directed outpatient mental health and addictions programs for 20+ years. He is a founding member and currently serves as chair of the board of Mediators Beyond Borders International. In his spare time he enjoys travel, playing with his grandchildren, rock-climbing, photography and cooking. Carolyn Mark Carolyn Mark is a non-profit professional who has worked to advance economic and social justice at the national, state, and local levels. She is a trained mediator and experienced facilitator with a commitment to empowering individuals and groups to meaningfully participate in decision-making on matters that impact them. Carolyn sees power in perspective-taking, and believes that the best decisions are made when those most impacted have a meaningful role in determining the outcome. She has served as a labor organizer and educator for AFSCME, a program and executive director of several economic development non-profits, and president of the Rhode Island Chapter of the National Organization for Women. Carolyn also served for eight years as an elected member of the East Greenwich School Committee. As chair for six years, she led strategic planning, labor negotiations, mental health and wellness initiatives, and the annual budget process. She currently chairs the board of the Economic Progress Institute. Carolyn received a Bachelor of Arts in Labor Studies and Industrial Relations from the Pennsylvania State University, and a Master of City Planning from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology with a focus on community economic development. Carolyn lives in Providence with her husband Bill Stone and their dog Maizey, and is the proud parent of two adult children. She enjoys skiing, hiking, reading, baking, and weight lifting. Nicholas Obolensky Nicholas Obolensky, Esq. is an attorney and partner at Obolensky and Balkcom Law, a general practice law firm in downtown Providence. Nicholas received his Juris Doctor at Roger Williams University School of Law, as well as earning a concurrent master's degree in marine affairs at the University of Rhode Island. Before entering the legal field, Nicholas owned and operated an international seafood trading company, Nobol Trading International LLC, conducting business in Europe, Asia, and Africa. Nicholas grew up in New Bedford, MA, where he established his deep appreciation for the sea, including a passion for environmental conservation, surfing, and sailing. A family man, he enjoys spending time outdoors with his wife and four sons at the beach. Marilyn Quinn Marilyn Quinn has been a mediator with the Center for Mediation since 2011. She mediates civil cases in the Rhode Island District Courts and helps new mediators to acquire the expertise necessary to fully engage the court process. She also mediates community, agriculture and family conflicts and facilitates stakeholder engagement strategies. She has been working with groups to help them work through challenges, particularly in regard to effective involvement in planning and decision-making, to strengthen working relationships and ultimately, to improve how they work together. She was certified as a mediator by the New Mexico Center for Dispute Resolution and has a Master of Science in Management degree from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. She was past director of staff development at the Connecticut State Department of Education where she coordinated professional development activities and co-facilitated a leadership program for aspiring managers. As the agency’s management representative, she led a partnership between the Connecticut Technical High Schools’ leadership team and the teachers’ union.The school system integrated conflict resolution education into the student curriculum and implemented school-based mediation programs as a result of this partnership. |
Martha Machnik
Executive Director Martha@cmcri.org Martha has over 30 years of experience working and training others to improve communication skills, build respectful relationships and develop leadership skills. Prior to joining CMCRI, Martha worked for 18 years with the YMCA; most recently serving as the Chief Operations Officer for the Attleboro YMCA. Prior to this Martha served as the District Executive Director for the YMCA of Greater Providence. Martha is also the Past President of the Elizabeth Buffum Chace Center. Martha earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Social Work and Education from Salve Regina University. She is a Dartmouth, Massachusetts’s native who lives in Rhode Island with her husband John. Martha and John have 2 adult children and are happy, new grandparents! In her free time, Martha enjoys cooking, crafting, her garden and spending time with family and friends. 
Tricia Driscoll
Operations Director Tricia@cmcri.org In her 25+ years of non-profit experience, Tricia has worked to help individuals and groups develop positive communication and leadership skills. Before joining CMCRI Tricia worked for the YMCA, most recently as an Executive Director of the South County YMCA. She is passionate about supporting mental health and wellness causes, and in making sure everyone has food security. She volunteers her time with organizations such as P.E.O. International, Bristol Health Equity Zone (BHEZ) and The B.A.Y. Team- Barrington’s Prevention Coalition. Tricia has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology-based Human Relations from Connecticut College and a Master of Arts degree in Teaching from Rhode Island College. She and her family live in Barrington where she spends most of her free time kayaking and hiking. |
