About Veritas Mediation Academy

Meet Veritas Mediation Academy

At Veritas Mediation Academy, we train the next generation of mediation professionals with a practical, human, and high‑quality approach.

We are a specialist, accredited academy in mediation. Our commitment is to deliver rigorous, up‑to‑date training that reflects the realities of professional practice and prepares you for a confident career as a mediator.

Our team consists of highly experienced mediators who combine their extensive practice knowledge with a genuine passion for teaching and mentoring.

We believe mediation is not just a profession, but a tool for positive social transformation. That is why we equip our learners to do more than deal with conflict — we prepare them to create the conditions in which people can reach their own resolutions.

Get to know your team

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Stuart M. Hanson BMus (Hons), FMCA, PPC, QTLS, MSET, FSoM, JP

Head of Quality & Learning

Stuart is an accredited family mediator (Family Mediation Council) and a civil, commercial, and workplace mediator (Civil Mediation Council). He is also a Professional Practice Consultant (PPC), Legal Aid internal supervisor, and qualified teacher with QTLS status, underpinned by a Level 5 Diploma in Education and Training.

At Veritas Mediation Academy, Stuart leads on quality assurance, curriculum development, and training delivery. He mentors aspiring mediators and oversees the academic standards of the Foundation Training and CPD programmes.

A Fellow of the Society of Mediators and member of both Resolution and the Society for Education and Training, Stuart currently serves on Resolution’s national Legal Aid and Family Mediation Committee. He was previously a family magistrate in Leeds and has held leadership positions with the College of Mediators.

Stuart has twice received a National Mediation Award (2018 and 2024), and in 2024 and 2025 was shortlisted respectively for Resolution’s Innovation Champion and Legal Aid Practitioner of the Year awards. He is also the External Reviewer for the LLM in Digital Dispute Resolution at Leeds Beckett University.

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Lesley Dudleston FMCA, PPC, DET

Quality & Learning Manager & Lead Trainer

Lesley is an FMCA-accredited all-issues mediator, Professional Practice Consultant (PPC) and qualified trainer. She delivers foundation training and ongoing CPD, with a focus on reflective practice, client-centred approaches, and mediator confidence. Lesley plays a key role in developing the Academy’s training and assessment materials and brings over 25 years’ experience in research and strategy to the Academy.

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Dawn Stainer BA (Hons), FMCA, PGCE

Head of Assessment & Online Safety Coordinator

Dawn is a multi-skilled mediator and senior educator with a legal background and extensive assessment expertise. She holds roles with several awarding bodies as an assessor and internal verifier, and serves as a moderator for Civil Mediation Council qualifications. She delivers mediation and education training in the UK and internationally and is an accredited family mediator registered with the Family Mediation Council.

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Jan Coulton LLB (Hons), FMCA, PPC

Trainer

Jan is one of the UK’s most respected family mediators, with over 30 years’ experience and a background as a qualified solicitor. She is an FMCA-accredited mediator, Professional Practice Consultant (PPC), and a two-time winner of the National Mediation Award for Family Mediation. Jan is a director of the Family Mediation Council. She leads accredited training for aspiring mediators and delivers specialist courses in intergenerational, inheritance, and elder mediation. Jan continues to support practitioners across England through her PPC services and ongoing mentoring.

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Allison Borchardt B Cur

Disability Support Officer & Trainer

Allison is a qualified nurse and accredited mediator with a strong commitment to inclusive, person-centred practice. She holds a BCur degree in Nursing Science from the University of Stellenbosch and is accredited with both the Social Justice Association of Mediators (SJAM) and ADR Network SA in South Africa. At Veritas Mediation Academy, Allison develops course content and delivers training with a focus on accessibility and learner wellbeing. As the Academy’s Disability Support Officer, she works closely with students who require additional support to ensure equitable access to all aspects of training.

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Dorian Ramirez Sosa PhD

Head of Admin & Finance

Dorian oversees the operational and financial management of the Academy. Originally from Mexico, Dorian holds a PhD from the University of Leeds. Fluent in both English and Spanish, Dorian plays a key role in supporting the organisation in meeting its administrative and compliance responsibilities.

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Nadia Chalkley BA

Student Support Coordinator

Nadia is a communications specialist with expertise in international student relations and public engagement. Holding a BA in Communications from the University of Johannesburg, her experience spans marketing, fundraising, radio broadcasting, and cross-cultural communications. She has worked across Africa in roles requiring adaptability and clear communication, contributing to higher education by enhancing enrolment processes, orientation programmes, and student exchanges. At Veritas, Nadia ensures learners are guided and supported throughout their training journey, helping them achieve their goals.

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Sandra Ospina B.Eng

Student Support Coordinator

Sandra graduated from the National University of Colombia, with a degree in civil engineering, specialising in materials testing and quality management systems. In addition to this, she is also a professional translator, English to Spanish. Sandra works alongside Dorian working on maintaining the company’s compliance. In her free time, Sandra enjoys dancing and travelling.

Stuart M. Hanson BMus (Hons), FMCA, PPC, QTLS, MSET, FSoM, JP

Head of Quality & Learning

Stuart is an accredited family mediator (Family Mediation Council) and a civil, commercial, and workplace mediator (Civil Mediation Council). He is also a Professional Practice Consultant (PPC), Legal Aid internal supervisor, and qualified teacher with QTLS status, underpinned by a Level 5 Diploma in Education and Training.

At Veritas Mediation Academy, Stuart leads on quality assurance, curriculum development, and training delivery. He mentors aspiring mediators and oversees the academic standards of the Foundation Training and CPD programmes.

A Fellow of the Society of Mediators and member of both Resolution and the Society for Education and Training, Stuart currently serves on Resolution’s national Legal Aid and Family Mediation Committee. He was previously a family magistrate in Leeds and has held leadership positions with the College of Mediators.

Stuart has twice received a National Mediation Award (2018 and 2024), and in 2024 and 2025 was shortlisted respectively for Resolution’s Innovation Champion and Legal Aid Practitioner of the Year awards. He is also the External Reviewer for the LLM in Digital Dispute Resolution at Leeds Beckett University.

Lesley Dudleston FMCA, PPC, DET

Quality & Learning Manager & Lead Trainer
Lesley is an FMCA-accredited all-issues mediator, Professional Practice Consultant (PPC) and qualified trainer. She delivers foundation training and ongoing CPD, with a focus on reflective practice, client-centred approaches, and mediator confidence. Lesley plays a key role in developing the Academy’s training and assessment materials and brings over 25 years’ experience in research and strategy to the Academy.

Dawn Stainer BA (Hons), FMCA, PGCE

Head of Assessment & Online Safety Coordinator
Dawn is a multi-skilled mediator and senior educator with a legal background and extensive assessment expertise. She holds roles with several awarding bodies as an assessor and internal verifier, and serves as a moderator for Civil Mediation Council qualifications. She delivers mediation and education training in the UK and internationally and is an accredited family mediator registered with the Family Mediation Council.

Jan Coulton LLB (Hons), FMCA, PPC

Trainer
Jan is one of the UK’s most respected family mediators, with over 30 years’ experience and a background as a qualified solicitor. She is an FMCA-accredited mediator, Professional Practice Consultant (PPC), and a two-time winner of the National Mediation Award for Family Mediation. Jan is a director of the Family Mediation Council. She leads accredited training for aspiring mediators and delivers specialist courses in intergenerational, inheritance, and elder mediation. Jan continues to support practitioners across England through her PPC services and ongoing mentoring.

Allison Borchardt B Cur

Disability Support Officer & Trainer
Allison is a qualified nurse and accredited mediator with a strong commitment to inclusive, person-centred practice. She holds a BCur degree in Nursing Science from the University of Stellenbosch and is accredited with both the Social Justice Association of Mediators (SJAM) and ADR Network SA in South Africa. At Veritas Mediation Academy, Allison develops course content and delivers training with a focus on accessibility and learner wellbeing. As the Academy’s Disability Support Officer, she works closely with students who require additional support to ensure equitable access to all aspects of training.

Dorian Ramirez Sosa PhD

Head of Admin & Finance
Dorian oversees the operational and financial management of the Academy. Originally from Mexico, Dorian holds a PhD from the University of Leeds. Fluent in both English and Spanish, Dorian plays a key role in supporting the organisation in meeting its administrative and compliance responsibilities.

Nadia Chalkley BA

Student Support Coordinator
Nadia is a communications specialist with expertise in international student relations and public engagement. Holding a BA in Communications from the University of Johannesburg, her experience spans marketing, fundraising, radio broadcasting, and cross-cultural communications. She has worked across Africa in roles requiring adaptability and clear communication, contributing to higher education by enhancing enrolment processes, orientation programmes, and student exchanges. At Veritas, Nadia ensures learners are guided and supported throughout their training journey, helping them achieve their goals.

Sandra Ospina B.Eng

Student Support Coordinator
Sandra graduated from the National University of Colombia, with a degree in civil engineering, specialising in materials testing and quality management systems. In addition to this, she is also a professional translator, English to Spanish. Sandra works alongside Dorian working on maintaining the company’s compliance. In her free time, Sandra enjoys dancing and travelling.

The Veritas Mediation Academy way

Commitment to excellence

We deliver high-quality, up-to-date and accredited training programmes, developed by experts in mediation and conflict resolution.

Professionalism

We promote an ethical, rigorous and professional approach throughout all of our courses and interactions.

Inclusivity

Our training is open to a wide range of professionals, from newcomers to experienced individuals in legal, social and educational fields.

Lifelong learning

We believe in training as an ongoing journey that enables professionals to grow and respond to new challenges.

Social impact

We train mediators who are able to support the transformation of conflict into dialogue, enabling a meaningful and positive contribution to society.

Supportive approach

We support our learners every step of the way, with a warm, human and accessible approach.

Start your journey today