IAIABC Mediators' College 2027

The following table includes an at-a-glance look at the 2027 Mediators’ College schedule and content. 

All materials can be found in the 2027 IAIABC Mediators’ College educate@iaiabc course.

Here is a look at the detailed schedule.

Facilitators:

Brian Holmes
Director of MOST
Tennessee Bureau of Workers’ Compensation

Brian Holmes is the Director of Mediation and Ombudsman Services for the Tennessee Bureau of Workers’ Compensation. In this role, he directs policy and leads 23 mediators and 7 ombudsmen as they educate the public about workers’ compensation and resolve benefit disputes. He has had the privilege to help thousands of injured workers’, their employers, and insurance companies make informed decisions while resolving their workers’ compensation benefit disputes for over 20 years. Brian has also worked for the past 10 years positioning Tennessee to better return injured workers’ back to the workplace post-injury. He leads the Bureau’s Next Step Program which helps them find jobs and enroll in programs to develop skills for new careers. He also leads the Bureau’s Return-to-Work Coordinator Training for the REWARD program and has recently implemented the Bureau Firefighter PTSD Grant Program. Brian is a graduate of Volunteer State Community College, and two-time graduate of Middle Tennessee State University where he earned a Master of Arts degree in Economics and Industrial Relations. He is also a graduate of the Tennessee Government Executive Institute at the University of Tennessee’s Naifeh Center for Effective Leadership. He resides in Murfreesboro, TN. In his spare time you can find him enjoying college football, traveling to Disney, completing his wife’s extensive honey-do lists, and spending time with his daughter.

Jennifer Poole, CPM
Mediator
Idaho Industrial Commission

Jennifer is the mediator at the Idaho Industrial Commission, owner of Resolution Empowered Mediation, and co-director of Clear Path Mediation Center. An Idaho Certified Professional Mediator, she has been an adjunct faculty member of Boise State University’s Conflict Management Program since 1999. In addition to conducting various types of mediation, Jennifer trains and consults on Restorative Justice, victim-offender mediation, peer mediation, community mediation, and active listening. Prior to serving as the current president on the Idaho Mediation Association board, she was the vice president from 2023 to 2026, a director from 2021 to 2022 and has been a member of IMA's Training and Education Committee since 2008.  Jennifer holds a master’s degree in dispute resolution from Touro University Worldwide. She earned a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice and communication from Boise State University, and an associate degree in criminal justice from Brigham Young University - Idaho.

 Hannah Epp
Mediator
Tennessee Bureau of Workers' Compensation

Hannah Epp has been a mediator with the Tennessee Bureau of Workers’ Compensation for 5 years. Prior to her role as a mediator, she worked for close to 10 years as a paralegal on the plaintiff side of workers’ compensation claims. Her passion for mediation began in college, where she majored in Peace, Justice, and Conflict Studies. She enjoys the creativity that comes with exploring different perspectives and finding common ground to work  towards a resolution.

Leslie Close
Mediator
Montana Department of Labor and Industries, Employment Standards Division

Leslie Close began her career in workers’ compensation in 2000 as a claims adjuster, gaining extensive experience in claims management before transitioning into her current role as a Workers’ Compensation Dispute Resolution Mediator with the Montana Department of Labor & Industry, Employment Standards Division. For the past two years, Leslie has been an active member of the International Association of Industrial Accident Boards and Commissions (IAIABC), serving on the Dispute Resolution Committee and participating in and assisting with the IAIABC Mediators College. Leslie finds her role as a mediator both challenging and rewarding and values the opportunity to help parties navigate complex disputes toward meaningful resolutions. She especially enjoys the professional relationships, exchange of ideas, and opportunities to learn from colleagues across the country through conferences and collaborative events.

Patrick Pendleton
Ombudsman
Alabama Workers' Compensation Division

Patrick Pendleton is an attorney who is licensed in Alabama and Mississippi. After years working in Mobile as a defense attorney, he went on his own and represented employees throughout Alabama in workers' compensation law.  Seven years ago, Patrick and his wife decided to slow down and move full-time to their family farm in Conecuh County, Alabama.  Patrick is an Ombudsman with the State of Alabama, and regularly speaks on the topic of workers' compensation and mediation.  Patrick has personally mediated over1,000 cases and was involved as an attorney in hundreds of mediations. 

More information on instructors to come.