Mary is a licensed clinical social worker with a background in family therapy. She has worked with families in both health care and community settings. She has also been a caregiver for two family members. Over the last 25 years Mary has worked primarily with families facing the challenges of chronic illness, aging, and caregiving. An early interest in self-management of chronic illness led Mary to recognize the importance of empowering individuals and families to manage those things they could control in the face of adversity. This has led to her interest in the impact of caregiving on the family system and identifying opportunities for activating family members early in the caregiving process. She began training in mediation over ten years ago and became a certified mediator and developed a pilot ombudsman program at the University of Rochester Medical Center that addressed patient, family, and staff concerns in real time. In 2021 Mary began ‘Family Matters’, a Family Mediation & Conflict Coaching Program at Lifespan of Greater Rochester.