Take a seat in Raye Rawls’ civil mediation course and look around. Your classmates may be hospital executives, elected officials, university administrators, lawyers or judges—anyone who wants to learn how to resolve conflicts.
She starts with a demonstration of mediation. The scenario is that an employee and his boss have locked horns, and the class observes as a trained mediator helps move the pair towards a mutually agreeable solution to their conflict. Peppered throughout the four-day course are numerous examples to illustrate the mediation process, skills needed, ethical and cultural considerations and more.
Since 1983, Rawls has mediated or arbitrated more than 3,000 cases including disputes involving employment, divorce, contracts, domestic violence, environmental issues and even the post office.
“All kinds of institutions need non-adversarial ways to solve problems: neighborhoods, hospitals, governments and nonprofits, for example,” she said.
In 2004, Rawls joined the faculty at the Fanning Institute as an arbitrator, mediator and trainer in fields of conflict resolution, communication, negotiation and related areas. A public service and outreach unit, the Fanning Institute helps communities bring about positive social change and address complex and tenacious issues. As communities address their problems, conflicts often arise and Rawls is called.
Recently, Rawls led a team from Fanning that helped develop a course to teach residents in Atlanta’s poorest neighborhoods sustainable economic development principles and practices.
“We worked with residents from Ph.D.s to high school dropouts,” she said. “Class members learned about building coalitions, public policy and the assets already present in their community.”
The residents who completed the course can now use what they’ve learned to contribute to the design and development of the Atlanta Civic Site, a 35-acre property in the heart of the neighborhood that will have commercial space, affordable housing and recreation facilities.
Facilitating departmental retreats tops Rawls’ list of favorite activities since she has been on campus.
“People have identified a problem, have gotten stuck and can’t get past it,” she said. “I like helping them get unstuck, develop a plan, implement it and move forward.”
The Atlanta native has lived in Georgia for most of her life, earning degrees in psychology, human resources and law at Georgia State University. Working for Fulton County’s Suicide Hotline and as a family planning counselor at Grady Memorial Hospital has influenced her thinking on conflict and people in distress. It also likely caused her to take a different path than most who were in law school with her.
“I was more concerned about having relationships other than ones that were adversarial,” she said. “Bringing people together to reach a mutually agreeable solution to a problem was more appealing.”
Rawls has served as a grievance-hearing officer for the Georgia Department of Corrections, assistant dean of Georgia State University College of Law and administrative law judge in Georgia’s Department of Medical Assistance. She also traveled extensively throughout the U.S. teaching courses in mediation, arbitration, conflict management and valuing diversity.
Resolving disputes, leading difficult conversations and teaching others the skills to mediate conflict are all ways Rawls contributes to strengthening communities. A painting of a three-legged African stool hangs in her office to remind her of the community development principles described by Waagari Maathai, a Kenyan woman who won the 2004 Nobel Peace Prize for her contribution to “sustainable development, democracy and peace.”
The legs represent peace, good governance and sustainable resource management. The seat, symbolizing development, needs legs for support.
“The image is powerful to me, and it relates to the work we do at Fanning,” Rawls said. “Fanning is changing communities.”
FACTS
Raytheon “Raye” Rawls
Public Service Associate and attorney, Fanning Institute
J.D., Georgia State University, 1985
M.S., Human Resources, Georgia State University, 1981
B.S., Psychology, Georgia State University, 1974
Years at UGA: 5