Divorce and Separation Centre

Christopher Richards

Managing Director and Family Mediator

Christopher is the managing director of Divorce and Separation Centre. He has been a family mediator since 1986. Having originally a background in social work and family therapy, he has learned, by mediating with thousands of separating couples, to help them resolve all issues of difference- financial, parental, psychological and legal.

Shomini Whiting

Family Mediator

Shomini completed family mediator training 4 years ago, having previously been a social worker, working with all client groups, but mainly with children and families. Her previous experience has included Court work and helping couples in crisis. She is a member of the Family Mediators' Association.

Mike Stepan

Family Mediator

After a long career in international advertising, Mike came into mediation, in 2006, in order to apply the experience he had gained as a ‘go-between’ - and his financial knowledge - to a family context. He understands that many of our clients come to mediation feeling anxious, and his friendly and professional approach quickly puts people at their ease. He has been involved in many child-related cases, and understands the need for sensitive and gradual solutions, where this is more likely to produce lasting outcomes..

Gillian Krajewski

Family Mediator

Gillian worked as a mediator and mediation trainer in the USA, Canada and Bermuda between 1989 and 1999, as Assistant Director of Postgraduate Dispute Resolution at the University of Massachusetts Boston. She has worked in family mediation in the UK since 1999, as a mediator and as a family mediation trainer. She also works in London and internationally as an accredited workplace mediator and trainer. Gillian is committed to the highest levels of customer service and works to support clients in achieving their aims through dialogue and discussion.

Lesley Saunders

Family Mediator

Lesley has been a mediator, supervisor and trainer since 1993, initially in the community between neighbours and within families and later in the workplace; within the County Court; between businesses; with education authorities and parents; with service providers and people with disabilities and more recently with separating couples. Lesley is an experienced trainer in all aspects of conflict resolution and management.

Margaret Pendlebury

Family Mediator

Margaret has been a mediator since 1992 and a Professional Practice Supervisor since 1999. Her previous background was as a children and families social worker.
She is a practitioner, trainer and practice consultant to several mediation services. She is skilled in helping separating couples negotiate financial issues, whilst maintaining a focus on the well-being of the children. She is on the Professional Practice Committee of National Family Mediation and is committed to developing the highest standards of mediation practice.

Mumtaz King

Family Mediator

Mumtaz is a qualified solicitor specialising in property law. She trained as a family mediator in 2005. Mumtaz had been a member of His Highness Prince Aga Khan Shia Imami’s Ismaili National Conciliation and Arbitration Board for the United Kingdom for seven years. She has also qualified as a civil mediator.

She is committed to helping couples stay in control by resolving their disputes through mediation, where couples are in control of the decisions they make, which they can live with. She believes that Mediators bring a sense of positive energy into the room, which does not exist in a court environment.

Massy Ellesmere

Family Mediator

Massy Ellesmere - has been working as a couple and psychodynamic counsellor since 1994 and qualified as a family mediator with ADR in 2009. Massy is a natural communicator with a professional and confident style and achieves the best possible way of facilitating in cases where children and complicated finances are involved within matrimonial disputes. She is a member of the Family Mediation Association.

Liz Hulme

Family Mediator

Liz joined Divorce and Separation Centre in 2010 having previously trained as a solicitor. Liz qualified as a solicitor in August 2009 in her chosen field of Family Law. Over the last two years she has gained experience of Divorce proceedings, Separation Agreements for both married and unmarried couples, and ancillary relief proceedings. She also handles some children's matters such as contact disputes. An affiliate member of Resolution she is committed to adopting an amicable approach in all proceedings. Liz completed a Classics Degree at Oxford.

June Richards

Operations Director & Company Secretary

June is the Marketing and Operations Director of Divorce and Separation Centre. She set up Divorce and Separation Centre with Christopher Richards in April 2004. June has managed the administration of mediation services for over 15 years. June is also a qualified therapeutic counsellor and spent 9 years working for AXA's Employee Assistance Programme.

Benedikte Gaudoin

Head of Partnerships

Benedikte joined Divorce and Separation Centre in August 2011 and is the dedicated contact for solicitors and other third party relationships in the South East. Benedikte provides the insight they need to work closely with Divorce and Separation Centre to deliver exceptional levels of service to their clients.
Benedikte joined from FirstAssist Insurance Services, a provider of legal helplines, legal expenses insurance and niche personal lines insurance and was previously Head of UK Operations for RSA UK Services.