Ippei Okazaki Co-Chair
Ippei is recognised as a leading practitioner in community cross-cultural practices, with a deep cultural understanding of the role of elders, kinship protocols, and community dynamics. He brings together available services in effective and practical ways to provide ongoing support and promote peace.
He has served on the National Mediation Conference (NMC) Board for five years, and is a former Director of the Community Justice Centre Division in the Northern Territory. He has also been a Board Member of the Mediator Standards Board, was awarded Community Mediator of the Year 2024 by the Australian Disputes Centre, and has been conferred as a Fellow of the Resolution Institute.
Deborah Lockhart
Co-Chair
Deborah Lockhart LLB is Chief Executive Officer of the Australian Disputes Centre (ADC), a position she has held since November 2013.
With a legal background as a Barrister and Solicitor of the High Court of New Zealand, Deborah has over 20 years’ experience as an executive, consultant and dispute resolution specialist working with ASX 100 and Fortune 500 organisations—especially in financial services.
Trained in mediation with Harvard Law School in the early 1990s, gained accreditation as an Advanced Mediator with the Australian Disputes Centre in 2009, and is a Nationally Accredited Mediator in Australia.
ADC is a leader in training internationally, and promotes timely, cost-efficient, private dispute resolution methods, and speaks widely on upskilling in conflict management.
Welcome
We are thrilled to be co-chairing the National Mediation Conference 2025 and could not be more excited about the opportunity it presents. This gathering is a chance to connect with colleagues, share ideas, and explore new ways of crafting and strengthening the practice of mediation. We are looking forward to the conversations, the energy, and the connections that will flow from bringing so many passionate people together in one place.