Instructor:

Kathleen Oqueli McGraw, PhD, MPH, LCSW, LAC, LPP

Kathleen Oqueli McGraw is the founding partner of Kathleen McGraw, LCSW & Associates, LLC. She is also the executive director of the Mariposa Institute for Families, Parenting, and Children™. She specializes in providing mental health, mediation, facilitation, and coaching services for children and adults living in high conflict families.

Kathleen received her Master of Social Work from Tulane University. She has a Master of Public Health in Community Health Sciences and Maternal and Child Health from Tulane University’s School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine. She recently completed her doctoral dissertation for her Ph.D. in Social Work from Tulane University.

A licensed clinical social worker, she provides therapy to children, adolescents, and adults, and works with individuals, couples, groups, and families. She is a referral member of the Louisiana Association of Clinical Social Workers and the National Association of Social Workers.

Kathleen is a family mediator, trained by Loyola Law School, and a juvenile mediator, trained by the Child Advocacy Mediation Program of the Louisiana Supreme Court. She mediates in family, juvenile, and “Child in Need of Care” cases. She is a board member of the Family Mediation Council of Louisiana and the Juvenile Mediation Council of Louisiana. She is honored to be listed in the Louisiana State Bar Association’s Journal titled, “Who’s Who in ADR 2007.”

Kathleen is a Collaborative Divorce™ Coach and Child Specialist, as she advocates for alternative dispute resolution services that assist families in resolving conflict. She is a board member of the Collaborative Professional Group of Southeast Louisiana and a member of the International Academy of Collaborative Professionals.

Trained by the Association of Family and Conciliation Courts through Loyola Law School, Kathleen provides child custody evaluations and is a parenting coordinator. She was appointed to the Louisiana State Law Institute’s Committee on Parenting Coordination, and developed the statutes that define the roles and qualifications of parenting coordinators in Louisiana.

Kathleen is also a professional trainer, speaker, writer, and group facilitator. She co–authored the books, 101 Great Ways to Improve Your Life, Volume II and A Guide to Getting It: Vibrant and Lasting Relationships. She has given presentations and facilitated workshops at both national and international conferences.

Since Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, Kathleen has facilitated workshops focused on the trauma recovery process for adults, children, and communities after a disaster. She has worked extensively with families, school teachers and counselors, first responders, and community organizers in the areas of conflict and dispute resolution, anger management, relationships, and communication skills needed after life traumas. Kathleen has also facilitated several city-wide meetings in New Orleans organized by AmericaSpeaks and the United New Orleans Plan (UNOP) to aid in the recovery and rebuilding of New Orleans and the surrounding communities.

Kathleen was awarded the “Great Women of the 21st Century Eclipse Award,” which is given to only 1000 women worldwide.