Effective March 16, 2016, FMCS Commissioner Ramona Buck was named the new Chair of the Federal government’s Interagency ADR Working Group (IADRWG), which assists Federal agencies in developing and implementing ADR programs.
In her new role, Commissioner Buck will provide leadership to ADR professionals in agencies across the Federal government. “I am honored to hold this position and hope to collaborate with the other IADRWG agencies to promote and support ADR processes and programs throughout the Federal government,” she said.
Operating within the U.S. Department of Justice, the Interagency ADR Working Group was established by Presidential Memorandum dated May 1, 1998, to assist Federal agencies in developing and implementing ADR programs. The Working Group’s members are ADR professionals in agencies across the Federal government. The President appointed the Attorney General as the leader of the Interagency Working Group, which functions as the central forum and resource for information about the Federal government’s use of ADR.
The IADRWG advances the use of ADR through:
- Coordination of multi-agency initiatives
- Promotion of best practices and programs
- Dissemination of policy and guidance
To accomplish the tasks of the Working Group, discrete Sections operate within the Working Group to assist Federal agencies in creating ADR programs in specific subject matter areas. These Sections are:
- Workplace Conflict Management
- Contracts and Procurement
- Administrative Enforcement and Regulatory Process
- Litigation
The Working Group has operated primarily through these Sections to provide technical assistance and guidance on best practices in ADR program development. These Sections regularly conduct training sessions, meetings, and colloquia on all aspects of ADR.
Working with the IADRWG, Commissioner Buck has been leading the group’s Outreach subcommittee since 2012 and has led efforts to re-establish the IADRWG newsletter, which is posted on the ADR.gov website and hosted by the U.S. Justice Department.