Our People

Patrick has been involved with the CDRC since completing the mediation training in 2016. He has volunteered with Justice Court mediations and District Court parenting plan cases, and has served on the Board since 2019. Patrick is passionate about communication and helping individuals, families, and organizations strengthen the way they connect and resolve conflict. Mediation has been a natural extension of this work, allowing him to support more effective communication among people involved in the court system and among businesses seeking CDRC’s services. Outside of the CDRC, Patrick facilitates Nonviolent Communication trainings, teaches public classes, and works as a therapist in private practice. He is also active in community-building through hosting events, playing music, and teaching Argentine tango.

Elizabeth Ries has been connected to the Community Dispute Resolution Center for more than two decades, first as an attorney participant representing clients since 1999, then as a mediator beginning in 2017, and as a Board member since 2018. She has seen firsthand how CDRC’s facilitative mediation model empowers people to take ownership of outcomes they help create. As a mediator, Elizabeth finds particular meaning in helping families develop parenting plans that reduce conflict, strengthen communication, and support the well-being of children. She values CDRC’s volunteer mediators and their role in ensuring community members have access to skilled, qualified mediation when it matters most. Elizabeth grew up with five siblings in Glacier National Park, the daughter of a park ranger and a mother unfazed by shooing bears off the porch. She is happiest outdoors—hiking, biking, skiing—and also enjoys sewing and painting. A graduate of the University of Montana School of Law (1995), Elizabeth has practiced law and raised her family in Missoula. In 2021, she purchased Northwest Collectors and is proud to represent local Montana businesses and individuals.

Brock Flynn is an attorney with the Montana Office of Public Defender, practicing in Hamilton. Brock has been involved with the CDRC since January 2023, starting with the Foundations course, doing clinical work in mediation during his third year of law school, and continuing to mediate and be involved following law school. Brock is passionate about legal justice issues, and has long valued mediation as it provides a forum for people to explore their options. In his spare time, Brock enjoys kayaking, cooking, and baking.

Skip Hegman is a Certified Mediator and longtime leader at CDRC, currently serving as Board Treasurer and previously as Board President. He retired in 2014 after a 42-year career with the U.S. Forest Service, where he held roles ranging from district ranger to national-level Supervisory Labor Relations Specialist and Mediator. During the final fifteen years of his career, Skip focused on workplace conflict resolution, developing collaborative strategies and designing the Forest Service’s Positive Work Environment Program. He has conducted more than 70 workplace assessments and numerous employment mediations across public and private sectors. Skip has been active with CDRC since 2005 as a mediator, trainer, and board member. Outside of mediation, he enjoys hiking, fly-fishing, traveling, and rugby.

Cynthia Manning has been mediating with CDRC since 2015 and brings a lifelong commitment to learning, service, and community engagement to her work. She holds an undergraduate degree in anthropology from the University of Pittsburgh and a master’s degree in anthropology from the University of Montana, where she also completed doctoral coursework in social science and forestry. After a 36-year career as an archaeologist and social scientist with the U.S. Forest Service, Cynthia retired and now works as a consultant, volunteers on multiple boards, and supports volunteer engagement efforts at CDRC. She values mediation as a way to bring people together with curiosity, respect, and shared purpose—and still finds time for adventuring whenever she can.

Ruby has been involved with the CDRC since January 2024 as both a mediator-in-training and a board member. She is passionate about the CDRC’s work because it treats conflict as an opportunity for healing and empowers people to create their own solutions. Ruby holds a degree in Biology and is equally committed to improving how people interact with and enjoy wilderness and natural resources.

Cathy Grott began working with the Community Dispute Resolution Center in December and joined the Board of Directors in March. She is committed to helping people resolve differences in respectful, non-confrontational ways and values mediation and collaborative problem-solving as tools for building stronger, more connected communities. As a third-year law student, Cathy also hopes her involvement with CDRC encourages others to embrace lifelong learning and to remain engaged in work that promotes understanding, communication, and constructive dialogue.

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David joined the CDRC in January 2025 as a mediator and was invited to the Board of Directors shortly afterward. He also serves on the Training Leadership and Volunteer Excellence Committees. As a Veteran and long-time Missoulian, David is committed to helping neighbors find resolution and common ground during times of conflict. He values the CDRC’s mission because it reflects the kind of community care and connection he believes strengthens Missoula.