FMCS | 250 E St. SW, Washington, D.C. 20427 | 202-606-8100 | www.fmcs.gov

NEWS RELEASE

Wednesday, March 20, 2019 Contact: Greg Raelson

For Immediate Release Public Affairs Specialist

Website: www.fmcs.gov Phone: 202-606-8081

FMCS Commissions New Mediator Class of 2019

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service (FMCS) commissioned 18 new 

mediators March 19, 2019 in its Washington, DC headquarters as part of an annual ceremony and 

training program designed to prepare new mediators for their role as dispute resolution and conflict

management experts, providing services to labor and management during contract negotiations, 

workplace disputes and other workplace issues.

The mediators arrived from across the country for the five-day program led by senior FMCS staff. A 

comprehensive and holistic training program, the new mediators will be introduced to a variety of 

professional topics including transitioning to a neutral, administrative procedures, mediator code of 

conduct and ethics, FMCS history, the National Labor Relations Act and alternative dispute resolution.

FMCS Deputy Director Richard Giacolone, himself having more than 23 years as an FMCS mediator, 

welcomed the new mediators and spoke about their joining the agency at a critical time of change. 

“It’s exciting to see a group of folks who are coming into the agency as we evolve from a focus on mostly 

resolving labor-relations disputes to a workplace conflict management agency focusing on more than 

just the labor-relations side,” Giacolone said. “We are getting into some very new and exciting work on 

both the domestic and the international side and in very sophisticated areas like negotiated rulemaking. 

I’m very much looking forward to having our new mediators involved in these new projects.”

The mediator class of 2019, as all other mediator classes, is assigned a peer mentor whose role is to act 

as an administrative resource, a helpful sounding board, and to assist in facilitating their transition to 

commissioned federal mediators at FMCS.

Ligia Velasquez, a veteran mediator from FMCS’ Seattle field office who is mentoring her first new class, 

said she is “excited to be a part of the development of an amazing and very talented group of people.” 

Velasquez continued, encouraging them to “ask questions and take advantage of all the resources 

available to them.” 

Mediators from FMCS provide services to the federal, public and private sectors in building labormanagement partnerships, managing conflict, and averting or mitigating the damaging effects of 

workplace disputes. During the week-long training FMCS helps the new mediators develop their 

expertise in building better relationships through joint problem-solving and by advocating constructive 

responses to inevitable conflict. Ensuring a well-prepared staff early on is important for FMCS and for 

the overall mission. The ability to help organizations reduce conflict means they will become more 

efficient, creating more value for customers, shareholders and employees alike, and substantially 

benefit the national economy.
FMCS | 2100 K St. NW, Washington, D.C. 20427 | 202-606-8100 | www.fmcs.gov

Many of the new mediators are already experienced labor-relations professionals. New mediator Kevin 

Wagner, assigned to the Washington, DC field office, has a background on both sides of the negotiating 

table and as a neutral, previously working for the National Air Traffic Controllers Association union, 

working for a neutral labor arbitrator, and working as director of labor relations for Bloomberg BNA 

before coming to FMCS. He also is a third generation FMCS mediator. “My father and grandfather were 

both federal mediators, so I’ve been around the agency my whole life,” he said.

“I’m very happy to continue that legacy here at FMCS,” Wagner said. “I look at mediation as more of a 

vocation than a job. When you really want to do this, it’s not really work. I’m excited about the variety of 

work we will be exposed to. Whether it’s collective bargaining or (alternative dispute resolution), I enjoy 

not having a foot in one bucket.”

At the end of the training, the new mediators will return to their respective field locations to continue 

working alongside more seasoned FMCS mediators until they begin working their own cases. 

Giacolone offered his advice to the new mediators. “Be a good listener,” he said. “That’s half of what we 

do, making sure we understand what the problem is that the parties are facing and understanding it 

completely. That helps us to help them and helping them is what it’s all about.”

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The U.S. Federal Mediation & Conciliation Service (FMCS) is the nation’s premier public agency for 

dispute resolution and conflict management. FMCS was created by Congress as a neutral and 

independent government agency upon enactment of the Labor-Management Relations Act of 1947 (TaftHartley Act) and mandated to resolve industrial conflict and promote labor-management peace and 

cooperation, minimizing the impact of these disputes on the free flow of commerce. With headquarters 

in Washington, D.C. and offices across the country, the agency has a proud track record of decades of 

effective dispute resolution and conflict management services for employers and unions across industries 

and work activities in the private, public, and federal sectors. FMCS is also recognized for its success 

facilitating negotiated rulemaking processes and for its robust employment mediation program in the 

federal sector as well as its global program, partnering with more than 60 countries to provide 

international consulting and training. For more on FMCS or to request services, visit www.fmcs.gov
FMCS | 2100 K St. NW, Washington, D.C. 20427 | 202-606-8100 | www.fmcs.gov

WASHINGTON, DC (March 19, 2019) Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service (FMCS)

Deputy Director Richard Giacolone administers the oath of office to a group of new federal 

mediators from around the country at the FMCS headquarters. The mediators were at the 

headquarters to attend a five-day training program to prepare them for their role in helping to 

resolve labor-management conflicts, build better relationships, and create more effective 

organizations. (FMCS Photo/Heather Brown)
FMCS | 2100 K St. NW, Washington, D.C. 20427 | 202-606-8100 | www.fmcs.gov

WASHINGTON, DC (March 19, 2019) Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service (FMCS)

Deputy Director Richard Giacolone (center) poses with newly commissioned federal mediators 

from around the country at the FMCS headquarters. The mediators were at the headquarters to 

attend a five-day training program to prepare them for their role in helping to resolve labormanagement conflicts, build better relationships, and create more effective organizations. 

(FMCS Photo/Heather Brown)