At this year’s DRC Conference our President Deborah Beylus awarded the FAPM’s 2020 Susan F Dubow Service Award to our long-time member Dr Elinor Robin. According to Deborah:
It is bittersweet that Elinor receive the award this year as she was Susan Dubow’s friend, confident, and business partner for 30 years. And no one misses Susan more.
On a personal note, I was delighted when our Board Member Dwayne Clark nominated Elinor for this award. While Elinor has been my mentor, friend, and colleague for many years, Dwayne didn’t have the inside scoop like I do. But, Dwayne attended a training session with Elinor and he was easily able to see what I already knew – Elinor’s passion for her students, clients, the mediation profession, and her fellow mediators is seemingly boundless. So here are the top five reasons why Elinor Robin is the recipient of this year’s Susan F Dubow Service Award:
1. Elinor serves – she has been teaching mediators for over twenty years, but her presentation never gets old. I believe this is due to her natural curiosity and her commitment to her own personal and professional growth. If you have ever attended one of her classes, like Dwayne, you can probably come up with your own list of why her training programs are so outstanding.
2. Elinor serves – she is constantly looking for ways to carry the message of mediation. She is a prolific writer, her articles have appeared in many venues, including Forbes and Entrepreneur. She is the author of one book and is working on another one which she hopes will make mediation more accessible to the average person.
3. Elinor serves – she is a key proponent for less destructive divorce protocols. She has helped thousands of couples make their way through the divorce process and she spreads her net beyond her own clients with her podcast – The Divorce Depot.
4. Elinor serves and she does this by willing to question the status quo and bring others on board to co-create. Elinor’s mediation practice includes a network of other mediators who also provide Pro-Se/Pre-Suit divorce mediation services. And, her training activities include Florida’s only Train-The-Trainer program which has enabled a group of mediators to jump through the necessary hoops and become Primary Mediation trainers. And, finally,
5. Elinor serves – she is always willing to help where she can, she has served on the MQDRB for many years and she is going to serve on our Board this year!!