Mediator | Conflict Management | International Trainer

Melissa Kinzler is a mediator, conflict management expert and international peacebuilder who brings the precision of an executive consultant and the insight of a human development coach to every engagement.

With a deep background in negotiation, psychology, business and strategic conflict management, she helps executives, teams, and organizations navigate today’s growing climate of division and complexity. Her work focuses on transforming how leaders understand and respond to conflict—turning tension into strategy, and friction into forward movement.

Drawing from her formal training at Harvard Law School’s Program on Negotiation and her graduate work in Conflict Resolution, Negotiation, and Peacebuilding, Melissa develops and delivers training programs that build emotional intelligence, negotiation agility, and systems-level awareness. Her coaching, online courses and workshops go beyond theory, equipping participants to manage difficult conversations, align competing interests, and strengthen trust across diverse teams and stakeholder networks.

As a consultant and trainer, Melissa specializes in helping organizations and professionals shift from reactive conflict management to proactive conflict leadership. Her neuroscience-informed frameworks bring calm and clarity to high-stakes communication, enabling clients to lead with both empathy and precision. Whether guiding senior executives, facilitating leadership retreats, or designing cross-cultural negotiation programs, Melissa’s work empowers people to engage conflict as a catalyst for insight, innovation, and connection.

Recognized by the 2014 U.S. Congress House of Representatives, the California State Legislature (2014) , JAMS-Weinstein Fellows, and global community leaders for her contributions to the field of mediation and dispute resolution, Melissa dedicates her expertise to resolving disputes, cultivating resilient leaders and collaborative organizations. Her mission is to help individuals and institutions develop the skills, mindsets, and methods to navigate conflict with integrity and transform it into lasting progress.