Joseph Folger is a Professor of Adult and Organizational Development at Temple University in Philadelphia Pennsylvania.  He is a co-founder and fellow of the Institute for the Study of Conflict Transformation (www.transformativemediation.org). His work at the Institute included assisting with the design and delivery of the United States Postal Service REDRESS mediation program, as well as conducting assessment and benchmarking research for numerous organizations and mediation agencies. He has worked extensively as a third party intervener in organizational, community, court and small group disputes.  He is also the co-founder of Temple University’s Conflict Education Resource Team – a peer mediation program for Temple University students.

Folger has been an advisory board member for the National Conference on Peacemaking and Conflict Resolution and was the Program Chair for the conference. He has delivered keynote addresses at conferences held by the Academy of Family Mediators, Mediation UK, Mediator’s Institute of Ireland, National Mediation Conference of Australia, Universal Forum of Cultures - Barcelona Spain, Congreso Mundial de Mediación and the Congreso International de Mediación, the Rakmo Institute of Slovenia, and Quadra Institute of Milan Italy.  He won the Peacebuilder of the Year award from the New York State Dispute Resolution Association in 2006.

Professor Folger has published extensively in the areas of communication and conflict, mediation, and third party intervention processes. His books include the award winning volumes, Working Through Conflict: Strategies for Relationships, Groups and Organizations (7^th edition, with M.S. Poole and R.K. Stutman) and The Promise of Mediation (with R.B. Bush, 1^st and 2^nd editions).  The Promise of Mediation has been translated into six different languages.  He co-edited (with R. A. Bush) Designing Mediation: Approaches to Training and Practice within the Transformative Framework (with R.B. Bush) and most recently he co-edited (with R.A. Bush and D. DellaNoce) Transformative Mediation: A Sourcebook --  Resources for Conflict Intervention Practitioners and Programs (published by the Association for Conflict Resolution & the Institute for the Study of Conflict Transformation).