Marc Purchin is President of Purchin Consulting, a Southern California-based firm that specializes in mediation, meeting facilitation and trainings. Since 1997 he has conducted more than 2,000 mediations, mostly through contracts with the California Special Education Hearing Office, the Department of Developmental Disabilities, and several public school districts – as well as with numerous non-profit organizations. Based upon Marc’s success rate in mediations, conflict resolution trainings and negotiation coaching, Purchin Consulting stands as one of the premier firms in the industry.
Since the mid 1990s, Marc has been a volunteer facilitator for National Days of Dialogue on Race Relations. Creating a “safe space,” Marc works with diverse populations who come together to learn from each other and find common ground. Professionally, Marc is asked to facilitate challenging meetings almost on a weekly basis. Through this experience (primarily using the interest-based strategies outlined in the book Getting to Yes by William Ury and Rodger Fisher), Marc has developed and conducts a “Making Meetings Work” training series, teaching others how to run successful meetings. A faculty member at American Jewish University since 1996, Marc teaches in the School of Non-Profit Management there. His current course offerings include “Conflict Resolution and Negotiation” and “Organizational Development and Leadership.” Marc has also taught a “Collaboration” course in the School of Education at Cal State Dominguez Hills. Combining his management background with his mediation experience, Marc conducts conflict resolution and leadership development training programs for a diversified client base.