Meet Our Board Of Directors

Nancy Haug, CPM

President - 2025 to 2026

Nancy’s 32-year career with the federal Bureau of Land Management (BLM) gave her front-line experience in creating solutions and working with people and organizations to resolve conflicts related to public land use and management. With a bachelor's degree in mass communications/journalism, Nancy helped employees, stakeholders, and public land users identify and articulate their needs, and find ways to work together effectively and productively. Transitioning into the mediation field toward the end of her BLM career felt like a natural progression and, while mediating for the Reno Justice Court and Neighborhood Mediation Center in Reno, Nevada, Nancy completed her master's degree in dispute resolution. As a CPM, Nancy continues to work with the Neighborhood Mediation Center in Reno, Nevada, the Nevada Supreme Court, the Idaho Supreme Court, and BLM.  Her current private sector work includes Kearns and West (a strategic communications and conflict management firm) and her own business Nancy Haug Mediation and Facilitation Services. When not mediating conflicts or facilitating meetings, Nancy loves to spend time with her children, grandchildren, husband and mini-Aussie Maija backpacking, camping, hiking, taking pictures and writing.

Jennifer Poole, CPM

Vice President - 2026 to 2027

A mediator for more than ​27 years, Jennifer is a CPM, the Idaho Industrial Commission mediator, owns Resolution Empowered Mediation, and is co-founder and co-director of Clear Path Mediation and Resolution Center, LLC. Clear Path is a local nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization that assists the community with mediation services, restorative justice practices, and training needs. 

Jennifer trains and consults on restorative justice, victim-offender mediation, peer mediation, community mediation, and active listening, having trained countless individuals, community organizations, and officials. She has been an adjunct faculty member with Boise State University’s dispute resolution program since 1999 and with the University of Dubuque LIFE since 2022. She authored Ch. 19: Conflict Management and the Criminal Justice System in the textbook “Victimology: Crime Victimization and Victim Services” from the Idaho Coalition Against Sexual and Domestic Violence.

An IMA vice president from 2023 to 2026, she was a director from 2021 to 2022 and has served on the IMA training and education committee since 2008. Jennifer holds a master’s degree in dispute resolution from Touro University Worldwide. She earned a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice and communication from Boise State University, and an associate’s degree in criminal justice from Brigham Young University - Idaho. In her free time, Jennifer enjoys traveling, playing poker, going to concerts and dancing, and being outdoors.

Leigh K. Barer, CPM

Secretary - 2025 to 2026

Passionate about helping people resolve conflict, Leigh is a CPM on the Idaho Supreme Court Roster for Child Custody Mediators with a family law focus and a deep communications background. Her interest in resolving conflict is underscored by her professional training and extensive experience solving complex communication challenges. 

Before mediation, Leigh spent 15+ years helping countless businesses and nonprofits communicate clearly with their audiences as a freelance communications and PR consultant. Client work includes Apple, AWS, Microsoft and multiple startups, as well as several nonprofits in the arts, human services and healthcare sectors. Earlier, she oversaw PR in Seattle-area startups, managed PR agency clients and directed marketing and PR for an arts organization.

Leigh has completed studies in basic and advanced mediation, child custody mediation, domestic violence mediation and restorative justice. She earned a bachelor’s degree in journalism and mass communication from Seattle University. In 2008, Leigh and her family relocated from Seattle, Wash. to Ketchum, Idaho where she enjoys mountain town living.

J. Michael Wheiler, CPM

Director - 2026 to 2027

Michael is a trial attorney with more than 40 years of experience and co-founder of Idaho Falls-based law firm Thomsen Holman Wheiler, PLLC. While his current practice focuses on medical malpractice defense, commercial litigation, and personal injury, his extensive background spans general litigation, insurance defense, employment law, healthcare law, estate disputes, real estate disputes, and whistleblower law. He has served as an attorney participant or mediator in hundreds of mediations.

Before pursuing a career in law, Michael spent a year teaching at Preston Jr. High in Preston, Idaho. He is a member and past president of the Idaho Association of Defense Counsel, a member and past Idaho State Representative for the Defensive Research Institute (DRI), and past president of the Seventh District Bar Association.

A CPM since 2021, Michael earned a law degree from the University of Idaho College of Law and a bachelor’s degree in history and English with an emphasis in secondary education from Utah State. When not working, Mike enjoys the rugged, spectacular scenery of the Sawtooth, Teton, Wind River, and other local mountain ranges. He enjoys spending time with his wife, four daughters, and nine grandchildren.

Chris Yorgason, CPM

Treasurer - 2026 to 2027

Chris graduated from the J. Reuben Clark Law School at Brigham Young University in 1998. During law school, he externed with the Honorable Larry M. Boyle at the US Federal District Court of Idaho and after law school he clerked for the Honorable D. Duff McKee at the Ada County Fourth Judicial District Court, in Boise, Idaho.

Chris is a member of the Idaho and Utah Bar Associations. His practice focuses mainly on the general representation of public charter schools, school districts and other government entities, in addition to his mediation practice. Chris’s mediation practice includes child custody, general business, education, human resources and other disputes. 

Sheldon L. Forehand, CPM

Director - 2025 to 2026

Sheldon is originally from California. He graduated with a bachelor's degree in criminal justice from Boise State University, where he attended on a football scholarship. For the past 20 years Sheldon has worked in the conflict management business, helping youth and adults as a probation officer and business owner working with a number of counties in the Treasure Valley. His background is diverse with experience in corrections, pharma and software sales.

Sheldon is a CPM and is listed as a child custody mediator with the Idaho Supreme Court. He helps clients open lines of communication, identify issues, find common ground, and ultimately reach a solution that everyone can live with. His primary objective in all cases is to provide a quality professional forum in which decisions are reached in a constructive process. Sheldon lives in Canyon County with his wife Jill. He enjoys golfing, rooting for his San Francisco 49ers and Boise State Broncos, and spending time with two sons Khalil and Darion.

Melissa Bishop, CPM

Director - 2025 to 2026

Melissa holds a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from Boise State University. She is a certified Direct Service Provider through the Idaho Domestic Violence Council; and currently works at Trivium Life Services facilitating Domestic Violence Programming to individuals who have been convicted of domestic violence or domestic violence related crimes.

Prior to becoming a Direct Service Provider,  Melissa worked for Ada County as an Adult Misdemeanor Probation Officer, serving their domestic violence population, working directly with the Ada County Domestic Violence courts. She worked as an Adult Probation Officer for eight years, before moving on to Ada County Juvenile Probation as a Supervisor.  Melissa has been dedicated and committed to working in the Criminal Justice System for 12 years. She has years of experience working in and with individuals in high conflict situations.

Melissa has extensive experience in motivational interviewing which has allowed her to help individuals through some of their most challenging times. Her husband Gabe and their two children enjoy camping, hiking, boating, fishing, and spending time with their family and friends, along with traveling.