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 of Arts 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 of Arts in Dispute Resolution. As a Certified Professional Mediator, 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 - 2024 to 2025

Jennifer is the mediator at the Idaho Industrial Commission and owner of Resolution Empowered Mediation. An Idaho CPM, she has been an adjunct faculty member of Boise State University’s Dispute Resolution Program since 1999 and University of Dubuque LIFE since 2022. Jennifer 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.

In addition to conducting various types of mediation, Jennifer trains and consults on Restorative Justice, victim-offender mediation, peer mediation, community mediation, and active listening. Prior to serving as the 2022 to 2023 vice president on the IMA board, she was a director from 2021 to 2022 and is a member of IMA's Training and Education Committee. 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. 

Leigh K. Barer, CPM

Secretary - 2025 to 2026

Passionate about helping people resolve conflict, Leigh is a certified professional mediator 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.