Carter School alumna finds harmony between music and mediation

When Avery Cotham, MS Conflict Analysis and Resolution '26, enrolled at George Mason University's Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution, she was ready for a new challenge. After spending 15 years as a vocalist and choral director in Colorado, the COVID-19 pandemic prompted her to rethink her career and search for a new way to serve her community.

"I did some soul-searching and decided I wanted to make a career change," Cotham said. "I wanted to do something of service to the community."

That search led her to conflict resolution - and ultimately to Washington, D.C., where she and her husband relocated so she could fully immerse herself in the George Mason experience. "I didn't want to study online," she said. "I wanted to dive into the community and make connections here."

At George Mason, Cotham quickly discovered that the skills she developed as a musician translated naturally into mediation and coaching. Active listening, collaboration, and understanding group dynamics became valuable tools in her new field.

She also took full advantage of internship and professional development opportunities available through the Carter School. After hearing a guest speaker from the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service discuss mediation and coaching, Cotham pursued specialized training that would shape her career path.

In 2024, she completed a semester-long internship with the Northern Virginia Mediation Services Conflict Resolution Center, where she earned her mediation certification. The following year, she completed coaching certification coursework through Georgetown School of Continuing Studies.

Those experiences helped prepare her for a yearlong experience, what she calls a "unicorn of an internship," with the Department of the Interior's Office of Collaborative Action and Dispute Resolution (CADR).

Because of her certifications, Cotham was able to contribute immediately during the yearlong internship. She worked alongside experienced mediators supporting employees across agencies including the National Park Service and the Bureau of Land Management. Over time, she advanced from co-mediating cases with mentors to independently facilitating workplace mediations, conflict coaching sessions, trainings, and group discussions.

One of the highlights of the experience came when she was selected to travel and co-facilitate a bureau meeting focused on change management and values alignment - a rare opportunity for an intern.

"The internship was focused on mentorship and hands-on experience," Cotham said. "Working with different mediators, I was exposed to several different styles and received a lot of valuable feedback. It was a highly enriching experience."

Now, just months after graduating, Cotham has built a multifaceted career as a mediation contractor, private coach, and community mediator. She also volunteers with the Sustained Dialogue Institute and continues to blend her musical background with her coaching work.

"As a choir director, one of my strengths was seeing potential in people and knowing when to push and challenge them, and when to back off," she said. "Those skills are so applicable in coaching."

Cotham's journey reflects the kind of hands-on, career-connected learning opportunities that help George Mason students turn classroom experiences into meaningful professional impact - a hallmark of the university's All Together Different approach to education and community engagement.