As a trial attorney for the EEOC, I am part of the federal agency dedicated to enforcing federal laws that make it illegal to discriminate against a job applicant or an employee because of the person's race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, gender identity, and sexual orientation), national origin, age (40 or older), disability or genetic information, and laws that protect individuals from retaliation for opposing discriminatory conduct by an employer. Prior to joining the EEOC, I devoted the first 12 of my 20 + year career in private practice defending doctors, hospitals, and nursing homes in medical malpractice and wrongful death litigation, as well as in regulatory compliance challenges. I also previously focused my private practice on advocating for the rights of private and federal employees in the workplace in employment discrimination, equal pay, sexual harassment, hostile work environment, retaliation, and issues related to Family Medical Leave Act and the Fair Labor Standards Act. I formed Mediation Matters, LLC, to use my knowledge of these practice areas and my experience representing plaintiffs and defendants on both sides of the mediation table to help parties resolve disputes on their own terms.