Meet the Team
Professional Family Mediators
The Vollans Mediation Team
Anna Vollans
ACCREDITED AND CHILD-INCLUSIVE FAMILY MEDIATOR
Anna founded Vollans Mediation in 2011 having previously worked as a family solicitor for 10 years. She is an accredited Family Mediator with the Family Mediation Council and board member of the Family Mediators Association. She is also qualified to undertake Child Inclusive Mediation. Anna has extensive experience of mediating interpersonal disputes in various settings, including in the workplace. She also regularly mediates Special Educational Needs disputes between parents, schools and the Local Authority.
Anna is a qualified Professional Practice Consultant, which enables her to supervise other mediators to support them to maintain professional standards and practice requirements.
Anna is passionate about transforming people’s attitudes towards conflict and enjoys her work as a conflict coach as well as delivering training workshops on conflict.
In her spare time Anna loves being with family and friends, reading and learning, avidly following Emmerdale and enjoying the great outdoors, especially the sea.
Naomi Simkins
ACCREDITED AND CHILD-INCLUSIVE FAMILY MEDIATOR
Naomi originally trained and qualified as a family law barrister. She had a career break to raise her four children. During this time she trained as a Childline volunteer counsellor and worked for two charities, Leeds Advocacy and The Joanna Project Leeds. Her role with Leeds Advocacy involved supporting vulnerable young parents through the court process having their children taken into care. The Joanna project is a charity which reaches out to the most marginalised in society experiencing complex emotional issues. Naomi joined the Joanna Project as a support worker, then became director of the project and in recent times has been the Chair of Trustees.
In addition to the above, Naomi is currently a foster carer with Bradford Social Services and trained in Therapeutic Parenting. She has worked alongside Social workers to deliver training to other foster carers and professionals.
Naomi is passionate about ensuring people are listened to and heard in a safe space that reduces conflict and encourages healthy communication.
In her spare time, Naomi loves the outdoors and keeping active, walking, running and swimming. Naomi enjoys baking, with varying success, reading and crocheting!
Summera Kauser
Mediator (working towards accreditation)
Summera is a non-practising barrister. she was subsequently appointed as a Director/Trustee for The Meridian Centre. As a litigation advocate she practised civil law, representing clients at County Court Hearings across England.
Summera initially trained as a Civil and Commercial Mediator and is an accredited mediator for Special Educational Needs and Disability as a member of the College of Mediators and the Civil Mediation Council.
In 2019 she completed her training as a family mediator and is currently working towards accreditation with the Family Mediation Council. She is a board member of the Family Mediators Association.
Summera has an interest in diversity, equality and inclusion and is dedicated in promoting mediation to become more accessible for everyone. She is able to work with clients who speak Pothwari/Mirpuri. Summera’s familiarity with the court process and costs for litigation has deepened her drive to assist families through mediation. She enjoys helping families in making their own decisions and finding lasting resolution.
In her spare time, Summera enjoys spending time with her family and friends. She likes watching documentaries from around the world and reading novels.
Harriet Collins
ADMINISTRATOR
Harriet began working for Vollans Mediation in 2018, having worked in a school as a 1:1 teaching assistant and as an administrator for a large city centre Church. She grew up in a Bed & Breakfast run by her parents near to Stonehenge so is used to meeting new people and helping them to feel at ease. Harriet loves lists, presenting information well and organising.
With a young family, Harriet understands some of the pressures families experiencing conflict face and regularly has to practise her own techniques in conflict resolution!
Harriet is passionate about people, politics and her local community. She loves outdoor adventures with family and friends, singing, detective programmes and can always be found close to a hot cup of Yorkshire Tea.
Mediation Assistants
Our friendly and professional Mediation Assistants are your first port of call for all things mediation. They are there to answer questions, set up appointments and talk you through next steps from start to finish. We understand that embarking on mediation can feel overwhelming and we will support you in the process, even when everything feels a bit much.
Please don’t hesitate to get in touch, no question is too big or too small. We look forward to working with you.
In our clients' words
Kind words from some of our clients.