TAPM Press Release: In 2007, the Tennessee Association of Professional Mediators (TAPM) established its Grayfred Gray Public Service in Mediation Award to honor Tennessee mediators who are committed to PEACEMAKING, EMPOWERMENT, and SERVICE for Tennesseans. Grayfred Gray served 28 years on the faculty at the University of Tennessee (UT) College of Law, and practiced as a mediator and founded the UT Mediation Clinic. He has demonstrated a lifelong dedication to public service and pro bono work. Mr. Gray was the first award recipient in 2007. Since then, every year, TAPM rotates the area of Tennessee and this year, we honor the Western section of the state.
Karen Phillips, the 2024 Award Recipient, has been involved in mediation and public service for 42 years, serving as both mediator and social worker. Ms. Phillips is a Tennessee Supreme Court Rule 31 Listed Family & General Civil Mediator. She served in Juvenile Courts and School Systems promoting Peaceable Schools and Peer Mediation. Since her retirement, 14 years ago, she has practiced as a private mediator. Karen served with a committee of attorneys to develop the Mediation Program at the Juvenile Court of Memphis & Shelby County TN. She has promoted mediation with numerous Juvenile Courts across West Tennessee.
Ms. Phillips currently serves on the Board of the Mid-South Community Justice & Mediation Center (aka CJAM), the West TN Community Mediation Center. She frequently guest lectures at Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law Mediation Class. During the pandemic, she worked as a contract mediator for Nashville Conflict Resolution Center’s Juvenile Victim/Offender and Parenting programs. She currently provides Mediation across West Tennessee.