About Zena D.
Zena D. Zumeta trained at Smith College and earned her J.D. from the University of Michigan Law School. She is licensed to practice in Michigan and has built a career that blends dispute resolution, teaching and organizational consulting. Her background in law underpins a decades-long practice in mediation and conflict management.
She founded Zena Zumeta Mediation Services in 1981 and has run it since then, offering mediation and related services to individuals and organizations. That same year she took leadership roles at the Mediation Training & Consultation Institute and at The Collaborative Workplace, shaping programs aimed at helping groups move past conflict. Those early steps set the tone for steady work in both practice and training.
Her work has crossed into the academic sphere. In 2010 she served as an adjunct professor at Thomas M. Cooley Law School, teaching students about dispute resolution processes. The following year she was an adjunct professor at Pepperdine University School of Law. She also worked as a consultant for the MEA in 2000, advising on matters where mediation and organizational dynamics intersect.
Zumeta’s professional affiliations reflect long-standing ties to the field. She has been a member of the Association for Conflict Resolution since 2013. Her involvement in professional organizations dates back to 1975, a marker of sustained engagement in the development of mediation practice and professional networks. Over time she has combined client-focused work with training efforts aimed at other mediators and workplace leaders.
Her practice has emphasized hands-on dispute resolution, mediator training and organizational consultation. She has operated offices under the Mediation Training & Consultation Institute name and continued to offer services through her own mediation firm. Colleagues and clients have found her approach practical; she favors clear process and tools that parties can use after a session ends.
Zumeta remains active in practice and education, balancing casework with workshops and training sessions. Her current work centers on mediation, mediator training and consultation for organizations seeking to manage conflict more effectively.
