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OUR STORY

The Bridge Institute has been promoting peaceful resolution since 1989 and operates from the foundations of Roanoke's Conflict Resolution Center and Better Agreements, Inc. which served the New River Valley. Today, we serve all of Southwest Virginia as the region's leader in processes for resolving conflict and building community.

The Bridge Institute is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization. All donations are tax-deductible and support our mission of ensuring everyone has access to alternative dispute resolution processes. Our federal EIN is 02-0655364.

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EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

EDDY SMART began his career as a student intern reluctantly placed with the Conflict Resolution Center in 2006, Eddy observed the value of conflict resolution processes and the power found in transforming conflict into opportunities for understanding and productive ways forward. Eddy remained at the Conflict Resolution Center honing his skills as a mediator, restorative justice practitioner, group facilitator, and parent educator, and became Executive Director in 2010. Eddy’s passion for conflict and process-related work led him to return to the field after an eight-year detour in direct mental health services, starting his own firm in 2019. Eddy took on leadership of The Bridge Institute, then Better Agreements, in the fall of 2020.

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POLICE REFERRED MEDIATION PROGRAM MANAGER

CHELSEA CLEARY, M.S. is a violence prevention and mitigation researcher, educator & mediator originally from the Upstate New York area. She has over a decade of both practice and scholarship working on anti-poverty initiatives, violence prevention and mitigation education, community building programming, and strategic planning. Chelsea has served as the inaugural Sexual Violence Prevention Specialist at Virginia Tech, contributed to research projects for the NYS Department of New Americans during her graduate studies, and is an active community member within the New River Valley. She holds a M.S. in Sustainable Communities from Binghamton University and B.A. in Psychology and a B.A. in Philosophy from SUNY Oneonta. Outside of work, Chelsea enjoys her new hometown in the New River Valley with her spouse, cats and garden.

RESTORATIVE JUSTICE FACILITATOR

ANN DYE, is currently finishing up a Master’s in Restorative Justice and Conflict Transformation at the Center for Justice and Peace at Eastern Mennonite University. Finding philosophies and practices that address conflicts, injustices and that help strengthen relationships has been life changing for her. Combining these practices with her background in healing, nervous system regulation, trauma and resiliency studies, her focus has expanded to embracing difficult conversations, the value of uncomfortableness, and relationally repairing harm. She is excited to be part of the Bridge Institute’s team as a restorative facilitator & mediator working in the Roanoke City school system.

RESTORATIVE JUSTICE FACILITATOR

SUSAN STARKEY, supports youth and staff in local middle and high schools through restorative dialogues and practices. Susan earned her bachelor's degree in Sociology from Bridgewater College with a minor in Spanish and Peace Studies. She has worked in a variety of roles such as a program director at a local camp, substance abuse recovery coach, foster parent, elementary math tutor and stay-at-home parent for ten years. Additionally, Susan has been fortunate to volunteer in the local schools, with several local non-profits and her church. Susan loves the opportunity to engage and empower students to deal healthfully in conflict and is inspired every day at the resilience and strength of young people. Susan and her husband enjoy cheering on their children in their various endeavors, traveling, and playing with their dog.