Board of Directors
Fred Weiner – Interim Board President
I grew up in Brooklyn, N.Y., where I later obtained my undergraduate degree from Brooklyn College. I then completed a Master’s and Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology at the University of Massachusetts in 1966. I was employed as a licensed psychologist at the Ohio University Counseling and Psychological Services Center, and in 2018, I retired as the Director of the agency. My wife Carole and I have been living in Athens for the past fifty-six years. I now have a small private practice, providing psychotherapy in Athens. Additionally, I have been involved with Ohio University Hillel for over fifty-six years, and have served two separate stints as Board Chair, the most recent being my current one. My wife is a retired speech therapist, and also served as the Jewish song leader at Ohio University Hillel. We celebrated our sixtieth wedding anniversary in September 2023. Our son Adam is in the process of relocating to Athens, Ohio.
Kristine Hayes-Secretary
Kristine Hayes is a dedicated advocate for cooperative dispute resolution and community-led justice, currently serving as a board member and volunteer mediator for Athens Area Mediation Service. With over 20 years of experience as an attorney and investigator, Kristine specializes in navigating complex interpersonal and organizational conflicts with a focus on reconciliation, integrity, and inclusion.
Isabel Graziani – Treasurer
Isabel Graziani is an Associate Professor of Art History at Shawnee State University, who completed her PhD at Ohio University in Comparative Arts. She teaches courses that explore the intersection of social issues and visual culture. She is an avid traveler and has taken her students abroad to experience different cultures and visit world-class museums in Europe and Asia. Her courses facilitate meaningful conversations on visual production and issues related to social justice. Her travels to over 100 countries have broadened her perspective on cultural diversity. When she is at home in Athens, she enjoys outdoor activities such as cycling, kayaking, and gardening.
DeeDee Dransfield
DeeDee and her husband Tim have lived in Athens since 1974. She was a special educator for 50 years serving students with disabilities, their families and teachers and training special education teachers. The values that were the foundation of her personal and professional life have led her to volunteer at the Athens County Food Pantry and Athens Area Mediation Service during retirement. In addition to serving as a Board Member for AAMS, she is a volunteer mediator and assists with AAMS fundraising endeavors. As the oldest of 7 children and the mother of an amazing son and daughter, much time is dedicated to family. In her spare time she is an avid knitter and tends an annual vegetable garden.
Willow Wightman
Willow Wightman was born in Dayton, Ohio, grew up in northern Wisconsin, and returned to Dayton for her college education. She has been a resident of Athens since 2019.
Willow has been practicing and facilitating compassionate and collaborative communication for over 10 years. After taking her first fundamentals of mediation class in 2024, she discovered how complementary the two practices are. She continued conducting mediations within her own community and retook the fundamentals class in 2025, before joining the Athens Area Mediation Service (AAMS) board in 2026. She is particularly passionate about supporting relationship dynamics within intentional communities and non-profit organizations.
In addition to her mediation work, Willow has been the owner of Sunshine Pet Sitting and Training for over 15 years, where she cares for and trains cats, dogs, horses, and other animals. She lives at the Humble Roots Farm intentional community with her husband, a few landmates, and her cat, dog, and chickens. She hopes to add rabbits and horses to the farm in the future.
Willow is very excited about the direction of AAMS and is grateful to be a part of the journey.
Danny Yahini
Danny Yahini has been part of the Athens Mediation Service for more than 25 years. With extensive experience in all kinds of mediations and facilitation, he formerly served AAMS as Board president and as an assistant in basic and advanced trainings. As a long-time practitioner of Buddhist meditation and peer counseling, he believes resolving conflicts through listening, compassion, and insight can be a powerful tool for creating a more peaceful world.
Gary Bernstein