Kimberly Best
Kimberly Best, RN, MA, is a Missouri Rule 17 listed Civil Mediator and Rule 88 Family Mediator and Tennessee Rule 31 Listed Civil and Family Trained Mediator, FINRA Arbitrator, and owner of Best Conflict Solutions, LLC. Her expertise encompasses organizational conflict resolution, healthcare mediation, civil and business mediation, and conflict coaching and consulting with a specialty in healthcare settings.
As Immediate Past President of the Tennessee Association of Professional Mediators and Executive Committee Member of the American Bar Association Dispute Resolution Section, Kim brings recognized leadership to the field. She serves as a volunteer Senior Mediator with the Los Angeles City Attorney's Office Community/Police Unification Program and is an active member of the National Association for Community Mediation, Association of Conflict Resolution, and Mediators Beyond Borders International.
Kim's unique background combines decades of clinical nursing experience in intensive care, trauma, and emergency medicine with advanced conflict management training from Harvard Law School, Pepperdine University, and Hofstra University. She holds a Master's degree in Conflict Management from Lipscomb University and completed graduate studies in Clinical/Community Psychology at UNC Charlotte.
Through mediation, facilitation, and collaborative problem-solving, Kim helps individuals and organizations transform conflicts into opportunities for growth and stronger relationships. She is the author of "How to Live Forever: A Guide to Writing the Final Chapter of Your Life Story" and is a frequent speaker and trainer on conflict management, emotional intelligence, and healthcare dispute resolution.
Kim is the proud mother of five adults and grandmother of four energetic grandchildren.
• MA, Institute of Conflict Management, Lipscomb University, Nashville, TN (Dec 2014)
• Master’s Certificate, Clinical/Community Psychology, University of North Carolina Charlotte, Charlotte, NC (Jan 1994)
• BA, Psychology, University of North Carolina Charlotte, Charlotte, NC (May 1992)
• RN Diploma, Jewish Hospital School of Nursing, Cincinnati, Ohio (June 1980 -licensed to current date)
TRAINING AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
• Transformative Mediation Trained, Hofstra University School of Law
• Certificate in Negotiating and Mediating Healthcare Disputes, University of South Florida
• Conflict Resolution Consulting Training, Pepperdine University School of Law
• Advanced Mediation Training, Kenneth Cloke
• Conflict and Systems Design Training, Kenneth Cloke
• Association of Conflict Resolution Elder Mediation Professional Development Committee
• Association of Conflict Resolution National Conference Panelist, Elder Mediation (2017)
• Member, Mediate and Meditate Co-lab with William Ury and Thomas Huebl (2018-2020)
Collective Trauma Summit (2019)
• Facilitating Learning Circles/Restorative Justice Conferencing IIRP Training Certificate (2021)
• Advanced Negotiation: Leveraging Emotions, Program on Negotiation, Harvard Law School (Nov 2022)
• Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) Arbitrator (Feb 2023)
• Facilitating Meetings Around Community Conflict, Department of Justice (Mar 2023)
• Restorative Practices Training of Trainers, International Institute of Restorative Practices (IIRP) (June 2023)