Donald A. Gordon, Ph.D. 

Don Gordon is a Co-Founder and Executive Director of the Center for Divorce Education. Dr. Gordon is a 40+ year clinical psychologist and researcher with an area of expertise targeting the reduction and prevention of juvenile delinquency.

During his 40 years of working with families, Dr. Gordon has studied the effects that different strategies have on reducing conflict within a family (both with parents and children). In the early 1980’s Dr. Gordon and his colleague Dr. Jack Arbothnot developed the Children in Between curriculum (formerly known as Children in the Middle) which is designed specifically to help change the behaviors of divorcing/separating parents who unknowingly place their children in the middle of their conflict, resulting in the most harmful of consequences which often lead to youth acting out in negative ways. For more than 20 years, Dr. Gordon has been providing parenting and co-parenting curricula that is skills-based, allowing families to take away from each course concrete, actionable steps that can be turned into behavior changing habits. These results improve the lives of parents, their children, and their family unit overall.

Through CDE, Dr. Gordon continues to pursue research that challenges his own assumptions and strives to find best-practices that continue to (a) help families reduce their conflict, and (b) help courts by providing families with tools that are proven to shift re-litigation rates and improve communication and interaction.

P. Leslie Herold, Ph.D. 

Les Herold is a Psychologist and Director of the Solutions for Families organization based in San Bernardino, California. Dr. Herold has run an effective parent education program for divorcing families for over fourteen years. He is a frequent presenter at the Association of Family and Conciliation Courts conference and recipient of the AFCC's Irwin Cantor Award for Innovative Programs. Dr. Herold has been instrumental towards ensuring CDE’s programs remain current in helping to meet the needs of separating and divorcing families. CDE is honored to have Dr. Herold as a Board Member as well as serving as an Expert to our programs & clients.

Shirley Thomas, Ph.D. 

Dr. Shirley Thomas is a licensed psychologist in Colorado. She has been helping families of separation and divorce for over thirty years. Her practice includes many court assignments, therapy, mediation and several kinds of coparenting education programs. Dr. Thomas will be happy to help you with your particular family issues after you have completed the Children in Between online program. Shirley Thomas is author of three coparenting books for parents and children. Parents Are Forever is a popular guide used in education programs as a text for teaching simple coparenting concepts. Two Happy Homes focuses on how separated parents can bring new spouses or partners into the lives of their children without causing them stress and anxiety. Finally, Divorced But Still My Parents a best-selling resource for children themselves. Dr. Thomas created and runs a standard, three-hour introductory divorce education program that is certified by courts in the Boulder, Colorado area. In 2002 she introduced a more intensive and innovative program to Colorado when she began providing longer seminars that coparents attend together, which is appearing in many states. The philosophy is that children need both parents in their lives, and the focus of the intensive program is on how parents can transition to a successful businesslike relationship, for the sake of the children they love. Dr. Thomas is active in her state and nationally advising courts on parent education, evaluation, and coaching divorced parents.

Thomas Hodson, J.D. 

Tom Hodson is an Attorney and Director of the E.W. Scripps School of Journalism at Ohio University. Mr. Hodson holds the distinction of being a former U.S. Supreme Court Clerk to the Honorable William Rehnquist; and is now, himself, a retired Judge of the Court of Common Pleas in Athens County, Ohio. Mr. Hodson currently serves as the Director for the public broadcasting station, WOUB out of Ohio University. Mr. Hodson’s understanding of the justice system as well as his strength as a media expert, provide valuable insight to the work CDE pursues. CDE is privileged to have Mr. Hodson as a Board Member.

Frederick L. Oremus, J.D. 

Fred Oremus is an Attorney specializing in Family Law in Athens, Ohio. Mr. Oremus brings with him a wealth of expertise in the matters related to the needs of low income families involved with the justice system. Among his many achievements, Mr. Oremus currently serves as a Trustee to the Ohio State Bar Association, and is a current Board Member of the Ohio Legal Assistance Foundation. Mr. Oremus has a long history of being a philanthropist in his community and serving on many boards. With this Mr. Oremus lends his own experience to help guide CDE's activities toward meeting our stated goals and mission. CDE is honored to include Mr. Oremus among its prestigious Board Members.