Good Shepherd Mediation Services Staff

Sue Wasserkrug, Esq. (she/her)

Director of Good Shepherd Mediation

Sue oversees the development and delivery of all service and training programs in the Mediation Department at CORA Services. She leads the mediation component of the City of Philadelphia’s nationally recognized Eviction Diversion Program, which helps landlords and tenants resolve disputes outside of court. Sue is an attorney with many years of experience advocating on behalf of vulnerable populations in Pennsylvania, at the Homeless Advocacy Project, People’s Emergency Center, and SeniorLAW Center. Her legal practice focused on the areas of family law, elder law, and public benefits. She received a Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology from Oberlin College in Ohio, Master of Arts degrees in Journalism and in Anthropology from the University of Arizona, and a J.D. from the University of Iowa College of Law, where she received an award for her human rights work. Her interest in mediation stems from the limitations of the legal system that she witnessed as a practicing attorney. Sue was the 2022 recipient of the Philadelphia Bar Association's "Bending the ARC" Award, recognizing Achievement, Resilience, and Courage.

Nancy Geist Giacomini (she/her)

Senior Program Manager, Eviction Diversion Program

Nancy Geist Giacomini serves as Senior Program Manager for the City of Philadelphia Eviction Diversion Program helping tenants and landlords navigate and resolve the financial hardships created by COVID-19. She earned a doctorate in educational leadership from the University of Delaware and is a credentialed scholar/practitioner across resolution options including group facilitation, conflict coaching, mediation, restorative practices, victim/offender conference facilitation, due process adjudication, Title IX (campus sexual misconduct), and ombuds roles. She completed her bachelors degree in psychology at West Chester University and her masters degrees in counseling psychology at Kutztown University. Nancy is a published author and editor, popular online adjunct graduate faculty, systems consultant, and active special education mediator and stakeholder council member with the PA Office for Dispute Resolution. She began her award-winning career in higher education administration managing campus conduct and conflict management operations and has remained active in the field as a sought-after consultant, trainer, speaker, and interim staff member. She is a social justice advocate and ally whose body of work champions integrated conflict and conduct management initiatives in education and human resource management from foundations and perspectives that advance inclusive conflict excellence. Nancy is a contributing member of multiple non-profit professional associations and has held international service leadership roles including board president, foundation board member, and professional development lead faculty.

Susan Layne

Associate Manager, Eviction Diversion Program

Susan Layne (she/her) works with the City of Philadelphia Eviction Diversion Program, a program that helps landlords and tenants use mediation instead of the courts to resolve issues and avoid eviction. She leads the initial review process for new applicants. Susan is a graduate of the Pennsylvania State University (BS Engineering Science) and Mount St. Mary's College (MBA) and has extensive professional experience in program management and volunteer experience in community programs.

Antoinette Irving (she/her)

Lead Scheduler, Eviction Diversion Program

Toni Irving is a native of Philadelphia and a graduate of Girard College. She has an Associates Degree in Paralegal studies from the Community College of Philadelphia; she studied English literature at Loyola University New Orleans; and she has a Bachelor of Science degree in Organizational Dynamics from Chestnut Hill College in Philadelphia.

Leah Brown

Program Assistant, Eviction Diversion Program

Leah Brown (she/her) works with the City of Philadelphia Eviction Diversion Program. Leah has a Bachelor's Degree in political science and criminal justice from La Salle University. While at La Salle University, Leah participated in the Joint Commission of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion on the DEI Education Workstream. In addition, an internship with the Pennsylvania Prison Society, an organization committed to improving the lives of incarcerated individuals. Leah is highly driven and focused on learning various aspects of the criminal justice system while supporting the community, especially those underrepresented and in need. In addition, Leah volunteers at organizations that assist marginalized communities, such as No More Secrets Mind Body Spirit INC. and Step Up To The Plate. Leah started law school at Villanova University in the fall of 2024.

Nicole Conley

Reviewer, Eviction Diversion Program

Nicole Conley (she/her) is a reviewer with the City of Philadelphia's Eviction Diversion Program. She resides in Philadelphia and majored in Sociology at West Chester University.

Vaughn Coleman (she/her)

Program Coordinator, Eviction Diversion Program

Vaughn Coleman is the Program Coordinator of the Eviction Diversion Program’s Good Shepherd Mediation. She is responsible for assigning volunteers to 50-75 mediations every week and communicating with our volunteers to provide an organized and transparent environment. In 2023, Vaughn graduated from The University of the Arts with a BFA in Creative Writing and a minor in Screenwriting for Film. As a student, she took serving and promoting the health and wealth of her community seriously. At UArts, she was a DEIA Taskforce Student Fellow (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility), President of the UArts NAACP Chapter, Manager, then Head Coach of the Royals Band Dance Line, and Short Story Editor of the university’s Underground Pool magazine. She was very known on campus, despite being a commuter, and was widely respected by other students and faculty. Her diligence was well rewarded at the Student Leadership awards where she was given the Inclusion Excellence Award and the Excellence in Service & Leadership in Visual Arts Award. The Royals also created “The Vaughn Award of Dedication,” which she was responsible for appointing to a single first-year dancer each season. Since graduation, she has committed her time to creating a writing community and furthering her current research on the black binary within the queer body and mind. Here at CORA, she is able to do what she loves most, which is being a part of something bigger than herself to help others.

Ashley Hogan, J.D. (she/her)

Mediation Manager, Eviction Diversion Program

Ashley is the Mediation Manager of the Eviction Diversion Program created by the City of Philadelphia. She is a recent graduate of Temple Law School where she focused her studies on housing policy and advocacy. Ashley has previously interned at Philadelphia Legal Assistance as part of the Eviction Diversion Program as well as acted as a volunteer mediator at the Philadelphia Municipal Court. Ashley attended The University of Texas where she graduated with a BA in Government and minored in Anthropology. She is passionate about housing and social equity and enjoys serving her community through her work.

Ayanna Abdul-Ali

Reviewer, Eviction Diversion Program

Ayanna Abdul-Ali (she/her) works as an application reviewer for the City of Philadelphia Eviction Diversion Program. Ayanna is a West Philly native and a graduate of George Washington Carver High School of Engineering and Science, where she developed a passion for studying psychology. She is now interested in studying art therapy and using various visual arts mediums as outlets to better the mental health of young black girls.