AAA-ICDR® Announces 2026 Board Officers and New Directors

NEW YORK, May 15, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The American Arbitration Association^® – International Centre for Dispute Resolution^® (AAA-ICDR), the global leader in alternative dispute resolution (ADR), has named its 2026 Board officers and welcomed four new directors, strengthening the governance, strategic, and operational expertise that supports the organization's long-term strategy, global reach, and continued innovation in dispute resolution. These new appointments became effective on May 7, 2026, at the annual Board meeting.

The newly elected officers and directors will help guide the AAA-ICDR as it continues to modernize dispute resolution, expand access to fair and efficient processes, and support parties, advocates, arbitrators, mediators, businesses, governments, and communities around the world.

"As the American Arbitration Association marks 100 years of service in 2026, we are reflecting on a century of impact while looking ahead to the future of dispute resolution," said Bridget McCormack, AAA-ICDR president and CEO. "Today, the AAA-ICDR helps people and organizations around the world resolve disputes fairly and effectively. The Board's leadership is essential to carrying that mission forward, guiding our strategy, strengthening our services, and helping us meet the evolving needs of the global dispute resolution community."

2026 Board Officers
The Board elected J. Michael Kirkland, CPA, CGMA, founder of JmK Consulting (Ret.), as chair of the board. The board also approved:

• Matthew L. Biben, Esq., partner, King & Spalding, as vice chair
• Barbara McGivern, Thomson Reuters (Ret.), as treasurer
• Michelle Johnson Tidjani, Esq., JD, MBA, senior executive vice president and chief administrative officer at CommonSpirit Health, as secretary

"As the AAA celebrates its 100th anniversary, the 2026/27 AAA-ICDR Board of Directors, President and CEO Bridget McCormack, and AAA staff will help lay the foundation for the next 100 years. I am honored to be among those helping to begin this next chapter," said Kirkland.

New Directors Elected
The AAA-ICDR also welcomed four new members to its Board of Directors. The incoming directors bring experience across law, business, technology, governance, and institutional leadership, adding valuable perspective as the organization continues to invest in service innovation and responsible growth:

• Michael Coyne, general counsel of Manulife, brings more than four decades of legal and executive leadership experience in global financial services, with deep expertise in compliance, governance, enterprise risk, and cross-border operations.
• Jennifer Deason, a seasoned executive and public company board member and the former CEO of Home Partners of America, brings broad experience in financial strategy, operational leadership, digital transformation, M&A, and business growth across multiple industries.
• Amy E. Feldman, chief legal officer, assistant secretary, and ESG chief of The Judge Group, Inc., brings deep experience in conflict resolution, employment law, compliance, governance, enterprise risk, and litigation management.
• Eric Friedman, former chair and executive partner of Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP, brings extensive experience in legal industry leadership, legal technology, complex transactions, governance, and institutional stewardship.

2026 AAA-ICDR Board of Directors
The AAA-ICDR is guided by an extraordinary and accomplished Board of Directors, whose members bring valuable insight, expertise, and dedication to advancing the organization's mission of fair, effective, and accessible dispute resolution. Below is the complete list of the 2026 AAA-ICDR Board of Directors.

• J. Michael Kirkland, CPA, CGMA, JmK Consulting (Ret.), chair
• Matthew L. Biben, Esq., King & Spalding LLP, vice chair
• Barbara McGivern, Thomson Reuters (Ret.), treasurer
• Michelle Johnson Tidjani, Esq., JD, MBA, CommonSpirit Health, secretary
• Katherine E. Adkins, Affirm Inc.
• Dayna Anderson, CMA, CFE, The Vertex Companies, LLC
• Richard A. Anderson, Continental Grain (Ret.)
• Michael Coyne, Manulife
• William Crosby, Esq., Omnicom Group
• Jennifer Deason, former CEO, Home Partners of America
• Amy E. Feldman, The Judge Group Inc.
• Eric Friedman, Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP (Ret.)
• Dave Hindt, Thomson Reuters (Ret.)
• Bridget M. McCormack, AAA-ICDR
• Trooper Sanders, Predawn.ai
• Kimberly H. Wiehl, Wiehl Properties Inc.

View the 2025 AAA-ICDR Annual Report for more from the AAA-ICDR.

About the American Arbitration Association
The American Arbitration Association is the largest provider of alternative dispute resolution (ADR) services in the world. Marking its centennial in 2026, the American Arbitration Association has transformed how legal issues are resolved for better since 1926, turning disputes worldwide into opportunities for understanding and progress. A not-for-profit organization, the American Arbitration Association's mission is to deliver ADR services with integrity, transparency, and innovation. For more information, visit www.adr.org/.

About the International Centre for Dispute Resolution
The ICDR^® is the international division of the AAA and the largest international provider of dispute resolution services. Established in 1996, the ICDR serves parties from over 100 countries with multilingual staff experienced in international dispute resolution proceedings and a roster of over 850 arbitrators and mediators worldwide. For more information, visit www.icdr.org.

SOURCE American Arbitration Association