Faculty & Staff Biographies
Sara Campos
Just the Beginning – A Pipeline Organization Summer Institute
Sara Campos is a Visiting Clinical Professor and Director of the Loyola Center for Conflict Resolution (LCCR) at Loyola Marymount University Loyola Law School and a certified bilingual mediator. Originally trained at LCCR as a law student mediator in 1998, Sara was later recruited to join the program’s staff and now leads one of the nation’s most respected law school-based conflict resolution programs. In her role, she trains and mentors law students, professionals, and community volunteers in mediation and dispute resolution while also teaching courses in Mediation and Mediation Advocacy.
As a Latina mediator and legal educator, Ms. Campos is in a unique position to utilize her legal, bilingual, and bicultural skills and knowledge to assist litigants in resolving disputes through mediation. Under her leadership, LCCR has expanded the services it provides through the creation and implementation of several impactful programs, including the integration of art therapy into the Collaborative Family Law Program, the Landlord/Tenant Options Counseling Program, and the Prison to Prosperity Pipeline Project, which provides holistic training and support to formerly incarcerated individuals. These innovative initiatives enhance the mediation experience and provide meaningful support to families and individuals navigating conflict. LCCR’s Landlord/Tenant Options Counseling Project was recognized during a 2022 White House ceremony for responding to the Attorney General’s Call to Action to address housing instability and increase access to justice. Ms. Campos has dedicated her entire legal career to the field of mediation, conflict resolution, and training. Over the course of her tenure with LCCR, she has helped resolve more than 1,000 cases involving families, tenants, landlords, youth, and community members navigating conflict.
Ms. Campos is an active leader in the mediation and legal education communities. She previously served two terms on the board of the National Association for Community Mediation (NAFCM), where she chaired the Membership Development Committee from 2014–2019. She also serves on the Steering and Curriculum Committees for Just the Beginning –Summer Legal Institute, Los Angeles (JTB-LA) a high school to law school pipeline organization, helping develop and deliver negotiation training for underrepresented and first-generation students participating in the Summer Legal Institute.
Her work advancing mediation, legal education, and diversity in the legal profession has earned multiple honors, including the Southern California Mediation Association's 2024 Randolph Lowry Educator of the Year Award, the JTB-LA Leadership Award of Excellence, Loyola Law School’s Service Award, and several Mediation Case of the Year Awards from the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors.
Ms. Campos received her bachelor's degree in Political Science from the University of California, Los Angeles, and her Juris Doctor from LMU Loyola Law School, where she trained at LCCR as a law student mediator.
Amal Sardesai is the Associate Director of the Loyola Center for Conflict Resolution (LCCR), where she helps lead the Center’s mediation programs, community partnerships, and efforts to expand access to justice throughout Los Angeles. With a background that spans family law, conflict resolution, international relations, and large-scale program management, she brings a unique, multidisciplinary perspective to her work supporting individuals and families in navigating conflict.
Before assuming her role at LCCR, she worked at a leading boutique family law practice, where she had the opportunity to work alongside highly respected family law practitioners and thought leaders on complex and high-stake matters. The firm’s commitment to strategic advocacy, integrity, and client-centered representation helped refine her legal skills and deepen her understanding of dispute resolution in emotionally sensitive cases.
Her career also includes international and policy experience, having supported research efforts in India and Lebanon and assisted in managing an $87 million USAID program in Afghanistan as part of her work with the infrastructure consulting firm, AECOM. Across all of her roles, she has focused on bridging divides, strengthening communication, and helping people move toward resolutions.
She holds a J.D. from Loyola Law School, an M.B.A. from the University of Southern California, an M.Sc. in Comparative Politics – Conflict Studies from the London School of Economics, and a B.A. in Political Science – International Relations from the University of Central Florida. She is also a Certified Project Management Professional and completed the University of Oxford’s Programme on Negotiation.
Cynthia Campoy Brophy is Senior Mediator/Outreach Coordinator at Loyola Center for Conflict Resolution, focusing on developing strategic community partnerships to support our LA County community in resolving conflict. Prior to this role, she worked in the nonprofit sector for many years, with a focus on youth empowerment and the arts. She began her career at The Museum of Contemporary Art and left to launch a nonprofit arts education organization, artworxLA for teenagers at highest risk of dropping out of school. From founding the organization, to expanding it and eventually passing it on to the next generation of leadership, she worked to link existing resources to young people who lacked access to social, educational, and creative opportunities. She participated in youth empowerment efforts locally and nationally, serving on the national Creative Youth Development advisory board, the National Guild for Community Arts Education, Arts for LA (Board Chair), and was a State appointee on the California Cultural and Historical Endowment Board. Professional learning opportunities include Harvard Graduate School of Education’s Scaling for Impact program and Stanford University’s Graduate School of Business Executive Program for Nonprofit Leaders/Arts, and she is a Durfee Foundation sabbatical recipient. She trained in Mediation at Loyola Law School’s Center for Conflict Resolution, and was an Artist-in-Residence teaching Conflict Resolution at the Indian Institute of Technology, Ghandinagar in Gujurat, India. She has a B.A. in English Literature from the University of California, Los Angeles.
Janet Sacks Grundfest is a Senior Conflict Resolution Associate and Mediator at the Loyola Center for Conflict Resolution (LCCR), where she has served since 2018.
Janet spent ten years practicing at a litigation law firm specializing in insurance defense before becoming a mediator. Janet completed her Dispute Resolution Program Act (DRPA) mediation training through the Department of Consumer and Business Affairs (DCBA), after which Janet volunteered through DCBA mediating unlawful detainers along with small claims and civil limited matters.
As a staff mediator at LCCR, Janet is deeply committed to supporting students and serving the surrounding community. Janet brings experience, and a genuine passion for helping people navigate conflict. In recognition of her efforts, Janet was honored as the Los Angeles County Volunteer Mediator of the Year in 2018 for her outstanding work in mediation and conflict resolution. Janet earned her B.A. in Communications and Sociology from the University of Southern California and her Juris Doctor from Loyola Law School.
Anat Sasson is the Intake Coordinator and a Senior Conflict Resolution Associate/Mediator at The Loyola Law School Center for Conflict Resolution. Anat completed her mediation training that satisfies the California Dispute Resolution Programs Act (DRPA) at the Loyola Center for Conflict Resolution, as well as additional training in collaborative mediation from (LACFLA). Anat is an attorney and
fluent in Hebrew. Anat received her Bachelor’s Degree in Business- Economics from UCLA and a Juris Doctor from Loyola Law School.
Robert Antunez has over a decade of experience as a mediator, having served with the Inland Valley Justice Center, the Los Angeles City Attorney’s Office, and currently with the Loyola Center for Conflict Resolution.
In addition to his mediation work, Robert is an accomplished musician, performing both as a solo pianist and as part of a band. He is fluent in both Spanish and English, allowing him to effectively communicate and mediate in diverse settings.Robert holds a Bachelor of Science in Political Science from UCLA, a Master’s degree in Counseling from San Diego State University, and a Juris Doctor from the West Los Angeles School of Law.
Stephanie Schestag is a Conflict Resolution Associate/Conciliator at the Loyola Center for Conflict Resolution as well as an attorney and entrepreneur. Stephanie works part time at LCCR and owns small businesses throughout Los Angeles County. Stephanie received her Dispute Resolutions Program Act Mediation training at Loyola Law School.
In October 2025, Stephanie was recognized by the Los Angeles Department of Consumer and Business Affairs (DCBA) for her outstanding mediation skills. Stephanie is a graduate of Mills College where she earned her bachelor's degree in Sociology and received her Juris Doctor from Loyola Law School.
Philip Adler is a Conflict Resolution Associate/Conciliator at the Loyola Center for Conflict Resolution. He received his bachelor’s degree in biology from the University of California, San Diego and his Master’s and Doctorate in Psychology from the California Graduate Institute of the Chicago School of Professional Psychology. He received training from the Los Angeles Collaborative Family Law Association, and he received mediation training that satisfies the Dispute Resolutions Program Act.
Claudia Suarez is a bilingual mediator and Administrative Coordinator at the Loyola Center for Conflict Resolution. Claudia brings extensive experience as a paralegal across a wide range of legal areas, including financial industry matters, civil rights, medical malpractice, family law, probate, workers’ compensation, and personal injury.
In her current role, Claudia coordinates LCCR's clinical programs (C-MAC and C-LAW), and provides Spanish-language interpretation and translation services, helping ensure equitable access for Spanish-speaking clients. In addition, Claudia assists the LCCR's community outreach efforts to expand access to mediation services throughout diverse communities in Los Angeles County.
In October 2025, she was recognized by the Los Angeles Department of Consumer and Business Affairs for her outstanding mediation skills.
In addition to being training under the Dispute Resolution Programs Act (DRPA) in Spanish and in English, Claudia holds a Paralegal Certificate from UCLA, a Bachelor’s degree in Business Management from the University of Phoenix, and an Associate’s degree in Political Science from Santa Monica College.