President and CEO

 
Sharon Bayus is the founder, President and CEO of Innovative Alternatives, Inc., a nonprofit agency that serves our community through mediation and counseling programs. She holds a Master of Arts Degree in General Clinical Psychology from the University of Houston-Clear Lake and is a Licensed Professional Counselor. She is a member of many mediation, psychological, and community associations; and the recipient of numerous academic and community awards, including The Award of Excellence in Psychology from the Houston Psychological Association. Sharon is a frequent speaker and trainer throughout the state of Texas on mental health topics as well as conflict resolution and mediation. The Victim/Offender Reconciliation program of IAI was the first mediation service for the adult criminal court system in Harris County. Sharon and the staff of Innovative Alternatives, Inc. are the first in the United States to develop an application of the mediation process for large groups in Multicultural Mediation. IAI has impacted more than 300 schools in Texas with comprehensive training and implementation programs for establishing Peer Mediation in schools. The staff at IAI is continually developing new applications of the mediation process for the therapeutic setting at Innovative Alternatives, Inc., as well as innovations in applications of mediation and conflict resolution for the corporate sector toward reducing conflict in the workplace. Sharon was a founding Board member and President of the College of Texas Mediators and is a founding Board member and Treasurer of the Texas Mediator Credentialing Association.