Our Team

Randall Butler, Executive Director

Randall E. Butler is the founding director of the Institute.  He has been president of Butler Mediation Services since 1995. Formerly a partner in the law firms of Fulbright & Jaworski, L.L.P., and Cook, Butler & Doyle, L.L.P., Mr. Butler practiced for eighteen years as a trial lawyer. On January 1, 1999, Mr. Butler left his litigation practice to focus full time on conflict resolution and peacemaking. Mr. Butler has served as an instructor with the Attorney Mediator Institute and the Institute for Christian Conciliation and has taught a graduate level course in International Conflict Resolution. Mr. Butler’s passion for resolving conflict has taken him to Croatia in August of each of the past five summers where he taught generative dialogues and conflict resolution skills at the ROM Leadership Development and Peace Gathering to large groups of future leaders from Serbia, Croatia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Kosovo, Albania, Macedonia and other neighboring countries. 

In addition to his experience at the ROM project in the Balkans, Butler has extensive experience designing and conducting creative processes for resolution of complex disputes involving large numbers of parties involving companies varying in size from the Fortune 500 to local private concerns. He is a frequent speaker on the subjects of conflict resolution, peacemaking, and dialogue at conferences and seminars in Europe and the USA. His work with the Institute has earned him the 2010 Julie and Ben Rogers Ecumenism Award of the Anti-Defamation League and the 2011 Garland R. Walker Inn of Court Award for Attorney Professionalism.

Liz Palmer, Chief Financial Officer / Chief Operating Officer

Liz Palmer received her master’s degree in accounting from the University of Texas, her law degree from the University of Houston, and her LLM from Georgetown University. She has also completed the coursework required for a PhD in International Relations at Rice University.  Additionally, she brings over eight years of experience in accounting and financial analysis at both for profit and nonprofit organizations. She joined the Institute in January 2008.

Makki Makki, Sudan Project Manager

Makki is a refugee from Darfur who joined the ISP in July 2009.  He studied law in Egypt, and has worked as a social worker and media adviser for the Darfur Human Rights Organization and the Darfurian People’s Association of Iowa. He has strong social skills and numerous contacts in the U.S. Sudanese community and works to sustain and strengthen the working groups that result from the conflict transformation and leadership development workshops.

Aletha Evert, Manager - Communications and Administration

Aletha Evert earned her BBA in Management at Texas Christian University, and has a Master of International Management from Baylor University. She spent more than 20 years with Accenture, a leading global business consulting company. She started her career there as a consultant to oil and gas clients before becoming the manager responsible for administration of the global energy practice. Following her promotion to Associate Partner, she transitioned to a key leadership role in Accenture’s knowledge management practice. After leaving Accenture in 2001, Aletha managed communications and the web site for St. Thomas’ Episcopal School, where she eventually served as the Assistant to the Headmaster from June 2007 until July 2011. Aletha joined the Institute in August 2011.

In addition to the Institute's main Team, check out our Board of Directors.