Keisha Stoute Founder & CEO in Chicago

Keisha Stoute, Founder and CEO in Chicago of Stoute Communications, LLC, serves as the principal mediator and consultant, offering exceptional conflict resolution services to corporate clients. Ms. Stoute consults for large corporations and mid size companies who are experiencing conflict that hinder the work environment, and also provides training and conflict coaching to professionals at all levels within the organization. 

She loves helping clients in challenging situations and finds pleasure in creating positive results. For the past seven years, Keisha has mediated employment and workplace disputes, business and contract disputes, consumer disputes, replevins, torts, custody and divorce cases.

As a result of her hard work and dedication, she has gained a respectable reputation, as a non-attorney mediator throughout Chicago and surrounding areas. She began her mediation experience at the Lake County Small Claims Mediation Program at the 19th Judicial Circuit Court in Waukegan, IL.  

Ms. Stoute has mediated 250+ cases with a success rate of 90 percent and has received judicial and attorney recommendations for her outstanding work. Her background includes; mediation certifications from the Center for Conflict Resolution Chicago in Mediation Skills Training (2012) and Custody & Divorce Domestic Relations (2013).  Resolution Training, Resolving Disputes, Ed Sachs (2014),  

Financial Industry Regulatory Authority Training, FINRA (2015).

Keisha is also a certified mediator for the Cook County Domestic Relations Division and has relationships with large scale to small family law firms throughout the Chicagoland area. Ms. Stoute has also worked with corporate clients in California, Washington, including a tech start-up in Silicon Valley and rendered a variety of services.

Career Highlights Include: 

• American Arbitration Association (AAA) Panel Mediator, 2020 

• Soft Skills & Team Building Trainer for Entrepreneurship Launch X at Northwestern University, Center for Talent Development (CTD) Summer, 2019, 2020

• Mediation Volunteer Appreciation Award, November 2019

• Published Author on Soft Skills Topics Mind Flash Tech Blog (2017-2018)

• Featured in CBS Chicago Small Business Pulse, November 2015

• Published in Chicago Daily Law Bulletin, May, June and October 2013

• Volunteer Small Claims Mediator (2013- Present)

Keisha holds a bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Bennett College in Greensboro, NC and a master’s degree in Professional Counseling from the Illinois School for Professional Psychology, Argosy University, Chicago. She completed her graduate practicum counseling individuals, couples, families, children and adolescents from various socioeconomic and racial groups and previously held a license as a therapist. These counseling skills provide a unique perspective and advantage in the conflict resolution and change process. 

Her employment history of 14 years of business experience includes; mental health leadership and director level positions in large healthcare facilities and in the not for profit sector. While in leadership, Keisha implemented effective policies and procedures for productive work environments, coached employees, successfully completed turn around initiatives, and resolved disputes with the union. Keisha is also an adjunct professor at Robert Morris  (Roosevelt University) since 2012 and St. Xavier and Dominican Universities.