Sarah Marie Smith has been elected to the board of directors for the Tennessee Association of Professional Mediators.   Smith lives in Carthage, and is the daughter of the late Ervin and Mary Etta Smith.  She is a Rule31, Tennessee Supreme Court Listed Mediator with a master’s degree in Conflict Management.  Her mediation practice includes Davidson, Wilson, Sumner, Trousdale, Smith, and DeKalb counties. Mediation is a process by which people can resolve a civil or family dispute outside of the court system.  Ms. Smith’s specialty as a mediator is helping individuals and businesses resolve conflicts before they rise to the level of lawsuits.  This allows the parties in dispute to avoid the time and expense of arbitration or litigation.