How can restorative practices deepen learning in subjects like English, social studies, music, art, or science? In this episode, Claire de Mezerville López and Nikki Chamblee are joined by restorative practices instructional coach Erika Schwanbeck on the Restorative Pedagogies series of the Restorative Works! Podcast to explore what meaningful curriculum collaboration can look like in practice.

Erika shares concrete examples of how concepts of restorative practices can be intentionally woven into content instruction through reflective circle lessons, student-centered assessments, and collaborative planning with teachers. From analyzing historical leadership through the Engagement Window to writing Blues songs connected to emotional regulation, she illustrates how restorative practices support critical thinking, voice, and relevance across disciplines.

The conversation highlights the power of shared language, reflective tools, and student agency—not only to strengthen school culture, but also to enhance understanding of academic content. Erika emphasizes restorative practices as a way to slow down learning in order to go deeper, helping students connect curriculum to their lived experiences while building empathy, accountability, and relational skills.

Erika Schwanbeck is a Restorative Practices Instructional Coach at the secondary level in the Hatboro-Horsham School District, bringing 20 years of educational experience to her role. In her role, Erika designs and facilitates proactive programming that builds community, strengthens relationships, and equips staff with practical strategies to foster a positive school climate. She also provides responsive support through restorative conferences that prioritize accountability, connection, and repair. In addition, Erika teaches a middle-level restorative practices course designed to help students develop the skills needed for empathy, communication, and problem-solving.

Tune in to explore how integrating restorative practices into lesson plans can transform the learning experience in any classroom.

In this episode of Restorative Works!, the Restorative Pedagogies Series continues with a rich, practice-forward conversation on how restorative practices transform English Language Arts classrooms from the inside out. Host Claire de Mezerville López is joined by co-host Nikki Chamblee and special guest Jamee Cox, an eighth-grade English Language Arts teacher and IIRP Graduate School student, for a grounded exploration of what it means to teach reading, writing, and critical thinking through relationships. 

This episode centers on a timely and pressing question for K–12 educators: Can restorative practices deepen academic learning, not just strengthen school culture? Drawing from her classroom experience in Texas, Jamee makes the case that relationships are not an "add-on" to instruction; rather, they are the pathways to engagement, comprehension, and meaningful learning. At a time when students read less, test more, and often disengage from traditional instruction, Jamee shares how circles and community-centered dialogue reignite students' interest in reading and learning. 

Jamee offers concrete examples of restorative pedagogy in action, from using the restorative conferencing questions to analyze fiction and character development, to journaling practices that build literacy while honoring student voice. The conversation also explores the human side of teaching. Jamee speaks candidly about navigating grief, emotional resilience, and self-restoration while leading a middle school classroom.  

Jamee Cox is a current IIRP Graduate School student and eighth-grade teacher at DeSoto Independent School District in DeSoto, Texas. She previously served as a restorative practices specialist for Fort Worth Independent School District in Fort Worth, Texas, working in a network of 10 schools, where she trained teachers, administrators, and staff in restorative practices. 

Tune in to learn how dignifying relationships and intentional community-building can transform English Language Arts instruction and help students learn not only how to read and write, but how to connect, reflect, and grow. 

This week we're revisiting our podcast episode from November 23, 2023!

Claire de Mézerville López welcomes Shelley Jones-Holt, Ed.D., to the Restorative Works! Podcast, World Conference series. This series of conversations were held during the 2023 IIRP World Conference, Building Thriving Communities: A Radical Approach Through Restorative Practices, held in Detroit, MI, October 2-4, 2023.

Dr. Shelley shares with us how to have courageous conversations around race and other complex topics by first creating a safe space for those conversations to occur. She emphasizes the importance of preparation by establishing norms and agreements before opening a dialogue and defining terms so that participants can share a common language. Dr. Shelley addresses the natural feeling of shame that can arise when we are faced with things we lack, may they be knowledge, experience, or depth of understanding. She also speaks about how to navigate the emotions that follow a shame response, emphasizing that they should never be barriers to creating and coming to a place of understanding.

Dr. Shelley currently serves as a Courageous Leadership Consultant providing training, facilitation, coaching, and support to equity driven teams and organizational, legislative, educational, and family leaders across the nation. She is the founder of Leadership Legacy Consulting, LLC, and the visionary behind the non-profit Family Legacy 5, which focuses on providing structural, adaptive and technical support to educational, corporate, and family leaders. Her emphasis on a restorative approach is foundational to engaging in uncomfortable conversations about controversial topics, such as race and identity oppression. The expansion to empower families through family leadership training for all was birthed through the realization that the mental models that drive systemic change originate not at school or work, but at home.

Tune in to learn more about Dr. Shelley's approach to addressing hard conversations with care and humility, and check out Family Legacy 5 and Leadership Legacy Consulting.

Claire de Mézerville López welcomes Glen Williams and Lan Huynh to the Restorative Works! Podcast. This series of episodes highlights the work of restorative practitioners in the Wichita Public School District, the largest school district in Kansas, and their commitment to the large-scale implementation of restorative practices across their district. Claire is joined by co-host IIRP Director of Continuing Education Instruction Beth Smull. Beth plays a large role in supporting the Wichita project by overseeing professional development experiences and training.

Lan and Glen offer practical advice for educators looking to integrate restorative practices into their classrooms and communities. Hear valuable insights on navigating resistance, aligning initiatives with existing frameworks, and prioritizing proactive approaches to relationship building with students, teachers, and parents. Through intentional conversations and data-informed strategies, Lan's and Glen's schools are nurturing, thriving, and inclusive environments where every voice is valued.

Glen, a Wichita native, is the principal of White Elementary School. He has experience working in mental health and has held the positions of program director, teacher, and assistant principal. Glen earned a bachelor's degree in organizational management and leadership through Friends University, a bachelor's degree in elementary education from Southwestern College, and a master's degree in school leadership from Baker University. Glen recognizes that his value is not defined by his title, but by how his title allows him to positively impact those he serves as he supports them in reaching their full potential.

Lan is an elementary peer consultant in the Wichita Public Schools district. Her role supports first and second-year teachers through listening, coaching, and consulting based on each teacher's individual needs. Lan immigrated from Vietnam to Wichita in 1980 and faced many obstacles while adapting to the culture and learning the language through her early elementary years. Teachers and mentors guided her during her youth as she navigated the challenges. Lan's passion for elementary education comes from her desire to positively impact students in the same way teachers impacted her in the past.

Tune in to learn more about Lan's and Glen's perspectives on using data to support implementation and combat misconceptions around restorative practices.

Claire de Mézerville López welcomes Michele Ingenthron and Fabián Armendariz to the Restorative Works! Podcast. This series of episodes highlights the work of restorative practitioners in the Wichita Public School District, the largest school district in Kansas, and their commitment to the large-scale implementation of restorative practices across their district. Claire is joined by co-host, IIRP Director of Continuing Education Instruction Beth Smull. Beth plays a large role in supporting the Wichita project by overseeing professional development experiences and training.

Michele and Fabián join us to discuss the challenges and triumphs faced during the large-scale implementation of restorative practices. From engaging district leadership to fostering a culture of belonging and applying restorative processes to address critical issues like budget reductions and school closures, the impact is apparent.

Hear how Wichita Public Schools leveraged restorative practices beyond academic settings, fostering a cultural shift in operations, staff meetings, and even conflict resolution. Learn about their strategic approach, involving district leaders and early implementers, and leveraging technology for feedback analysis.

Michele is the assistant superintendent of elementary schools for Wichita Public Schools. As an educator, her purpose is to help schools, organizations, and the community realize their potential. She accomplishes this by focusing on collaboration, coaching teachers and building administrators, and planning and delivering professional learning. 

Fabián is the division director of operations for the Wichita Public Schools. He began working for the Wichita Public Schools in 2000. Over his 24-year career with the district, he served in numerous roles at several schools before transitioning to district administration as the supervisor of Pupil Accounting in 2007. Fabián is the first person in his family to attain a bachelor's and master's degree. He is currently enrolled in the last year of earning his Doctor of Education degree.

Tune in to hear more of Michele's and Fabián's insights into the universal nature of restorative practices and fostering connection and understanding in a highly diverse school district.

The Restorative Works! Podcast is one year old! Thank you for listening! Welcome to season 2!

Claire de Mézerville López welcomes Jalyn Baity to the Restorative Works! Podcast.

Jalyn speaks with us about his recent film production, "STATISTICS." Adapted from a poem he wrote, the narrative follows DJ, a grieving and misguided youth, as he reconciles the impact his environment has on him and the pursuit of his potential. The film challenges the idea that the youth are limited by their circumstances and preconceived ideas. Jalyn gives examples of diverse languages of storytelling, including filmmaking, poetry, and art, as tools for self-expression. His work is not just about telling stories but empowering young people to become authors of their narratives. From exposing Detroit students to local art through the Detroit Perspectives Project to conducting workshops that ignite self-exploration, Jalyn shares powerful insights into the tools youth need to share their stories authentically.

Jalyn is a filmmaker, writer, director, mentor, and creative entrepreneur. Jalyn has taken on roles as an ambassador and mentor with My Brother's Keeper Alliance and is a teaching artist through organizations like Capturing Belief, whose mantra is, "No one should be able to tell your story better than you." Jalyn has been honored for his work in those roles as a 2023 Skillman BMe Vanguard. He is a contributing artist to the DPSCD Detroit Perspective Project and has successfully completed his latest narrative film production, "STATISTICS." Jalyn's portfolio includes both personal narratives inspired by his childhood and award-winning documentaries. His focus is on restorative practices and transformative changes within Detroit aimed at fostering more equitable futures and changing the narratives assigned to Black children and families.

Tune in to learn more about Jalyn's film and community work and perspective on authentic storytelling.

Claire de Mézerville López welcomes Cheyenne E. Rhodes to the Restorative Works! Podcast. 

Cheyenne speaks with us about her insights into the evolution of her approach to intervention, realizing the need for trauma-informed care, positive behavioral support, and restorative practices. She shares examples of the power of data analysis in shaping interventions, understanding the importance of cooperation, and being in the "with" box when fostering relationships. Through her experiences, Cheyenne emphasizes the common thread among diverse groups facing trauma, homelessness, or discrimination: the need to shift from survival behaviors to thriving behaviors.

Cheyenne is the behavioral data and PBIS intervention coordinator at The American School for the Deaf in Connecticut's PACES Residential Treatment Program. She is pivotal in guiding the school to achieve PBIS Model Demonstration Site recognition, leading her to collaborate with UCONN on PBIS best practices. Cheyenne began her career with the Knowledge Project in New York City, igniting a passion for providing inner-city students across Brooklyn, the Bronx, and Manhattan with a haven after school—a space immersed in the arts, encompassing theatre, dance, music, and visual arts. Beyond her professional endeavors, her most cherished role is that of a mother to two remarkable boys. Their vibrancy and curiosity fuel her commitment to positively impacting the world.

Tune in to learn more about Cheyenne's perspective on the early intervention of positive relationship building and managing conflict with diverse and trauma-affected youth.

Claire de Mézerville López welcomes Brian Bereman and Carlos Munoz to the Restorative Works! Podcast.

Brian and Carlos speak with us about their experiences training and sustaining restorative practices across schools in the Bronx borough of New York City. Brian and Carlos share stories of empathy and compassion, illustrating the transformative effect of building genuine connections with students. Beyond sharing common misconceptions about restorative practices, they showcase how these practices enhance academic success and equip students with lifelong skills in conflict resolution and emotional intelligence. These skills carry with them throughout their schooling careers and their lives.

Carlos is an education administrator with the Office of Safety and Youth Development with the New York City Department of Education. He brings a wealth of experience and commitment to fostering a positive educational environment. Previously, he served as a dedicated school counselor at West Prep Academy, where his focus on empathy and compassion became integral to his approach to supporting students and staff. Passionate about supporting students and their families, Carlos believes in creating nurturing spaces that empower individuals to thrive academically and emotionally. His career reflects a steadfast dedication to fostering a safe and inclusive educational experience for all.

Brian is an education administrator with the New York City Department of Education and serves as the Bronx borough director of restorative practices. Brian advises and supports school leaders to effectively implement whole-school restorative justice practices and social-emotional learning (SEL) programs. He has been trained in restorative practices and motivational interviewing by the IIRP, RULER for Emotional Intelligence at Yale University, and in basic mediation by the New York Center for Interpersonal Conflict.

Brian is also the founder of Look Forward Consulting, which offers coaching and training to district and school leadership and runs Heal the Violence programs with NYC youth. Brian roots his work in research that shows when young people feel more connected to their community, they are more likely to be successful and less likely to cause harm. Brian holds a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice, a Master of Arts in Teaching from Relay Graduate School of Education, and a Master of Education from Columbia University. He is currently pursuing his Doctor of Education at Vanderbilt University.

Tune in to learn more about Brian's and Carlos's perspectives on the human side of education and fostering a community where everyone can thrive academically and emotionally.

Claire de Mézerville López welcomes Carrie Gilman to the Restorative Works! Podcast.

Carrie speaks with us about the importance of addressing the deep need for belonging in students, particularly those most marginalized in society. She delves into the challenges of engaging parents and the community at large. Carrie highlights the creation of youth panels and fairness committees as powerful tools for involving students in shaping a positive school culture. Through examples of this approach's challenges and rewards, she emphasizes focusing on what is possible rather than dwelling on limitations.

Carrie is a veteran educator of 21 years with licenses in 6-12 English in the states of New York and Vermont. Carrie is a newly minted Rowland Fellow in the 2023 Cohort and her proposal for Restorative Practices and the creation of Youth Panels and Fairness Committees (T. Elijah Hawkes) gained the attention of the selection committee.  Carrie has successfully facilitated over 50 restorative meetings with students, staff, coaches, parents, community leaders, and school personnel. Her training in restorative practices began and continues with Annie O'Shaugnessey of the Starling Collaborative and through the IIRP. Her work in developing systems to preserve and enhance school culture includes Disciplining with Dignity and a K-12 Mentor Program.

Carrie believes that the only way to build a successful school culture is when all members of the community feel that they are truly part of the process of resolution and are fierce advocates for students, especially those who are marginalized and most in need of belonging. She attended the State University of Geneseo and the University of London (UK) for her undergraduate degrees in English and secondary education and the University at Buffalo for a master's degree in English and secondary education.

Tune in to learn more about Carrie's perspective on navigating the complexities of school discipline and creating the foundations of trust and understanding with students.

Claire de Mézerville López welcomes Sethu Laxmi Nair to the Restorative Works! Podcast.

Sethu speaks with us about her work in conflict management and how she has seen global, political, and cultural events weigh heavily in instances of interpersonal conflict, acknowledging collective exhaustion that has become a norm in the modern human experience. She discusses her work with Hidden Water and their unique approach to addressing childhood sexual harm and healing with those who are harmed, those who have caused harm, and the affected families of both parties. Through her varied work responsibilities, Sethu describes how isolation and shame play major roles in workplace and interpersonal disputes and offers us examples of how this plays out in our relationships.

Sethu is a mediator, facilitator, coach, and trainer in the Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) and restorative practices fields. Through her work, Sethu improves interpersonal and social dynamics by enhancing leadership capacity and conflict competence among leaders and groups. Currently, she serves as the director of ADR and restorative practices at the Center for Creative Conflict Resolution within the New York City government. She is a volunteer at Hidden Water, where she facilitates restorative circles to heal the impact of child sexual abuse in the family system.

Through her private practice, Sethu consults with organizations offering a unique blend of leadership coaching, workshops, and restorative conflict management to leaders in non-profit organizations and companies.  She offers Responding Restoratively, a foundational restorative practices training with a focus on conflict resolution. Sethu has also worked with various human rights organizations in New York and India. Sethu is a graduate of SUNY Purchase and the School of International and Public Affairs at Columbia University.

Tune in to learn more about Sethu's work and perspective on mediating workplace conflict, childhood sexual harm and healing, and how an isolation mindset is changing the way we connect and thrive as humans.

Claire de Mézerville López welcomes back Fatemeh Momeni, Ph.D., and Ben Feigenberg, Ph.D., from the University of Chicago Education Lab to the Restorative Works! Podcast.

Fatemeh and Ben join us as we continue our conversation from part one and dive deeper into the large-scale research they conducted in partnership with Chicago Public Schools. Fatemeh and Ben discuss the multi-layer collaboration with other entities in the city, including the school district and the police department. Through data sharing, technical assistance, and planning, their research outcomes provide a wider view of the impacts of institutional programming in the schools. They include examples of student populations that experience the benefits and potential negative impacts of restorative practices implementation.

Fatemeh is an applied microeconomist whose research focuses on the areas of labor and education. In her role as a research director at the Education Lab, Fatemeh provides scientific direction to a portfolio of education research projects studying programs designed to reduce academic and socio-emotional disparities for youth in the U.S. Before joining the Education Lab, she was a postdoctoral scholar in economics at the University of Chicago Economics Department and Chicago Experiments Initiative. She obtained her Ph.D. in economics in 2015 from Purdue University.

Ben is an associate professor in the Department of Economics at the University of Illinois in Chicago. His research employs experimental and quasi-experimental methods to examine the consequences of policies and practices designed to promote public safety. His ongoing research investigates racial and socioeconomic disparities in U.S. criminal justice adjudication, the link between educational opportunity and criminal behavior in the U.S. and Honduras, and the effects of rehabilitative prison programming on post-release outcomes in Illinois. As a researcher, he has sought out opportunities to support innovative policy-making initiatives in the city and state.

Tune in to learn more about the outcomes of their research and their perspectives on the future benefits of continued restorative practices implementation in schools.

Claire de Mézerville López welcomes Fatemeh Momeni, Ph.D., and Ben Feigenberg, Ph.D., from the University of Chicago Education Lab to the Restorative Works! Podcast.

In partnership with Chicago Public Schools, the Education Lab research team, including Fatemeh and Ben, evaluated the effect of restorative practices implemented in schools across the district. Comparing student behavior before and after exposure to restorative practices and across multiple school environments provided insight into the effects of implementation and its impact across high schools. The schools that implemented restorative practices policies experienced a 35% reduction in in-school student arrests and a 15% reduction in out-of-school student arrests. Fatemeh points out the decrease in out-of-school arrests as it suggests that students are utilizing more conflict resolution skills and potentially becoming more community-minded as a result of their exposure to restorative practices. 

Fatemeh is an applied microeconomist whose research focuses on the areas of labor and education. In her role as a research director at the Education Lab, Fatemeh provides scientific direction to a portfolio of education research projects studying programs designed to reduce academic and socio-emotional disparities for youth in the U.S. Before joining the Education Lab, she was a postdoctoral scholar in economics at the University of Chicago Economics Department and Chicago Experiments Initiative. She obtained her Ph.D. in economics in 2015 from Purdue University.

Ben is an associate professor in the Department of Economics at the University of Chicago. His research employs experimental and quasi-experimental methods to examine the consequences of policies and practices designed to promote public safety. His ongoing research investigates racial and socioeconomic disparities in U.S. criminal justice adjudication, the link between educational opportunity and criminal behavior in the U.S. and Honduras, and the effects of rehabilitative prison programming on post-release outcomes in Illinois. As a researcher, he has sought out opportunities to support innovative policy-making initiatives in the city and state.

Tune in to learn more about this research and Fatemeh's and Ben's perspectives on the future of restorative practices in schools based on their research. This conversation will continue in part two next week!

Claire de Mézerville López welcomes Flor García Mencos to the Restorative Works! Podcast.

Flor speaks with us about her co-authored book, Encounters with Restorative Practices: Restorative Stories in Central America and the Dominican Republic. The book is a collection of stories written by restorative practitioners that describe the unique social challenges each person faces in the local community. The stories explore how restorative practices is making a difference across regions while not shying away from the reality of frustration that comes with doing interpersonal work with communities. As an expert in leadership development, Flor also explains how her leadership methods are rooted in human rights, human dignity, and the use of restorative practices.

Flor García Mencos is the Executive Director of Circula, Centro de Liderazgo Restaurativo (Center for Restorative Leadership), and is a clinical psychologist who supports the professional and personal growth of leaders in nonprofit organizations across Central America. She co-founded a collective of restorative practitioners who provide mutual support to positively impact their communities by sharing their experiences and best practices. She collaborated with the government of Guatemala to develop a psychosocial care plan, utilizing restorative practices, for those impacted by natural disasters, including the 2019 eruption of the Fuego volcano.

Tune in to learn more about Flor's publications, including Encounters with Restorative Practices: Restorative stories in Central America and the Dominican Republic and Inclusive Leadership: Equity And Belonging In Our Communities.

Claire de Mézerville López welcomes Blair Kirby and Professor Mark Osler to the Restorative Works! Podcast.

Blair and Mark join us to illuminate how restorative practices intersect with clemency work, storytelling, and systemic reform. Their conversation opens a window into the human impact of policies that often feel remote, revealing how small acts of recognition and repair can shift entire systems toward healing.

Mark tells us about his commutation clinic at the University of St. Thomas School of Law, where he guides students as they uncover untold stories, meet directly with clients inside federal prisons, and learn how authentic narrative reshapes justice.

Blair, a third-year law student and senior editor of the Journal of Law and Public Policy, brings her own lens as a former data analyst turned advocate. Her retelling of a first-degree murder clemency case, where three heartfelt apology letters were lost inside the corrections system, reveals how transparency and communication influence a victim's family's capacity to heal.

Together, Mark and Blair describe how the commutation clinic operates at both the individual and systemic level, helping incarcerated people tell the fuller stories of their lives while also proposing legislative reforms that expand access to second chances. They highlight clients whose transformations demonstrate the power of rehabilitation, the role of narrative in restorative justice, and the responsibility of legal advocates to restore humanity, not simply file petitions.

Blair grew up in South Korea and came to the US on her own at 15. After graduating from Macalester College with degrees in Applied Mathematics, Statistics, and Economics, she worked with government agencies, such as the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on epidemiology studies during the COVID-19 pandemic as a data and policy analyst in the Bay Area of California. She is currently a student at the University of St. Thomas School of Law (MN).

Mark is the Robert and Marion Short Professor of Law at the University of St. Thomas, where he was chosen as Professor of the Year in 2016, 2019, and 2022. He also holds the Ruthie Mattox Preaching Chair at First Covenant Church, Minneapolis. His writing on clemency, sentencing, and narcotics policy has appeared in the New York Times, the Washington Post, and The Atlantic and in law journals at Harvard University, Stanford University, the University of Chicago, Northwestern, Georgetown, the University of Texas, Ohio State, UNC, William and Mary, and Rutgers. A former federal prosecutor, he won the case of Spears v. United States in the U.S. Supreme Court, with the Court ruling that judges could categorically reject the 100-to-1 ratio between crack and powder cocaine in the federal sentencing guidelines. Mark is a graduate of the College of William and Mary and Yale Law School.

Tune in to discover how storytelling, advocacy, and courageous leadership move restorative justice from theory into action.

Claire de Mézerville López welcomes Carlos Alvarez to the Restorative Works! Podcast.

Carlos speaks with us about right-brain restorative practices, which focuses on an individual's right-brain neurobiological and psychological capacity. These brain regions influence the balance of self-regulation and motivation. Carlos discusses the importance of self-regulation as it is necessary when addressing strong emotions and discomfort. These feelings may arise in times of conflict, highlighting the importance of understanding these neurological systems. To build relationships and trust, a sense of safety must be created. Safety positions the brain to be in an optimal position to embrace and contribute constructively to relationship-building conversations and restorative conferences where healing and restoration can occur.

Carlos has worked delivering comprehensive clinical forensic psychological services and is a pioneer of right brain restorative practices. He has developed a right-brain relationship quadrant model that highlights individual somatic cognitive self-regulation during conflict. This model is being used to help restorative practitioners around the world understand how to begin to heal while being sensitive to the individual's experiences that shape their brains. Carlos is the founder of the Los Angeles Institute for Restorative Practices, a research consulting institute designed to educate communities and officials on right-brain restorative practices. Carlos has presented around the world and trained hundreds of professionals in the implementation of social-emotional restorative systems.

Tune in to learn more about Carlos's work and perspective on the future of right-brain restorative practices in the criminal justice system.

Claire de Mézerville López welcomes Marlee Liss to the Restorative Works! Podcast.

Marlee speaks with us about her experiences as a survivor of sexual assault. Her case made history as the first in North America to conclude with restorative justice processes through the courts. She describes her experience in the traditional court system as one where her voice, needs, and ability to make decisions in her best interest were dismissed.

Concerning the use of restorative justice processes, Marlee emphasizes how imperative it is to engage with fully prepared, skillful, humane, trauma-informed, and attentive individuals who are striving to meet the needs of survivors. She provides examples of centering and identifying survivor's needs and making space to hear directly from them.

Marlee Liss is a somatic educator, award-winning speaker, author, restorative justice advocate and lesbian Jewish feminist. She has supported thousands of women and non-binary folk in healing shame, transforming trauma, and bridging healing with justice. Marlee's work has been featured in Forbes, Huff Post, Buzzfeed, the Mel Robbins Show, and more. As an award-winning speaker, she's delivered talks for: The US Military SAPRO, Vanderbilt University, Fordham University, Trauma & Recovery Conference, Women's Mental Health Conference at Yale, National Sexual Assault Conference, and more. Marlee was 1 of 25 survivors on an elite panel for the National Action Plan to End Gender Based Violence informing federal policy and her story is currently being made into a documentary directed by Kelsey Darragh. 

Tune in to learn more about Marlee's perspective on the future of restorative justice and the potential of continued healing for survivors and offenders of violent crimes.

Claire de Mézerville López welcomes Chief Adam Waterbear DePaul to the Restorative Works! Podcast.  

Adam speaks with us about the Lenape Nation of Pennsylvania's relational culture of communal input, a multidimensional leadership that seeks council from many members, not just a single or small group of leaders. This leadership model platforms various voices that span gender, age, experience, and expertise. Thereby it creates a holistic approach, leading to more inclusive decision-making that better serves the group's needs. He notes the intersections between restorative practices principles and those of the Lenape nation, noting how they overlap in several ways. Adam reminds us that the issues of the past are influencing our present and being informed about the past is crucial to making positive changes in the future. Time, healing, and facing shame are all part of experiencing and building community.

Adam is a Chief of the Lenape Nation of Pennsylvania, where he serves as Tribal Storykeeper and Director of Education. He collaborates with academic institutions on initiatives related to the Lenape people, including land acknowledgments, mascots, and representation, programming, and curriculum development. He is a Ph.D. candidate at Temple University and a Scholar-in-Residence at Arcadia University, where he currently teaches classes in Indigenous Studies, World Mythology, and Punk Rock. He co-curates the Lenape Cultural Center in Easton, PA, and the Lenape "Enduring Presence" exhibit, which is now traveling from Haverford College to Arcadia University.

Tune in to learn more about the Lenape Nation of Pennsylvania and Adam's amazing work with youth leaders and learners.

Claire de Mézerville López welcomes Justin Mui to the Restorative Works! Podcast.

Justin speaks with us about the importance of having a relational mindset in leadership. He explains that this is a mindset geared toward growth, personally and professionally. It finds ways to effectively and efficiently build healthy relationships in the workplace so that ideas can flow and flourish. Justin illustrates and gives examples of various types of organizations that are creating workplace cultures centered around conversation and proactive relationship building. The humanization of the workplace creates a healthier and more efficient environment where people and their work can thrive.

Justin is the Executive Director at Lutheran Community Care Services Ltd (LCCS), a social service agency located in Singapore that focuses on driving a restorative movement to break the cycle of hurt and build connected communities of empowered individuals, for the people, public and private sectors.  He has facilitated proactive relationship-building and responsive peacemaking circles for management, staff of government agencies, professional associations, and social service agencies. As an advocate for the importance of positive relationships in the workplace and the impact on well-being and productivity, Justin has designed and facilitated experiences such as "Conversations that Matter" for companies to foster a space for leaders to adopt a relational mindset and strengthen workplace relationships. He also designed Restorative Leadership learning experiences for middle managers and senior management from the Youth Residential Service, Ministry of Social and Family Development.

Justin has a master's in Tri-Sector Collaboration from the Singapore Management University and is a registered social worker with the Singapore Association of Social Workers. He is also a Master Solution-Focused Brief Therapist with the International Alliance of Solution-Focused Teaching Institutes.

Tune in to learn more about Justin and his work. Check out LCCS for resources mentioned in this episode.

Claire de Mézerville López welcomes Lorenn Walker, J.D., M.P.H., to the Restorative Works! Podcast. Lorenn speaks with us about her public health approaches to working with the criminal legal system. Through diversion, Lorenn's work addresses criminal issues that are better dealt with using proactive approaches instead of punitive ones. She addresses how to increase resiliency and cope with pain and anxiety using healing-based approaches by willingly taking responsibility for one's actions. People with the option to be active participants in their rehabilitation build resiliency. This is strikingly different from traditional court-system processes that are often passive and punitive.

Lorenn is a Hawai'i-based social scientist who studies how people learn, increase resiliency, and cope with trauma and social problems. Her background in education, law, public health, restorative justice, solution-focused brief therapy, and her firsthand experiences inform her approaches to issues commonly addressed by criminal legal systems. She works to serve individuals and organizations by sharing research outcomes aimed at assisting to find healthy and positive mindsets no matter the circumstances. She has a special interest in helping disenfranchised people, including but not limited to foster youth, people facing housing and financial difficulties, crime victims, incarcerated people, and those with substance disorders.

Much of Lorenn's research and work is conducted as director of Hawai'i Friends of Restorative Justice, which she has worked with for over 20 years. For over two decades, she has been a University of Hawai'i system lecturer and has served in numerous roles as an attorney, a public speaker, and a restorative justice ambassador. She also developed an individual reentry planning process for incarcerated people and began The Forgiveness Project after her own experience with a violent crime. Since 1996, Lauren has been using a public health approach in working with the criminal legal system and assisting people facing hardships to find peace and healing.

Tune in to learn more about Lorenn's work and perspective on responsibility, shame, and finding the courage to be optimistic while navigating hardships.

Claire de Mézerville López welcomes Michael Nelson, cast member of The Prison Within documentary, to the Restorative Works! Podcast.

Micheal speaks with us about his work with incarcerated individuals who committed crimes in their youth at Kid C.A.T.  Through restorative practices, Michael engages these individuals to explore radical acceptance and accountability for their past, present, and future actions. He describes the power of communal storytelling by laying witness to the collective courage of participants to be self-reflective, beginning their healing processes and journey towards being of service to others.

Michael Nelson serves as the Executive Director of Kid C.A.T. As a co-founder of the original prison program, Kid C.A.T. of San Quentin, Michael is responsible for replicating the program at the California Men's Colony of San Luis Obispo, which he has overseen since 2018. The goal is to be able to provide access to the program throughout prisons across California and beyond, creating a space where folks can safely discover internal freedom, no matter their circumstances in life.

During his 20-years of incarceration, Michael learned the skill of being a Circle Keeper through the Victim Offender Education Group (V.O.E.G.), and created Acting with Compassion and Truth (ACT), now known as ALIGHT Justice, a program originally aimed at creating a supportive space for LGBT incarcerated persons, and their allies. In addition, he became a certified crisis counselor, completing his A.A. degree through Mt. Tamalpais College (formerly Prison University Project), and a service dog trainer.

As a person with lived experience of being directly impacted by the prison system, Michael believes in advocating for the integrity of prison programs created and designed by and for the incarcerated. Since his release from prison in 2018, Michael has continued to facilitate discussions on restorative justice and circle keeping with various communities of folks - including law enforcement, incarcerated individuals, college students, youth, and families. His commitment to contributing to the healing around him is rooted in his sense of obligation, as someone who is responsible for committing harm in the world.

Tune in to learn more about Kid C.A.T. , Micheal's perspective on healing in youth and adults, and check out his story - featured in the documentary, The Prison Within.

Claire de Mézerville López welcomes Erin Kenway and Katherin Hervey to the Restorative Works! Podcast. Erin and Kathrine discuss their award-winning documentary film The Prison Within, which follows the powerful stories of survivors of violent crime and incarcerated individuals as they participate in an innovative restorative justice program to heal the roots of their untreated traumas. Erin and Kathrin explain how they came to the work of uncovering and unpacking the complexities of the human experience within the justice system, peeling back the layers to come to a deeper understanding of humanity, forgiveness, and healing.

Katherin is an artist and award-winning filmmaker who is interested in what is hiding in the dark corners of the American landscape and our collective psyches, believing truth is often found in the dark before it shines in the light. Her work as a documentary filmmaker is informed by her 15+ years in criminal justice and prison reform, where she's worked as a filmmaker, restorative justice advocate, prison college instructor, and trial attorney for the Los Angeles Public Defender. She has produced, directed, and written short and feature documentaries.

Erin Kenway is a producer, writer, and executive Producer. After almost a decade of practicing law, Erin became a Global Campaign Manager for Amazon's award-winning Brand and Mass Advertising team. This was the springboard for her pivot to independent filmmaking. She became an award-winning producer when her first two documentaries accumulated over a dozen international awards and accolades. She is the executive producer of the recently released documentary Bastards' Road, which was the #1 documentary on iTunes the first week of June 2021. Since founding Tarina Productions, she has multiple films in development. Erin is also an Adjunct Professor at Seattle University School of Law.

The Prison Within, "a tremendously moving motion picture" - The Progressive, was featured in The Guardian, Forbes & The Washington Post; and premiered at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival, winning best Social Justice Documentary, the first of 8 awards, including the 2021 Media for a Just Society Award, the only national award recognizing media whose work furthers public understanding of the US justice system. The film was also the inspiration for a new interdisciplinary course at Seattle University School of Law.

Claire de Mézerville López welcomes Kerrie Sellen to the Restorative Works! Podcast, World Conference series. This series of conversations was held during the 2023 IIRP World Conference, Building Thriving Communities, A Radical Approach Through Restorative Practices, held in Detroit, MI, October 2-4, 2023.

Kerrie speaks about engaging in work with youth in Australia and dealing with the frustrations of attempting to create change in an antiquated and wholly punitive justice system. She discusses her trajectory as a restorative justice professional, creating and implementing programs with the help of work started by Terry O'Connell. Kerrie reminds us that to build meaningful connections with others, we must first do the internal work with ourselves.

Kerrie has over thirty years of experience in community services including youth justice, homelessness, domestic violence, and drug and alcohol program design and delivery. She started her career with Youth Justice in South Australia including on-the-ground work in youth detention facilities and home detention roles. After experiencing what doesn't work, Kerrie established and transformed a youth organization using an explicit restorative practice framework with staff as well as clients. This resulted in Kerrie's organization being recognized and published in Business Review Weekly as Australia's 6th best workplace based on a vigorous study into workplace culture. Kerrie now works with schools, communities, and workplaces to support healthy connected cultures and reduce violence and harm when it occurs.

Claire de Mézerville López welcomes Hedda van Lieshout, to the Restorative Works! Podcast, World Conference series. This series of conversations were held during the 2023 IIRP World Conference, Building Thriving Communities, A Radical Approach Through Restorative Practices, held in Detroit, MI, October 2-4, 2023.

Hedda speaks with us about the work of Eigen Kracht Centrale and how this organization strives to normalize restorative practices in the lives of all people they come in contact with through restorative conferences. A marker of this work is identifying important people in our lives and recognizing our personal circles of influence and care. This is imperative to building trust and supporting ourselves and our communities. She offers us examples of addressing inter-familial issues by maximizing the positive, instead of only focusing on the problems. Often, the solution can be found within the parts of the family structure that are working and that are already providing positive outcomes in other areas. 

Supporting people in their right to make their own decisions is what drives Hedda van Lieshout in her work and life. She has worked in healthcare in Italy and as a researcher for the Dutch Institution of Care and Welfare. Presently, Hedda is managing director at Eigen Kracht Centrale, a national organization in the Netherlands that offers Family Group Conferences and Restorative Conferences to individuals and families across the country. They work within communities and with the government to provide services to families. Eigen Kracht means "one's own strength/power" and the name emphasizes the idea that people can make their own decisions and plans together with their network of family and friends.

Tune in to learn more about Hedda's perspective on family and community decision making and Eigen Kracht Centrale's work in the Netherlands.

Claire de Mézerville López welcomes Shelley Jones-Holt, Ed.D., to the Restorative Works! Podcast, World Conference series. This series of conversations were held during the 2023 IIRP World Conference, Building Thriving Communities: A Radical Approach Through Restorative Practices, held in Detroit, MI, October 2-4, 2023.

Dr. Shelley shares with us how to have courageous conversations around race and other complex topics by first creating a safe space for those conversations to occur. She emphasizes the importance of preparation by establishing norms and agreements before opening a dialogue and defining terms so that participants can share a common language. Dr. Shelley addresses the natural feeling of shame that can arise when we are faced with things we lack, may they be knowledge, experience, or depth of understanding. She also speaks about how to navigate the emotions that follow a shame response, emphasizing that they should never be barriers to creating and coming to a place of understanding.

Dr. Shelley currently serves as a Courageous Leadership Consultant providing training, facilitation, coaching, and support to equity driven teams and organizational, legislative, educational and family leaders across the nation. She is the founder of Leadership Legacy Consulting, LLC, and the visionary behind the non-profit Family Legacy 5, which focuses on providing structural, adaptive and technical support to educational, corporate and family leaders. Her emphasis on a restorative approach is foundational to engaging in uncomfortable conversations about controversial topics, such as race and identity oppression. The expansion to empower families through family leadership training for all was birthed through the realization that the mentals models that drive systemic change originate not at school or work, but at home.

Tune in to learn more about Dr. Shelley's approach to addressing hard conversations with care and humility and check out Family Legacy 5 and Leadership Legacy Consulting.

Claire de Mézerville López welcomes Officer Warren Edmondson to the Restorative Works! Podcast.

Officer Edmondson joins us to share how he first embraced restorative practices when transitioning from street policing to middle school hallways. He describes the emotional landscapes of sixth to eighth graders and explains why relationship-building became the cornerstone of his approach. Rather than centering on discipline alone, he focuses on connection, modeling integrity and empathy through everyday interactions. His first-year goal was simple yet powerful: greet and interact with all 800+ students daily. High fives and fist bumps became tools for trust, opening doors to deeper conversations and early interventions.

Officer Edmondson breaks down the components of real school safety, physical, emotional, and social, and highlights how a shared sense of responsibility transforms a building into a true community. He also discusses the school's conflict resolution practices, where disagreements become structured conversations facilitated by administrators and guided by restorative questions. The results speak for themselves: Tippecanoe Middle School has not had a fight break out in three years.

Officer Warren Edmondson serves as the School Resource Officer (SRO) for Tipp City Schools, bringing a wealth of experience and dedication to fostering a safe and supportive environment for students, staff, and families. With years of law enforcement experience, Officer Edmondson is committed to building strong relationships within the school community, promoting safety awareness, and providing guidance to students on making positive choices. In addition to his role in school safety, Officer Edmondson actively collaborates with counselors, administrators, and educators to deliver engaging lessons on topics such as personal safety, anti-bullying strategies, and the importance of community responsibility. He has been awarded the 2025 Regional School SRO Excellence Award through the National SRO Organization. He was also awarded "The Student Voice" award for the district. Officer Edmondson also collaborates and presents with his colleagues at national conferences about restorative practices and building a culture of respect and responsibility at Tippecanoe Middle School.

Tune in to discover what's possible when we treat students not just as learners, but as valued contributors to the well-being of their school.

Claire de Mézerville López welcomes Michael G. DeAntonio, Ph.D., to the Restorative Works! Podcast.

Dr. DeAntonio tells the story of how Buxmont Academy, comprised of six alternative schools in eastern Pennsylvania, USA, came to be from the minds of the founders, Susan and Ted Wachtel. He explains how their ideas became the foundation of how we use restorative methods with children in alternative school environments. He shares a powerful example of how restorative intervention diverted a young man who vandalized a classroom from criminal prosecution by bringing together those who he had harmed and working to repair that harm in both a socio-emotional and physical sense. In true restorative fashion, Dr. DeAntonio reminds us of where we've been, where we are, and where he would like to see United States education move towards in the future.

Dr. DeAntonio has three decades of experience as an educator and administrator in public education. He's the executive director at Buxmont Academy, one of the IIRP's model programs. He served as an instructor in the Department of Secondary Education at Kutztown University and as an educational liaison for Buxmont Academy. Before that, Mike served as a principal and assistant principal and sits on the board of directors for the Pennsylvania Association of Student Assistance Professionals. His experience ranges from middle school science teacher to instructor of graduate students. His doctoral dissertation focused on the role that restorative practices play in high school environments.

Claire de Mézerville López welcomes Amy Dallas, J.D., to the Restorative Works! Podcast.

Amy's work with the Vera Institute of Justice is focused on supporting prosecution offices across the U.S. in making policy changes that divert community members from the justice system. These policy changes are accomplished through partnerships with offices in various jurisdictions. Policy changes can range from declining cases to recommending offenders to restorative justice diversion programs, and more. Amy shares examples of successful diversion efforts and her hopes for restorative justice policies moving forward to combat the epidemic of mass incarceration in the United States.

Amy is an attorney passionate about expanding restorative approaches to addressing conflict and harm, instead of the traditional over-reliance on legal systems. She is program manager of the Reshaping Prosecution Collaborative Justice Network at the Vera Institute of Justice, an initiative bridging relationships nationwide to co-create public safety through restorative practices, systems of mutual support, and social ingenuity. Previously, Amy was a public defender for 10 years in Brooklyn, New York with the Legal Aid Society. She currently advises several organizations focused on community care for families of incarcerated loved ones and people returning home from prison

Tune in to learn more about Amy's work and perspective on diversion methods, collaboration, and supporting justice efforts that put communities first.

Claire de Mézerville López welcomes Raphael D. Florestal-Kevelier, Ph.D., M.P.H., to the Restorative Works! podcast public health series. In this series of episodes, we discuss the U.S. Surgeon General's recent report, Our Epidemic of Loneliness and Isolation, with experts in the public health field.

We continue the conversation with Dr. Florestal-Kevelier and dig deeper into methods for successful implementation of restorative practices in higher education communities that promote health equity across campus. Dr. Florestal-Kevelier explains how assessing priority needs and identifying affected individuals are the first steps in creating common language and the foundation needed to build health equity solutions. From individual student intervention to university-wide policy change, the melding of restorative practices and health promotion helps to provide clearer, more well-rounded approaches to issues surrounding mental, emotional, and physical health in higher education settings.

Currently serving as the inaugural Assistant Vice Chancellor for Student Health and Well-being at the University of Illinois Chicago (UIC), Dr. Florestal-Kevelier is leading the integration of critical health and wellness programs and services, all while advancing a public health-grounded and community-oriented approach to supporting student health and well-being. With over 15 years of experience in scholarship, practice, and teaching focused on the well-being of university students, he also serves as a clinical assistant professor of community health sciences and is an affiliate faculty member of the Division of Gender and Women's Studies at UIC. Dr. Florestal-Kevelier currently serves as the president-elect of the American College Health Association and is a founding partner of the Collaborative Center for Restorative Practices in Higher Education at the IIRP Graduate School.

Claire de Mézerville López welcomes Raphael D. Florestal-Kevelier, PhD, MPH, to the Restorative Works! Podcast, public health series. In this series of episodes, we discuss the US Surgeon General's recent report, Our Epidemic of Loneliness and Isolation with experts in the public health field.

Dr. Florestal-Kevelier discusses the significance of creating physical spaces where college students can find a sense of belonging and comfort, particularly in historically marginalized communities. He provides examples of spaces that genuinely reflect the identity and culture of respective college communities through art and imagery. He illustrates how administrators can honor the diverse strengths of the communities they serve by collaborating with them, rather than imposing theoretical and research-based frameworks on them. His research and practice focus on advancing health equity in the university context, cultivating health-promoting campus environments, and improving the academic and social experiences of Black queer and transgender students.

Currently serving as the inaugural Assistant Vice Chancellor for Student Health and Well-being at the University of Illinois Chicago (UIC), Dr. Florestal-Kevelier is leading the integration of critical health and wellness programs and services, all while advancing a public health-grounded and community-oriented approach to supporting student health and well-being. With over 15 years of experience in scholarship, practice, and teaching focused on the well-being of university students, he also serves as a clinical assistant professor of community health sciences and is an affiliate faculty member of the Division of Gender and Women's Studies at UIC. Dr. Florestal-Kevelier currently serves as the president-elect of the American College Health Association and is a founding partner of the Collaborative Center for Restorative Practices in Higher Education at the IIRP Graduate School.

Claire de Mézerville López welcomes Gina Baral Abrams, Dr.P.H., Ed.M., LSW, to the Restorative Works! Podcast public health series. Today we are discussing insights on Dr. Abrams' recently published white paper, A Restorative Practices Strategy to Advance Community Health. 

Using a restorative framework provides community health professionals a human-centered view from which they can begin their work by being inclusive, building authentic relationships, and identifying collective strengths. Dr. Abrams describes how this fundamental shift in public health is creating solutions to root issues. She offers several recommendations for practical applications for creating safe spaces for natural listening where groups can work towards strengthening social connection, enable community engagement, and address harm and healing. She also provides examples of how restorative practices can be used in large scale community culture and climate change in higher education and across sectors.  

Dr. Abrams serves as the Director of Research and Program Evaluation and Associate Professor at the IIRP Graduate School where she teaches courses in community health and research methods, serves as the principal investigator for the Restorative Practices in Higher Education Learning Collaborative, and oversees the Collaborative Center for Restorative Practices in Higher Education. She is also an adjunct faculty at the Boston University School of Social Work, the Tulane University School of Social Work, and Mercer County Community College in Jersey.  

Dr. Abrams has served in administrative roles at numerous institutions of higher education, including Lehigh University, Princeton University, MIT, and Bentley College. She also worked in disease prevention research with the Massachusetts Department of Public Health and Massachusetts Correctional System. Dr. Abrams' research interests include high risk behaviors among college students, restorative practices as a prevention strategy, psychological sense of community, community readiness, and collective action.  

For more information on Dr. Abrams' work and approach to public health solutions through a restorative lens, read her white paper, A Restorative Practices Strategy to Advance Community Health. 

Claire de Mézerville López welcomes Dr. Sandro Galea to the Restorative Works! Podcast, public health series. In this series of episodes, we discuss the US Surgeon General's recent report, Our Epidemic of Loneliness and Isolation with experts in the public health field.

The US Surgeon General's report revealed how different generations are experiencing this epidemic of loneliness and isolation in different ways. Generation Z has more access to a digital landscape than any other group in history, yet they still experience loneliness and social isolation. The Baby Boomer generation is reeling from the fragmentation of the communities and families brought forth by economic fluctuations. Dr. Galea explains how loneliness is a widespread issue, one that has been building for years, but is now reaching a critical point where the effects are being felt across generations in different ways.

To begin to address the issue of social disconnection, Dr. Galea reminds us that we must marry the insight of community members and science-based methods. We must also be aware that sometimes the loudest voices may not represent the whole community. It takes caution and attention to ensure that we are inclusive of those members of the community who are in the minority, those who are not always heard in traditional community spaces. Without those minority voices, we run the risk of creating increased fragmentation and social isolation.

Dr. Galea is Dean and Robert A. Knox Professor at the Boston University School of Public Health. He has been named an epidemiology innovator by Time, a top voice in healthcare by LinkedIn, and is one of the most cited social scientists in the world. His writing and work are featured regularly in national and global public media. A native of Malta, he has served as a field physician for Doctors Without Borders and has held academic positions at Columbia University, University of Michigan, and the New York Academy of Medicine. He is also the author of The Healthiest Goldfish, where he provides regular insights into his research and work.

Tune in to hear more about Dr. Galea's perspective on addressing loneliness by investigating the social determinants of health across communities.

Claire de Mézerville López welcomes Dr. Julianne Holt-Lunstad to the Restorative Works! Podcast, public health series. In this series of episodes, we discuss the US Surgeon General's recent report, Our Epidemic of Loneliness and Isolation with experts in the public health field.

Humans are social creatures and like all social species, have a better chance of survival when they are in community as opposed to experiencing isolation. As shown through data in the report, the risk of pre-mature death increases up to 29% for those who experience social isolation. Those who are more socially connected live longer. Dr. HoltLunstad explains the difference between perceived loneliness and social isolation and discusses how various systems affect our ability to connect, shifting from an individualistic lens to a wider perspective.

Dr. Holt-Lunstad's research focuses on the individual and population health effects, biological mechanisms, and effective strategies to mitigate risk and promote protection associated with social connection. Her research has been seminal in the recognition of social isolation and loneliness as risk factors for early mortality. As the lead scientific editor for a US Surgeon General's Advisory and Framework for a National Strategy, her work also focuses on translating evidence into practice and policy. She is a professor of psychology and neuroscience, and director of the Social Connection & Health Lab at Brigham Young University. She is also the founding scientific chair and board member for the U.S. Foundation for Social Connection and the Global Initiative on Loneliness and Connection.

Tune in to learn more about Dr. Holt-Lunstad's perspective on the complexities of addressing lack of social connection and recognizing systemically manufactured isolation in communities.

Claire de Mézerville López welcomes Carlus "Ray" Evans to the Restorative Works! Podcast. Ray speaks with us about his experience as a Transformative Justice Circle Keeper, situating community building as paramount to making strides in fostering safety and trust in communities.

He describes how a transformative circle looks and feels and provides the steps needed to sustain, internalize, and duplicate this process across various community spaces. Ray reminds us that harm occurs when a need is not being met,and that we can hold each other accountable while being supportive ofeach other's needs.

He asserts that opening ourselves to exploring different perspectives, we will discover new ways of thinking and problem solving,and be able to create new and more agreeable forms of justice.

A business owner and a Restorative/Transformative Justice Circle Keeper at Restore Oakland,in Oakland, CA, Ray holds weekly Community Building Circles with formerly incarcerated and never incarcerated individuals.He has facilitated community-building circles and given a speech on prison abolition for a Cops off Campus rally at Stanford University. He seeks to counter act challenges with the US prison system with a humane approach to crime and conflict throught his work. He is a formerly incarcerated individual who spent 27 years as a resident of the California Department of Corrections.Tune in to hear more about Ray's work and methods to building community with https://restoreoakland.org/

Claire de Mézerville López welcomes Jim Jelinske to the Restorative Works! Podcast. 

Jim speaks with us about using restorative methods to address bullying that happens both in-person and online. Harm created by bullying has widespread effects, going well beyond the bully and the bullied. Restorative methods help us to understand the importance of the relationships we have to the people in our school and broader community. He tells the story of watching youth change their mindsets and behavior by using tools and strategies provided by a restorative framework. Acts of violence can be addressed with creative solutions that help youth take responsibility for their actions while also restoring the harm that was caused.

Jim asserts that through culture and common language, schools and other programs set expectations that help create and sustain restorative responses to bullying. Building an environment where students feel safe to disrupt bullying starts with the school culture. Training staff on restorative approaches extends the culture of safety and inclusivity needed for students to thrive.

Jim has spent over 40 years working in social services and the last 18 years running his business, Creative Education Services. Throughout his career, Jim has developed, trained, and directed programs for families and youth throughout the US.  He is currently the director of the Restorative Strategies Program in Dubuque, Iowa working with the police department and youth who have committed a first-time crime with their families. 

Tune in to hear more about Jim's perspective on positive witnessing, methods to addressing cyber bullying, and more. Visit Jim's website here for additional information about his book, presentations, and resources.

Claire de Mézerville López welcomes Sloane Johnson to theRestorative Works!Podcast.

Sloane speaks with us about the challenges and victories in implementing restorative practices in schools across Bermuda and the importance of implementation beyond the classroom.

Creating a supportive and nurturing network within the school system requires policies that uphold restorative principles through peer support groups, parent engagement, and a holistic approach to discipline.She emphasizes that teaching empathy through listening opens students up to being heard and understood in ways they may not have previously experienced in traditional school settings.

Sloane reminds us that parent engagement is powerful when using restorative approaches with students. When these methods and principles are applied at home, they trickle down into the wider community, broadening and normalizing empathy and conflict resolution as common practice. She offers methods to include parents in restorative conferences and the resources she provides them to help sustain the progress made during conferences.

Sloane has a passion for working with young people and Bermuda's underserved communities.She has invested her time creating robust programming and policies for the government of Bermuda,such as the Cybertips Program,the Digital Leadership Conference,and CircleWorx.Now serving as the community & development coordinator for The Coalition for the Protection of Children, her program scope has widened to also include job readiness, healthy relationships, and child safety. 

Sloane is also responsible for the design and implementation of new policies and program development and regularly facilitates restorative circles, conferences,and training.Sloane firmly believes in the core principles of restorative practices, that all humans are hardwired to connect and require strong and meaningful relationships to thrive.

Tune in to learn more about Sloane's work and methods to broaden the reach of restorative practices across the island of Bermuda.

Claire de Mézerville López welcomes Devanshi Patel to the Restorative Works! Podcast. 

Devanshi joins us to explore how youth leadership, community trust, and restorative practices intersect to build what she calls "the beloved community"— a vision rooted in justice, dignity, and belonging. She shares the groundbreaking work of the Youth Peer Court Ambassador Academy, a hands-on training program that empowers young people to lead restorative justice efforts in their schools and communities. Learn about how Devanshi's organization's Youth Restorative Diversion Initiative is shifting the system in Arlington County, Virginia: diverting youth away from the court system and toward healing-centered, community-based approaches. Since its launch, the program has processed over 150 cases with a 0% recidivism rate, proving that trust, prevention, and youth leadership can transform outcomes. 

Devanshi is the co-founder and CEO of the Center for Youth and Family Advocacy (CYFA), where she leads efforts to transform systems through collective impact, restorative practices, education, and advocacy. Her work centers on creating conditions where children, youth, and families can thrive in safe, healthy, and inclusive communities. Under her leadership, CYFA delivers research-based, community-driven strategies that disrupt cycles of harm and address systemic inequities. In addition to her work with CYFA, Devanshi is an adjunct professor at Howard University School of Law where she teaches juvenile justice and adoption law, and a substitute judge presiding over juvenile and domestic relations matters. Her research focuses on the intersections of race, gender, and justice. Devanshi holds a Juris Doctor from Howard University School of Law, a Bachelor of Arts from George Mason University, and an Equitable Community Change Certificate from Cornell University. 

Tune in to learn more about how youth advocacy can transform lives and change trajectories for the better. 

Claire de Mézerville López welcomes Dr. Ardavan Eizadirad to the Restorative Works! Podcast. 

Ardavan discusses the impact of diversity, equity, and inclusion in the context of restorative practices. He shares that the ways individuals' environment, socioeconomic circumstances, demographics in a community, and overall situation can impact their mindset and influence behavior. In this context, using restorative practices to reduce harm requires us to consider all aspects of an individual. When harm occurs, rather than looking directly to a merely punitive response, he teaches his students to shift to a restorative lens.

In order to fully utilize the power of restorative practices, participants in a community must be vulnerable with each other. Bringing this vulnerability into a classroom or community can be difficult, especially when it runs against the established culture of a school, system, or institution. However, cultivating a space of inclusion and belonging is essential for creating systemic change and building community.

Dr. Ardavan Eizadirad is an Assistant Professor in the Faculty of Education at Wilfrid Laurier University. He is also a community activist and Executive Director of non-profit organization Youth Association for Academics, Athletics, and Character Education (YAAACE) in the Jane and Finch community in Toronto, Canada. In addition, he is the founder and Director of EDIcation Consulting offering equity, diversity, and inclusion training to organizations and has written and co-edited several books about equity in education.

Tune in to hear more about Ardavan's perspective on creating systemic change with restorative practices, tips for educators bringing this work into the classroom, and more!

Claire de Mézerville López welcomes Glenn North, educator, Poet, and Director of Inclusive Learning and Creative Impact at the Kansas City Museum to the Restorative Works! Podcast.

Glenn explains how the Kansas City Museum is a space where truth and storytelling are paramount. A place where often untold stories and fractured histories are put on display as whole and true experiences and reflections of their community and its past. The Kansas City Museum has adopted restorative practices as the center of their methodology where they are able to confront harm, conflict, and disinformation. Glenn describes how the museum addresses historical harms by having authentic conversations with community members, creating space for healing in the present.

Glenn received an MFA in Creative Writing from UMKC and is the author of City of Song, a collection of poems inspired by Kansas City's rich jazz tradition and the triumphs and tragedies of the African American experience. His ekphrastic and visual poems have appeared in art exhibitions at the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, the American Jazz Museum, and the Nerman Museum of Contemporary Art. Glenn is also an adjunct English professor at Rockhurst University and is currently filling his appointment as the Poet Laureate of the 18th & Vine Historic Jazz District.

Tune in to learn more about Glenn and the Kansas City Museum and visit https://kansascitymuseum.org/ to check out their programing, events, and restorative initiatives!

Claire de Mézerville López and Abdul Malik Muhammad, Ed.D. discuss the revolutionary aspects of Restorative Practices. Dr. Muhammad references Affect Psychology (Tomkins, 1962; Tomkins, 1963) and the Compass of Shame (Nathanson, 1992). View this descriptive video to learn more about these principles and their integration with Restorative Practices.

For nearly three decades, Abdul-Malik Muhammad, Ed.D. has been serving both youth and adults as an educator, transformational leader, entrepreneur, and author. Always working with the underserved in urban and rural areas, he has focused on the development of boys to men, been active in social justice, and building progressive organizations. His previous leadership journeys have included being a principal, career college president, corporate director of education, and regional vice president of a national mental healthcare organization. Throughout this time, he has launched 18 schools and specialized programs, led a staff of 2,400 across 11 states, and spoke on leadership and community-building in 4 continents. He is currently the CEO of Akoben LLC, a professional development company, and Transforming Lives Inc., a provider of alternative education services, both of which he founded. He is the author of The Restorative Journey – Book One: The Theory and Application of Restorative Practices and contributing author of the recently released Colorizing Restorative Justice: Voicing Our Realities. He has a BA in International Affairs from Franklin & Marshall College, an MA in Educational Leadership from the College of Notre Dame of Maryland, and an Ed.D. in Educational Leadership from the University of Delaware.

Claire de Mézerville López welcomes Reverend Annette Love to the Restorative Works! Podcast. 

Rev. Love speaks to us about her experience facilitating restorative conferences in matters of domestic abuse, homicide, and assault. She emphasizes that participation in these conferences is often steeped in familial love, relational bonds, and the need for accountability and forgiveness for healing to occur. She tells us stories of restorative justice in action and how members of the justice system, including city council and law enforcement, were all interested and moved by the power restorative justice provided.

She reminds us that educating oneself is imperative to providing support within and for one's community. She shares that helping others find what they need is a matter of knowing what your community needs, where things are lacking, and where you can turn to find help. She practices this within her faith community, speaking directly on issues of violence and harm rather than shying away. This reinforces that no one in the community is alone.

Rev. Love has over 14 years of volunteer work and is a trained crisis responder, certified by the North Carolina Coalition Against Domestic Violence. She owns and operates her own organization, Faith Based Service Network: A Place of Peace.  She speaks, educates, trains, raises awareness, and provides resources around domestic violence in the faith community and in the broader community.

Tune in to learn more about Rev. Love's work and if you know of anyone who has suffered or continues to suffer from domestic violence, please visit www.faithbasedservicenetwork.com for more information. 

Claire de Mézerville López welcomes award-winning public servant leader, Ruchelle Pride, to Restorative Works! Podcast.

Ruchellespeaks to us about working with people involved in the justice system. She speaks to engaging with people in ways that subvert the traditional experience of the justice system, one that removes conflict from the stakeholders and never asks them what they truly need to feel that justice has served them. By giving the conflict back to the people affected by it, stakeholders have the choice to participate in determining their needs.

She also discusses the social determinants of health, including structural and systemic barriers like slavery, Jim Crow laws, discrimination in housing, and segregation, and how we move forward strategically by including those most impacted by these systems. Through impromptu conversations, formal conferences, mediation, and providing high support, we can let those affected be the driving force for change in their lives. Ruchelle reminds us to recognize where we have been and where we are now; those places are the map to where we need to go while focusing on driving change through practice, process, and policy. 

Ruchelle has almost two decades of expertise in criminal justice, youth services, advocacy, and leadership. In 2021, Ruchelle became the first Black woman appointed as Director under the Franklin County Board of Commissioners to lead the Office of Justice Policy & Programs (OJPP) and CASA of Franklin County in Columbus, Ohio. She is a fierce advocate for prison reform and disrupting the business of mass incarceration. Ruchelle holds a Master of Science in Restorative Practices from the International Institute for Restorative Practices and completed her undergraduate coursework at Franklin University in Emergency Management and Homeland Security. She is a transformational public speaker, Life Coach, and CertifiedDiversity Executive.

Claire de Mézerville López welcomes political scientist, Daniel Rios Moreno, to the Restorative Works! Podcast.

Daniel speaks with us about his role in intervening and diverting youths from the criminal justice system in Bogotá, Colombia. His team uses restorative methods to increase safety in response to violent action committed by youth in detention centers and schools. Daniel's team addresses acts of violence, not by increasing surveillance, but by tapping into what the youth find value in. Doing so creates interpersonal connection between staff and youth and increases safety by helping them respect the space they occupy.

Daniel also addresses the skepticism and criticisms of utilizing restorative methods in response to violent crime, citing dramatic reduction in rates of re-offending once youth have made contact with his team. The results have led to the expansion of his team, their reach, and their expertise. His work reminds us that safety and protection does not always come in the form of punitive measures, but instead through honoring what communities hold dear.

Daniel is a contractor for the Direction of Adolescent Criminal Responsibility in Bogotá, Colombia's Office of Safety, Coexistence, and Justice. Daniel works for the city government as part of the Juvenile Restorative Justice Program. His work with schools addresses situations of violence involving adolescents and diverts them from the criminal justice system when possible. Daniel is multilingual and earned a postgraduate degree in Management of Non-Governmental Organizations in Argentina. He is currently working towards his Master of Science in Restorative Practices at the IIRP.

Tune in to learn more about Daniel's work with youth in Bogotá and his approach to interacting with young offenders.

Claire de Mézerville López welcomes entrepreneur and Presbyterian minister, Jonathan Shenk, to the Restorative Works! Podcast.

Jonathan speaks to us about how he incorporates restorative practices in his business in order to build stronger relationships with his team. He focuses on proactively addressing conflict amidst language and cultural barriers by utilizing different restorative methods and activities. He has found ways with his congregation to uplift members of their community through microloans, mentorship, and providing spaces for all voices to be heard, through faith, financial support, and listening.

Working and living in New Jersey, Jonathan incorporates restorative practices into Greenleaf Painters LLC, his company of 15 employees. As part of his community ministry involvements, he is a founding member of the Trenton Microloan Collaborative, which offers zero interest loans and pro bono business services to formerly incarcerated entrepreneurs. The TMC is a joint effort between two congregations. Rev. Shenk was born in Somalia and lived in Kenya as the child of Mennonite missionaries. He and his wife, Cynthia, enjoy being entertained by their Maltipoo and attending concerts by Sonoa, their son, Gabriel's, indie rock band.

Tune in to learn more about Jonathan's work and approaches to restorative practices in the workplace and check out the Trenton Microloan Collaborative and Greenleaf Painters LLC to see his work in action

Claire de Mézerville López and co-host, Kaleigh Mrowka, Ph.D., welcomes Patience Whitworth, Ph.D, to the Restorative Works! Podcast as part of our higher education series.

Patience describes how her students have taken on the basics of engaging with each other restoratively and made it their own through listening circles, participatory leadership, and creative problem solving. She discusses taking the methods of restorative practices across her campus and across others, to bridge gaps in the student experience and their experience as members of the campus community. She includes examples of working cross-functionally across campus and modeling community as administrators and staff.

Patience serves as the Associate Vice Provost for Student Success and Strategic Initiatives for the Office of the Provost at Carnegie Mellon University. Patience's research focuses on the application of restorative practices in higher education, and she's a certified trainer and practitioner of restorative practices. She's earned both her Master's Degree in Educational Policy and Leadership and her Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from the Ohio State University. She holds a Ph.D. in Education Policy and Leadership from the University of Vermont.

Tune in to learn more about Patience's work at Carnegie Mellon University and ideas on how to bring restorative practices into your campus community.

Claire de Mézerville López and co-host, Kaleigh Mrowka, Ph.D., welcomes Katryna Sardis, to the Restorative Works! Podcast as part of our higher education series.

Katryna discusses the importance of creating and sustaining an environment where stakeholders, students, and staff are heard during discussions that affect them. She is helping to set the foundation for others to take methods like listening circles and make them their own. This allows facilitators to feel connected to and responsible for the outcomes they experience. Her team emphasizes true care, humanization, and wellness as being directly related to the quality of the work being produced and services being provided.

Katryna serves as the Assistant Director for Inclusive Engagement at the University of Missouri. She oversees the Relationship and Sexual Violence Prevention Center and leads the Queer and Trans Employee Resource Group, MIZ‐OUT. Katryna operates in myriad roles, including overseeing diversity, interpersonal violence, and bystander intervention education, which includes peer education programs and professional development opportunities.

Tune in to learn more about how Katryna is using restorative practices to uplift and support her team and the rest of the university.

Claire de Mézerville López and co-host Kaleigh Mrowka welcome Laura Mack to the Restorative Works! Podcast as part of our higher education series.

Laura speaks about the difference between using restorative methods in higher education spaces versus K-12 education. Navigating the transition between teenagerhood into young adulthood requires high support and high accountability. This allows students to sharpen skills that will be most important as emerging adults in the world outside of college. She describes how she engages students facing conduct issues by first building rapport and letting that student know that their individual experience is important to understanding the conflict they are addressing. She helps to foster a sense of community on her campus by proactively using a restorative framework with her staff and students.

Laura Mack is the Associate Director of Student Accountability and Conflict Transformation at Moravian University. Her understanding of restorative practices occurred as a residence life hall director, and, after her initial training, she expanded her knowledge of the work and applied it to much of her life. Today, she takes pride in her work at Moravian University, helping college students recognize their actions' impact on the greater campus community and training faculty and staff on how utilizing a restorative framework can create opportunities for a truly engaged community. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration and a Master's in Counselor Education from the University of Maryland, Eastern Shore.

Claire de Mézerville López welcomes Kevin Jones to the Restorative Works! Podcast. 

Kevin joins us to explore how vulnerability and authenticity transform leadership, build stronger teams, and repair workplace divides, especially in times of conflict. Through real stories, Kevin illustrates how restorative circles and authentic conversations can turn tension into trust. From school districts integrating restorative practices-based language into policy to juvenile justice departments adopting restorative practices frameworks, Kevin shows what happens when organizations lean into the heart of this work. He reminds us that restorative practices belong everywhere — from boardrooms to sports teams to family Zoom calls, emphasizing how this framework helps communities move from reacting to crises toward proactively creating cultures of care and belonging. 

Kevin is a lecturer at the IIRP and has spent more than 40 years working in the fields of social services, mental health, and education philosophy, with particular emphasis on working with youth and their families. He honed his practice through direct care and as an administrator in residential treatment programs, group homes, mental health organizations, and alternative schools. As a retired administrator, Kevin continues to work with Central Illinois at the Regional Office of Education #17 to support the development of restorative leadership teams. He has explicit experience training law enforcement, school resource officers, government officials, community leaders, security officers, and educators throughout Central Illinois, the United States, and internationally. He designs and implements professional development opportunities as well as coursework in the areas of applied restorative practice that include topics such as social-emotional learning, trauma-informed, social justice, diversity, equity, inclusion, connecting communities, classroom transformation, leadership, and more. Kevin earned a Master of Science in Restorative Practices from the IIRP and a Master of Science in Educational Leadership, Organizational Policy/Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion from the University of Illinois.  

Tune in to hear practical wisdom and heartfelt insight on what it means to show up proactively and authentically, at work, at home, and with yourself.  

Claire de Mézerville López welcomes Kaleigh Mrowka, Ph.D., to the Restorative Works! Podcast.

Kaleigh speaks to us about the status of higher education as we continue to move forward through the pandemic and examining the disconnect between students and faculty, faculty and administration, and students with fellow students. She challenges fellow members of higher education community to reimagine the traditionally rigid concepts of the institution and to start to think of ways to co-create with students and others in the higher education sphere using restorative practice methodologies. Pushing back on staunch individualism that leads to loneliness, an epidemic in the US right now, leads to an increased sense of belonging and more equitable spaces in higher education.

Kaleigh currently serves as Associate Director for the IIRP's forthcoming Collaborative Center for Restorative Practices in Higher Education. She holds a B.A. in Speech Communication from Ithaca College, an M.S. in Higher Education and Student Affairs Administration from SUNY, Buffalo State, and a Ph.D. in Language Literacy and Culture from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. Her professional and research interests center around the development and maintenance of healthy and equitable communities through the use of restorative practices, relational research methodologies, integrative learning, and intergroup dialogue, she has presented regionally and nationally on living learning programs and the integration of restorative practices into residential communities within higher education.

Tune in to learn more about Kaleigh's work and keep your eyes open for more information about the forthcoming Collaborative Center for Restorative Practices in Higher Education, a hub for research, collaboration, peer support, and much more.

Claire de Mézerville López welcomes professor, author, and restorative justice facilitator, Dr. Lindsey Pointer to the Restorative Works! Podcast.

Lindsey's work and passion for education through play shines through all that she does. She explains how experiential methods to teaching restorative methods gives way to art and expression in powerful ways that help connect people of all ages to this work. Through art, poetry, and literature Lindsey has made strides in helping to curate spaces where restorative justice can be better understood and utilized in instances of addressing harm and building relationships.

Lindsey is an assistant professor at Vermont Law and Graduate School and Principal investigator of the National Center on Restorative Justice. She has a Ph.D. in restorative justice from Victoria University of Wellington in New Zealand and is a former Fulbright Fellow and Rotary Global Grant recipient. Lindsey has worked as a restorative justice facilitator, community program manager, educator, and researcher. Lindsey is the author of Wally & Freya, a picture book that teaches children empathy and the power of kindness and inclusion. She is also co-author, alongside Kathleen McGoey and Haley Farra, of The Little Book of Restorative Teaching Tools which uses theory and play to teach restorative philosophy and skills and crucial relationship building methods. Tune in to learn more about Lindsey's work and check out https://restorativeteachingtools.com/ for games and activities to support restorative practices implementation in your community!

Claire de Mézerville López welcomes Kenyatta Stephens, Chief Executive Officer of Black Family Development, Inc. (BFDI) to the Restorative Works! Podcast. BFDI is a comprehensive, restorative, non-profit family counseling agency created in 1978 by the Detroit Chapter of the National Association of Black Social Workers. BDFI is committed to equity and supporting families throughout the lifespan through the implementation of Restorative Practices.

Kenyatta tells us how restorative practices provide the framework for a philosophical approach to supporting families that honors their expertise as family members. The importance of reflecting back on goals set as a family and recognizing how those goals are realized, adjusting as needed while remaining focused on restoration and repairing harms. She reminds us that community betterment is cross-generational, cross-functional, and cross-systems work that comes from the desire to live, grow, and thrive where we are planted.

Kenyatta has 28 years of Human Service experience and has a passion for education, equitable access to resources, and youth. Her personal mission is to build hope, health, and healing for communities, by helping families achieve optimal wellness within strong networks of support. She serves as a 2019 gubernatorial appointee for the Early Childhood Investment Corporation Board of Directors. From 2008-2019, Kenyatta served 3 Governors on the Michigan Committee on Juvenile Justice as a Subject Matter Expert. She attended Harvard University Business School's 2015 class of Performance Management for Non-Profit Organizations. In 2013 she attended the Georgetown University's Juvenile Justice Reform Certificate Program. Kenyatta acquired her Master's in Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing, Child and Family, from the University of Pennsylvania, and Bachelor's from the University of Michigan.

Tune in to learn more about Kenyatta's mission and BFDI's work in their community. And be sure to register for our 2023 IIRP World Conference, in partnership with BFDI, happening in Detroit, Michigan October 2-4, 2023