Episodit
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Claire de MĂ©zerville LĂłpez welcomes Natasha Akery to the Restorative Works! Podcast.
Natasha joins us and introduces her original framework, the âRestorative Compass,â a forward-looking alternative to the Compass of Shame. Designed to help students and educators navigate difficult emotions and conversations, the Restorative Compass guides users from reactivity toward engagement, self-compassion, and acknowledgment of others. In the classroom, she repurposes restorative questions to examine literary conflict, inviting students to explore who is impacted, how relationships shift, and how characters might repair harm. The result? Deeper learning, more critical thought, and powerful public speaking skills.
From circle time with 9th graders to one-on-one conversations with overwhelmed educators, Natasha models what it means to be restorative in every interaction. She shares practical insights, real classroom stories, and how building a culture of safety and curiosity helps students thrive.
Natasha is a high school English language arts teacher and professional developer who brings a restorative lens to literary analysis, classroom culture, and continuing education for teachers. Passionate about ancient literature, mythology, and folklore, she explores how stories can help build empathy and community. Natasha is also conducting graduate research on the impact of restorative literary analysis in secondary education, and her âRestorative Compassâ framework has been a resource for faculty members of the IIRP and teachers across the country. She believes that when students feel seen and heard, powerful learning can happen.
Tune in to hear more from Natasha and her passion for mythology, folklore, and ancient texts. She uses restorative practices to help students connect emotionally and intellectually with stories, fostering empathy, deep analysis, and meaningful relationships. -
Claire de MĂ©zerville LĂłpez welcomes Juan Martinez to the Restorative Works! Podcast.
Juan joins us and shares his experience as a dedicated yoga instructor innovating with inclusive yoga practices in unconventional spaces. We explore how yoga and meditation foster compassion and wellbeing within challenging environments, including prisons and centers for vulnerable populations. Juan shares his journey from the corporate world to becoming an accredited teacher, spreading the healing benefits of yoga through programs like Yoga Inclusivo Costa Rica and collaborations across Central America.
Through poignant anecdotes and reflections, Juan illustrates how yoga is more than physical exerciseâit's a tool for empowerment, agency, and self-discovery. Learn how Juan navigates logistical challenges to bring yoga to prisons, creating safe spaces for inmates to find peace and inner strength.
Juan is a seasoned advertising and design professional, with over a decade of experience in advertising agencies across Costa Rica. In 2001, he was introduced to the practice of yoga. Today, Juan is an accredited Yoga teacher with the Costa Rica Ashtanga Association, the European Yoga Institute, Yoga 10, AccessibleYoga.org, the Prison Yoga Project, and the Trauma Center. Juan has extensive experience as an instructor with a specialization in working with disabled and prison populations. His approach goes beyond postural practice and seeks to show a sanctuary, a laboratory, an opportunity, a place for contemplation and expression of compassion, and respect for ourselves as well as for life itself through yoga.
Tune in to hear firsthand accounts of transformation and resilience as individuals find solace and hope through yoga, reshaping their lives amidst adversity. -
Puuttuva jakso?
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Claire de MĂ©zerville LĂłpez welcomes Katherine Stanley Obando to the Restorative Works! Podcast.
Katherine shares how restorative practices show up organically in her work as a journalist, particularly in rural areas where trust, voice, and relationships are essential. Through El Colectivo 506, a Costa Rican journalism collective rooted in community, collaboration, and care, Katherine and her team practice a relational approach to storytelling by listening first, amplifying community voices, and prioritizing local leadership. Their journalism isnât extractiveâitâs connective.
Katherine is a journalist specializing in in-depth reporting on immigration, education, womenâs rights, and civil society initiatives. She is the co-founder of El Colectivo 506, an award-winning, bilingual media organization that's using solutions journalism to build a "library of what works" in Costa Rica and beyond. She's also the co-founder of the Latin American Solutions Journalism Fund, which is training and funding in-depth journalism throughout the region. Katherine lives in San JosĂ© with her husband AdriĂĄn and daughter Emma, for whom she wrote Love in Translation: Letters to My Costa Rican Daughter, published in 2016.
Tune in to hear as Katherine describes how this innovative model, including listening circles and relation-based editorial practices, helps strengthen civic engagement and social cohesion across Costa Rica. -
Claire de MĂ©zerville LĂłpez welcomes Bianca Johnson to the Restorative Works! Podcast.
Bianca joins us and shares her introduction to restorative justice through a pilot diversion program that instantly resonated with her values. Her story highlights how relationships built in the community can open the door for meaningful engagement and real change within institutions. Bianca shares a moving story of a stolen car, a juvenile offender, and a powerful moment of healing and accountability that shows whatâs possible when we center dialogue and compassion over punishment. This episode also explores the importance of proactive restorative workâbuilding relationships before conflict arises. Bianca shares how students and staff in her schools now seek out restorative conferences and circles, showing the impact of cultivating a relational culture.
Bianca is the family engagement and restorative justice coordinator at Charlottesville City Schools. She also works as a restorative justice facilitator with Central Virginia Community Justice, which provides a restorative justice diversion program. Through her work at City Schools and in the greater community, she helps create healing spaces for individuals and families impacted by harm. Bianca also completed professional development with the IIRP, informing her own training and facilitation to support both the school and greater community in relationship building and conflict resolution. Passionate about her work, Bianca is committed to strengthening relationships and promoting healing.
Tune in to hear more of Biancaâs insight into what true community engagement looks like and the signs that show it's working: trust, empowerment, and people stepping into hard conversations with openness. -
Claire de MĂ©zerville LĂłpez is joined by co-host, Executive Director of IIRP Canada, Pat Lewis, for a special IIRP Canada series, highlighting the use of restorative practices and restorative justice across Canada. In this episode, they welcome long-time educator and bilingual consultant Peggy Barrette to the Restorative Works! Podcast.
Peggy joins us to share her journey of integrating restorative practices in French-speaking communities across Canada. Raised in a small, predominantly Francophone town in Northern Ontario, Peggy shares the impact of growing up straddling both French and English identitiesâand how those early experiences shaped her commitment to creating safe, authentic spaces for connection. Peggy discusses the cultural and linguistic challenges of bringing restorative practices to Francophone communities, where true equity demands more than just translationâit requires cultural relevance, deep listening, and honoring lived experiences. From fighting the pitfalls of superficial translations to ensuring French-speaking practitioners see themselves reflected in the tools and training they receive, Peggy unpacks what meaningful involvement really looks like.
Peggy Barrette has more than 30 years of experience in the field of education. She is a bilingual (French and English) trainer and consultant for IIRP Canada. Peggy was born and raised in Hearst, a small, predominantly French town in Northern Ontario. She studied French at Lakehead University in Thunder Bay, Ontario, and received her master's in educational administration from the same university. Peggy spent 13 years working with the Thunder Bay Catholic District School Board and the remainder of her career with Trillium Lakelands District School Board in Ontario, where she led professional learning in French and English. As a school administrator, she has gained invaluable experience implementing restorative practices within diverse school communities.
Tune in to learn more about working in bilingual contexts, navigating cultural identity in your community, and how language can shape the restorative journey. -
Claire de MĂ©zerville LĂłpez is joined by co-host, Executive Director of IIRP Canada, Pat Lewis, for a special IIRP Canada series, highlighting the use of restorative practices and restorative justice across Canada. In this episode, they welcome seasoned youth care specialist Joe Blake to the Restorative Works! Podcast.
Joe joins us to discuss the representation of Indigenous youth in Canada's justice system and the cultural disconnect they often experience. He explains how restorative practices align closely with Indigenous ways of resolving conflictâcentered on healing, empathy, and community. Through stories from his own practice, including a powerful anecdote involving two youth in a group home, Joe illustrates how even informal restorative conversations can defuse tension, foster understanding, and build authentic relationships.
Joe is a restorative practices instructor with IIRP Canada. He runs restorative justice training workshops and has been working in the field of Child and Youth Care for more than fifteen years. Joe has a Master of Arts in Child and Youth Care. The research focus for his Master of Arts thesis is on restorative practices with Indigenous youth within the youth criminal justice system. Joeâs key areas of interest in the field particularly lie in the youth criminal justice system, youth rights, restorative practices, social justice, Indigenous practices, and youth advocacy. He teaches these topics at several Toronto-based colleges, including Toronto Metropolitan University, Sheridan College, and Durham College. Joe serves in a variety of family counselling and court-ordered supervised access program positions. Joe identifies as Ojibwe, First Nations and is especially aware of the challenges that Indigenous and other marginalized youth face.
Tune in to learn more about how restorative justice offers a meaningful alternative to punitive systems by promoting accountability without shame, and how youth themselves begin to use these tools in their homes and schools. -
Claire de MĂ©zerville LĂłpez is joined by co-host, Executive Director of IIRP Canada, Pat Lewis, for a special IIRP Canada series, highlighting the use of restorative practices and restorative justice across Canada. In this episode, they welcome dedicated community leader, Nicole Chouinard, to the Restorative Works! Podcast.
Nicole joins us to share how she and her team collaborate with schools across seven communities and over 30 schools to embed restorative practices early onâtraining teachers, engaging parents, and creating safe, supportive spaces for students. In a region deeply shaped by transient workforces and past emergencies, these efforts are helping young people build lasting relationships, cultural pride, and emotional safety.
Sharing her journey into restorative justice and the stories of youth who were positively affected by their involvement in restorative justice processes, she highlights the emotional depth of her workânavigating the unpredictability of human experience while advocating for victimsâ voices and supporting accused youth on their healing journeys.
Nicole and her husband have called the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo (RMWB) home since 2009, where they live, work, and play. In 2012, Nicole transitioned into her role as a leader within the RCMP Support Services Branch, where she became involved with Victim Services and Restorative Justice. The exposure to these programs opened a passion to advocate for change in how justice is viewed, amplification of victimsâ voices, better understanding of why a client causes harm, and improvement of community connections and supports. In 2020, Nicole started the process to grow Restorative Justice within the RMWB and has been instrumental in its success, including continued collaboration with stakeholders and the community. Since completing her Legal Assistant Diploma through SAIT in 2007, Nicole has been embedded in careers with legal backgrounds through work with quasi-judicial boards including the National Energy Board, Alberta Energy Regulator, Assessment Review Board, and the Subdivision and Development Appeal Board.
Tune in to understand how restorative practices can prevent violence, promote healing, and empower youth. -
Claire de MĂ©zerville LĂłpez is joined by co-host, Executive Director of IIRP Canada Pat Lewis, for a special series with IIRP Canada highlighting the use of restorative practices and restorative justice across Canada. In this episode they welcome seasoned educator, consultant, and curriculum specialist, Angela Green, to the Restorative Works! Podcast.
Join us as Angela helps us explore the intersection of restorative practices and education in the Canadian context. Sharing how she integrates restorative practices into literacy, numeracy, and school improvement initiatives, Angela discusses the power of relationships in the classroom, the importance of psychological safety for learning, and how formative assessment fosters student engagement.
Through personal stories and practical insights, Angela challenges the misconception that relationship-building and curriculum development exist in opposition. She highlights how restorative practices enhance student voice, support universal design for learning, and create environments where both teachers and students feel empowered to take academic risks.
Angela Green is a former elementary educator and consultant who is passionate about the power of relationships and thrives on fostering positive learning communities for adults and young people. As a curriculum specialist in literacy and numeracy, Angela has engaged in instructional design, school improvement planning, and consulting using a restorative practices approach for over 30 years. She is currently an instructor for IIRP Canada and an adjunct mathematics education instructor at Trent University in Peterborough, Ontario, Canada.
Tune in to learn more about how Canadian educators are using restorative practices to integrate student voice, emotional safety, and academic rigor into their classroom environments. -
The Power of Storytelling is a special collaboration episode between Minorities in Publishing and the Restorative Works! Podcast. Through the power of storytelling, we aim to engage powerful leaders and activists in conversations around keeping hope in dire times; giving back power to communities; radical empathy; arts as means to tell real life stories, and the effects of genuine engagement in community resilience.
Listen to learn from critical storytellers and educators including Jennifer Coreas, Reginald Dwayne Betts, and Tiffany Yu, who have been foundational in bringing awareness to societal issues and community movements through storytelling and literacy.
Jennifer Baker is an author, editor, writing instructor, and creator of the Minorities in Publishing podcast. Sheâs been a recipient of NYSCA/NYFA and Queens Council on the Arts grants, a 2024 Axinn Writing Award, and was named the Publishers Weekly Star Watch SuperStar in 2019. She edited the short story anthology Everyday People: The Color of Life (2018) and is the author of Forgive Me Not (2023) a 2023 Los Angeles Times Book Prize finalist, an NYPL 2023 Best Book for Teens, and 2023 Best of the Best by the BCALA.
Jennifer Coreas is the coordinator and cofounder of the program Literacy for Reconciliation for ConTextos in El Salvador and Chicago. Her work extends from curriculum development and teaching to advocacy, training, and facilitation of dialogue. She has led the work and the vision for ConTextosâs work in prisons and communities, accompanied authors in their journeys of self-discovery, and brought their stories to hundreds of teachers, psychologists, and social workers in professional development spaces. She has been recognized with numerous fellowships and scholarships including the Rocky Gooch Memorial Scholarship and the Esperanza Fellowship. She holds degrees from El Salvador in English as a second language and applied linguistics, and she received a masterâs degree in English from Middlebury College in 2018.
Reginald Dwayne Betts is a poet and lawyer. A 2021 MacArthur Fellow, he is the Executive Director of Freedom Reads, a not-for-profit organization that is radically transforming the access to literature in prisons through the installation of Freedom Libraries in prisons across this country. Betts has authored several books including the poetry collections Bastards of the Reagan Era and Felon.
Tiffany Yu is the CEO & Founder of Diversability, an award-winning social enterprise to elevate disability pride, the Founder of the Awesome Foundation Disability Chapter, and the author of The Anti-Ableist Manifesto: Smashing Stereotypes, Forging Change, and Building a Disability-Inclusive World. Her TED Talk, How to Help Employees with Disabilities Thrive, has over one million views. She serves on the NIH National Advisory Board on Medical Rehabilitation Research and was a Co-Chair of the World Economic Forum Sustainable Development Impact Summit. At the age of 9, Tiffany became disabled as a result of a car accident that also took the life of her father.
Tune in to hear these influential voices speak on the power of transforming stories into actionable change in the worlds of criminal justice, disability awareness, and publishing. -
Returning guests, Dr. Lindsey Pointer and Deron Bell, two inspiring voices at the intersection of education, creativity, and healing, are featured presenters for the upcoming 2025 IIRP World Conference in Chattanooga, TennesseeâArtful Integration: Exploring the Art and Science of Restorative Practices.
Lindsey, Assistant Professor at Vermont Law and Graduate School and Principal Investigator at the National Center on Restorative Justice, brings deep insight into how storytelling, literature, and visual arts expand public understanding of restorative justice. She discusses her passion for introducing restorative concepts through fictionâespecially children's booksâand the critical role of emotion and imagination in transformative learning.
Deron, a restorative practitioner and visionary behind the MyMusicEd app, dives into his hands-on work integrating arts and circle practices across Kâ12 and higher education. From kindergarten-to-college mentorship pipelines to healing circles on campus, Deron shares powerful stories and data-driven results from schools and communities embracing relationally derived arts. His work is deeply rooted in equity, cultural connection, and consistent implementation.
Together Lindsey and Deron explore how artâwhether visual, literary, or musicalâactivates restorative practices in classrooms, counseling centers, and community spaces. They emphasize the importance of inclusivity, different learning styles, and the role of affective experiences in building empathy and understanding.
This episode offers a sneak peek at the 2025 IIRP World Conference themes: social systems, relationships, and personal well-being. Whether you're an educator, practitioner, or advocate, youâll leave this conversation with fresh ideas and practical tools for integrating art and evidence into your restorative work.
Tune in to get inspired to reimagine how creativity can transform justice, relationships, and community healing. -
Claire de MĂ©zerville LĂłpez welcomes back Kendall Hughes, D.Min., to the Restorative Works! Podcast. Join us as Dr. Hughes shares moving storiesâfrom a group of teens who made amends after a traumatic act of vandalism, to incarcerated men working through shame and accountability in a high-security penitentiary. These stories highlight the power of restoring dignity and finding healing through meaningful change.
Reflecting on his rich learning journey, Dr. Hughes draws from Indigenous teachings, global traditions, and interfaith wisdom. His commitment to continued education and cultural responsiveness showcases why lifelong learning is essential for restorative facilitators. Whether itâs through role-playing in training sessions or learning from Ojibwe, Navajo, Somali, and Liberian communities, Hughes emphasizes the importance of humility and curiosity in this work.
Dr. Hughes has extensive experience starting and leading restorative programs in the Federal Bureau of Prisons and for the state of Minnesota Office of Restorative Practices. He began his career in a nonprofit, learning from leaders in lower income communities as they built affordable housing, places of worship, and schools. He spent two decades as a chaplain in federal prisons. Working with incarcerated men, he developed an18-month residential program offering skill building, encouraging relationships, and opportunities for transformative dialogues with survivors of violent crimes and men who had caused deep harm. In 2019, Dr. Hughes co-founded Three Rivers Restorative Justice, focusing on pre-charge restorative conferences and training facilitators. He has served on the Third Judicial District's Committee on Equity and Justice as well as the Dodge and Olmsted County Corrections Taskforce. While earning his Doctorate of Ministry, he wrote a thesis on how chaplains in the Bureau of Prisons can reduce recidivism.
Tune in to learn more from Dr. Hughes and to explore how dignity-centered approaches create space for social and personal transformation. -
Claire de MĂ©zerville LĂłpez welcomes Emanuela Biffi from the European Forum for Restorative Justice (EFRJ) to the Restorative Works! Podcast.
Join us as Emanuela shares how the EFRJ is fostering a vibrant global restorative justice community through international events, training programs, and innovative initiatives like the REstART Art Festival.
EFRJ's events go beyond traditional conferences to create spaces for meaningful dialogue, cross-disciplinary collaboration, and artistic expression. From biannual conferences and thematic seminars to workshops and public art events, Emanuela discusses the intentionality behind gathering restorative practitioners, scholars, policymakers, and artists to strengthen the global movement.
Emanuela is the program coordinator at the EFRJ, an international network organization that brings together about 300 members dedicated to research, policy, and practice of restorative justice in the criminal justice system and beyond. She joined the EFRJ team in September 2013, working as a project officer in different EU-funded projects on access to restorative justice, justice and security in intercultural settings, restorative justice training, child victims, and arts. Among other responsibilities at the EFRJ, she organizes its main international events (conferences, seminars, webinars, and art festival), coordinates proposals for EU-funded and other projects, and guides the overall management of working groups and committees within the EFRJ membership. Originally from Italy,âŻEmanuela studied Liberal Arts at the University College Maastricht (The Netherlands) and University of Gaborone (Botswana) with a focus on social psychology and criminal law and the Master program in Criminology at KU Leuven (Belgium).
Tune in to hear how restorative justice continues to evolve, respond to societal challenges, and bring communities together. Learn more about their Call for Proposals and submit your proposal by June 1, 2025!
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Claire de MĂ©zerville LĂłpez welcomes Michael Washington, Ph.D., and Doug Judge, Ph.D., to the Restorative Works! Podcast. Dr. Washington and Dr. Judge share their insights on how leaders can step into complex, high-stakes environments and commit to change using relational-based approaches.
Dr. Washington, an expert in leadership development and operational excellence, shares his journey of shifting organizational culture from a command-and-control mindset to a collaborative, human-centered approach. He reflects on his work in supply chain management and how leveraging diverse perspectives transformed team engagement and efficiency.
Dr. Judge, a seasoned educator and social worker, takes us through his eye-opening experiences in the juvenile justice system and public education. He recounts moments that propelled him to advocate for systemic changeâparticularly addressing disproportionality in discipline and centering prevention over punishment. His stories highlight the power of restorative practices in fostering equity and disrupting exclusionary systems.
Together, they explore the intersection of leadership, social and emotional learning, and restorative practices frameworks in transforming both corporate and educational landscapes. Whether in a boardroom or a classroom, their insights reveal how intentional, relationship-driven approaches create sustainable change.
Dr. Washington has more than 30 years of experience across various business sectors, including oil and gas, consumer products, nonprofits, education, and food services. He has served as an adjunct professor at both Loyola University of Chicago in the Quinlan School of Business and Union Institute and University. Michael has extensive experience in large-scale implementation, change management, and a strong belief in human-centered and conscious-driven decision-making.
Dr. Judge has more than 25 years of experience in education, administration, large-scale implementation in schools, social work, and youth services. His career has focused on addressing systemic inequities in influential public institutions. He served as a special education teacher in a variety of public and institutional school settings, and as a school administrator at a large public alternative high school in Seattle, focused on providing restorative and healing-centered wraparound supports. As the Director of Social and Emotional Learning for Highline Public Schools, Doug led the districtwide implementation of restorative practices, positive behavior supports, and Social Emotional Learning (SEL).
Tune in to learn more about reimagining leadership through a relational lens and how Dr. Washingtonâs and Dr. Judgeâs graduate certificate courses for the Graduate Certificate in Change Implementation in Organizations and Social Systems can support your work. -
Claire de MĂ©zerville LĂłpez welcomes Fernanda Fonseca Rosenblatt, D.Phil., to the Restorative Works! Podcast.
Join us as Dr. Rosenblatt discusses the critical shortcomings of the conventional criminal justice system in addressing gendered violence and explores how restorative justice offers a survivor-centered alternative. Survivors often face secondary victimization, navigating a system that can be dismissive, retraumatizing, or focused solely on punitive measures. Dr. Rosenblatt highlights research from around the world demonstrating how restorative practicesâwhen done properlyâcan empower survivors, offer meaningful accountability, and provide justice that prioritizes safety and agency. She also dispels common myths about restorative justice, including misconceptions about mandatory face-to-face encounters.
Dr. Fernanda Fonseca Rosenblatt is an Associate Professor at the IIRP. She also serves as the book review editor for the International Journal of Restorative Justice. She is also a member of the Research Committee of the European Forum for Restorative Justice. Dr. Rosenblatt has contributed to United Nations initiatives on multiple occasions, including serving as an expert reviewer for the latest edition of the United Nations Handbook on Restorative Programmes and as a Portuguese-speaking expert for the translation of the Restorative Justice Module of the Education for Justice project by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC). Fernanda earned her doctoral degree in Criminology from the University of Oxford in 2014 and a master's in Criminology from the Catholic University of Leuven in 2005.
Tune in to learn more about Dr. Rosenblattâs research and perspective, and check out her Presidential Paper Gendered violence and restorative justice: giving survivors voice and choice. -
Claire de MĂ©zerville LĂłpez welcomes Mark R. Warren to the Restorative Works! Podcast.
Join us as Mark shares insights from his latest book, Willful Defiance, shedding light on how exclusionary discipline policies, such as suspensions and expulsions for minor infractions, have been instrumental in pushing children from the classroom to the criminal justice system. As the conversation unfolds, Mark delves into the broader implications of these policies, connecting the school-to-prison pipeline with the rise of mass incarceration and systemic racial control.
Through inspiring stories of resistance, Mark focuses on the role of parents and community organizersâparticularly from Black and Latinx communitiesâwho have been leading the charge against these policies. From grassroots campaigns to transform disciplinary practices to the adoption of restorative justice and practices, Mark emphasizes how community-driven efforts are creating alternative pathways for students to stay engaged in learning and avoid the prison system.
Mark is a professor of public policy and public affairs at the University of Massachusetts Boston. He is a sociologist and community-engaged scholar who studies and works with community, parent, and youth organizing groups seeking to promote racial equity, educational justice, and community liberation. Mark is the author of six books, most recently Willful Defiance: The Movement to Dismantle the School-to-Prison Pipeline. Mark has co-founded several networks promoting activist scholarship, community organizing, and education justice, including the Peopleâs Think Tank on Educational Justice, the Urban Research-Based Action Network, and the Special Interest Group on Community and Youth Organizing in the American Educational Research Association.
Tune in to learn more about the profound impact of systemic racism in schools, the urgent need for policy change, and the power of restorative practices to foster healing and community connection. For more information on Mark Warrenâs work, visit www.Mark-Warren.org. -
Welcome to Season 3! Claire de MĂ©zerville LĂłpez welcomes Frida Rundell Ph.D., to the Restorative Works! Podcast.
Join us as Dr. Rundell unpacks the intersection of storytelling, trauma, and restorative practices, offering a deeply personal and professional perspective on fostering healing. Drawing from her childhood experiences in South Africa, Dr. Rundell shares how the philosophy of ubuntuâ"I am because you are,"âhas influenced her life's work. She emphasizes the power of compassionate witnessing, highlighting how being truly heard and seen can be transformative for individuals, particularly those navigating trauma and adversity.
Discussing practical strategies for integrating restorative practices into educational and counseling settings, Dr. Rundell reinforces how storytelling and active listening can bridge gaps between individuals and communities. She also touches on the significance of self-awareness and emotional intelligence for practitioners working with vulnerable populations.
Dr. Rundell is a founding IIRP faculty member and professor. A committed teacher and practitioner, she brings extensive experience of Narrative and Solution-Focused Therapies to the understanding of restorative practices. Dr. Rundell supports her students in mastering competencies related to life-space crisis intervention, adversity, and trauma. She works directly with youth and families in her private practice as a counselor and consultant, and mentors and presents workshops for teachers, counselors, and parents. Her current work involves using somatic experiences to help traumatized children and families heal.
Frida has more than 55 years of experience working with children and families facing a range of adversity and learning difficulties. She initiated and developed an undergraduate program for child-and-youth care professionals at Durban University of Technology in South Africa. She earned her masterâs in educational psychology from the University of Natal, South Africa, and her Ph.D. in Community Psychology from the University of Zululand, South Africa. She is a licensed professional counselor in the USA. -
Claire de MĂ©zerville LĂłpez welcomes Nicole Garcia Diaz and Robert Gordon to this special episode of the Restorative Works! Podcast, recorded live during the IIRP Collaborative Center for Restorative Practices in Higher Educationâs virtual forum on December 5-6, 2024!
Robert and Nicole share their personal journeys with restorative practices, highlighting how theyâve integrated restorative justice and community-building principles into their respective campuses. From fostering inclusive, intersectional spaces at Hampshire College to reshaping student conduct processes at the University of Maryland, both guests emphasize the importance of embracing values rooted in restorative practices as a holistic approach to community engagement and institutional change.
Throughout the discussion, the guests reflect on the recent sessions at the forum that resonated most with their work. Nicole focuses on the importance of honoring restorative practicesâ indigenous roots and the ethical responsibility practitioners have in upholding its traditions. Meanwhile, Robert underscores the necessity of community-building across cultural lines and the role of restorative principles in transforming campus cultures. Both emphasize that restorative practices are not just tools or methodologies but a way of being that shapes how we interact and move through the world.
Nicole Garcia Diaz is the restorative justice specialist and manager for Rights and Responsibilities at the University of Maryland, College Park where she has led the integration of restorative practices and restorative justice within the university. Passionate about intentional philosophical alignment and practicing restorative justice with respect to its indigenous roots, Nicole has focused on slowly shifting the Universityâs culture in the direction of these values. Nicole also serves on the Universityâs Hate Bias Response Team, facilitates the Latina/x/es in Higher Education Affinity Group, is a yoga instructor, and volunteers with the Smithsonian Museum of the American Latino. Originally from Miami, Florida, Nicole graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Education from the University of Miami, a Master of Education in Student Affairs from the University of Maryland, College Park, and a Graduate Certificate in Restorative Justice Facilitation and Leadership from the University of San Diego.
Robert Gordon is a restorative practitioner and implementor at Hampshire College. He has worked with several offices and departments throughout the college to deepen institutional awareness and utilization of a restorative practices-based mindset. Particularly, his work with campus identity centers has brought together staff and students of different social identities using intersectional forms of community building. In terms of restorative practices, Robert has received professional development from the IIRP, as well as the American Association of Colleges and Universities Truth, Racial Healing & Transformation framework.
Tune in to hear about the challenges and rewards of implementing restorative justice in colleges and universities and learn how these practices can pave the way for more inclusive, supportive, and collaborative academic environments. -
Claire de MĂ©zerville LĂłpez welcomes Gemma Varona, Ph.D., to the Restorative Works! Podcast.
Dr. Varona joins us and discusses her decades of experience researching the evolving boundaries of restorative justice, challenging the traditional limits imposed by legal frameworks. She shares her journey from academia to hands-on work with survivors of terrorism, sexual abuse, and large-scale corporate and environmental harm. She explains why punitive measures often fail to address the root causes of harm and how restorative justice offers an individualized, relational approach that centers victims' needs while fostering true accountability.
Listen as Dr. Varona delves into the role of dialogue in breaking cycles of violence, the importance of institutional courage, and the urgent need for a shift in global justice systems. As countries move toward more punitive approaches, this conversation serves as a powerful reminder that restorative justice is both an act of resistance and a path to transformation.
Dr. Varona is a professor of Victimology and Criminal Policy at the University of the Basque Country and a senior researcher at the Basque Institute of Criminology (Donostia/San Sebastian, Spain). In 1998 she was honored with the Junior Scholar Competition Award of the International Society of Criminology for her research on restorative justice. From 2014-17 she worked as co-director of the Master in Victimology at that University. She served as a member of the executive committee of the World Society of Victimology and now holds the position of president. She has authored books on migration and human rights, restorative justice, juries and the construction of juridical truth, womenâs local safety audits, victims of terrorism, victims of sexual abuse, and evaluation of public policies.
Tune in to learn more about Dr. Varonaâs work and perspective on the importance of restorative justice across contexts. Hear more from Dr. Varona at the 2025 World Conference! -
Join Claire de MĂ©zerville LĂłpez as we celebrate 100 episodes of Restorative Works! Listen along as we journey through some of the many inspiring moments where we have listened to people from across the globe describing their work of restoring dignity and building relationships and community. From the classroom, to the workplace, to city streets around the world, we reflect on the wisdom of our many guests and look toward the future with hope and inspiration.
Thank you for your support over these past 100 episodes; hereâs to looking forward to the next 100!
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Claire de MĂ©zerville LĂłpez welcomes Adam Haller to the Restorative Works! Podcast.
Adam joins us and shares his story, from a career in carpentry to leading efforts at one of Pittsburgâs largest homeless shelters, Community Human Services Wood Street Commons. He discusses how his team works to foster dignity and authentic relationships in a system often burdened by bureaucracy. He highlights the importance of listening to residents' needs, empowering them to build community, and addressing systemic barriers with empathy and action. From creating welcoming spaces to supporting both staff and residents in maintaining emotional and mental health, Adam emphasizes the transformative power of genuine connections.
Adamâs insights shed light on the intersection of restorative practices and housing-first principles, demonstrating how small acts of humanityâlike a warm conversation or consistent supportâcan drive meaningful change.
Adam is the program manager at CHS Wood Street Commons in Pittsburgh, PA. The shelter provides services for people experiencing a housing crisis with a unique revolving 32-bed program for men and women. Residents receive service coordination, free meals, transportation assistance, mental health awareness, and harm reduction advocacy.
Tune in to learn more about Wood Street Commons and Adamâs unique perspective on restorative practices, community building, and harm reduction. - Näytä enemmän
