Restorative Works

Claire de Mézerville López 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 jus...

Claire de Mézerville López 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 ac...

Claire de Mézerville López 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 inter...

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 c...

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, Tennessee—Artful Integration: Exploring the Art and Science of Restorative Practices . Lindsey, Assistant Professor at Vermont Law and Graduate School and Principal Investigator at t...

Claire de Mézerville López welcomes back Kendall Hughes, D.Min., to the Restorative Works! Podcast . Join us as Dr. Hughes shares moving stories—from 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 mean...

Claire de Mézerville López 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...

Claire de Mézerville López 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 shift...

Claire de Mézerville López 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...

Claire de Mézerville López 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, Mar...

Welcome to Season 3! Claire de Mézerville López 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 ubuntu—"...

Claire de Mézerville López 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 Education 's virtual forum on December 5-6, 2024! Robert and Nicole share their personal journeys with restorative practices, highlighting how they've integrated restorative justic...

Claire de Mézerville López 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 corporat...

Join Claire de Mézerville López 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 man...

Claire de Mézerville López 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 Pittsburg's 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 th...

Claire de Mézerville López welcomes Ivelisse Cotto to the Restorative Works! Podcast . Ivelisse joins us to discuss the challenges teachers face when implementing restorative practices, especially when many have never been taught to tap into their own emotions or build crucial relationships with students. She discusses the importance of offering teachers the same space and support to develop these...

Claire de Mézerville López welcomes Jennifer Baker to the Restorative Works! Podcast . Jennifer joins us and delves into the concept of narrative change, exploring how storytelling—through media, art, and learning—can drive long-term social change. Jennifer highlights her work with the Narrative Initiative , a nonprofit that amplifies community-driven stories, ensuring those impacted have the agen...

Claire de Mézerville López welcomes Jenna Eckna, LCSW to the Restorative Works! Podcast . Jenna is Vice President of Social Services at Green Chimneys , a unique agency dedicated to supporting youth and families through nature-based programs, animal-assisted interventions, and restorative practices. Jenna reflects on how these innovative approaches empower young people to navigate challenges, buil...

Claire de Mézerville López welcomes Jadine Chou to the Restorative Works! Podcast . Jadine joins us to discuss the importance of relationships in defining safety in schools. From morning greetings by security staff to hallway interactions with teachers, she explains how simple, consistent actions build trust and make students feel valued. Through proactive measures like these, Chicago Public Schoo...

Claire de Mézerville López welcomes Emily Murphy to the Restorative Works! Podcast . Join us as Emily shares the story of the Restorative Practice Student Board, a leadership group of middle school students who mediate conflicts, review school policies, and make impactful decisions—like rewriting the school's dress code to reflect student voice and fairness. Listen as Emily details how empowering...

Claire de Mézerville López welcomes Janette Graham to the Restorative Works! Podcast .   Join us as Janette discusses her powerful journey advocating for justice-involved individuals. Drawing from personal experiences, including her son's incarceration at a young age, Janette shares how her organization, No Struggle, No Success (NSNS) , has become a full-service reentry organization, providing cru...

Claire de Mézerville López welcomes Anusha Nadkarni to the Restorative Works! Podcast . Anusha is a passionate student leader and CEO. She joins us and shares her journey from discovering restorative practices as a high school student to launching the first student-led restorative outreach program in her region. She describes the power of restorative practices in education and how it challenges pu...

Claire de Mézerville López welcomes Shana Haines, Ph. D., to the Restorative Works! Podcast .  Join us as Dr. Haines shares her expertise on the urgent need for meaningful connections in education with a focus on historically marginalized students and families, especially in a post-COVID landscape where isolation and technology-driven interactions are on the rise. Dr. Haines discusses the implemen...

Claire de Mézerville López welcomes Kendall Hughes, D. Min. and Captain Jeff Stilwell to the Restorative Works! Podcast .  Join us as Kendall shares his reflections on his two decades as a chaplain in federal prisons, where he facilitated transformative dialogues between incarcerated individuals and the victims of violent crimes. He shares how this experience inspired the creation of programs that...

Claire de Mézerville López and cohost, IIRP Lecturer A. Miguel Tello , welcome Jennifer Coreas to the Restorative Works! Podcast.  Jennifer discusses her work at ConTextos , a literacy nonprofit in El Salvador and Chicago. This organization works across schools, prisons, and communities to foster critical thinking, connection, and shared purpose. Jennifer's unique approach combines curriculum deve...