We are joined by Lan Nguyen and Jennifer Vermillion, two restorative justice leaders who take us beyond surface-level change to discover what it truly takes to sustain restorative practices in schools and communities across complex educational systems.

Together, they unpack a critical tension facing educators and administrators today: why restorative practices are widely embraced, yet so difficult to sustain. Lan challenges the urgency-driven culture that dominates schools, calling for a strategic shift that asks school leadership to do less, go deeper, and prioritize meaningful transformation over constant initiative overload.

Jennifer builds on this foundation, emphasizing embodiment over checkbox implementation. She highlights that educators are often expected to practice restoration without ever experiencing it. The result? Burnout, skepticism, and initiatives that fade fast. She argues that real change begins when individuals and systems align and when restorative practices are lived, not just learned.

Jennifer is a project specialist with the San Diego County Office of Education, providing professional learning and coaching on restorative practices and implementation. Before working with the County Office, Jennifer spent 5 years with a non-profit, supporting schools in San Diego with their restorative practices implementation, training, and student leadership initiatives. She provided direct services in addressing conflict issues between students, families, and school staff through a restorative justice model that kept youth out of the justice system. She received her bachelor's degree in psychology and her master's degree in peace and justice studies.

Lan is a futurist, educator, and leader who is passionate about designing and implementing more liberatory ways of engaging, teaching, and leading in schools. In her work, she critiques and examines systems of power, applies participatory and humanizing approaches to systems change, and uses a decolonial lens to understand issues of educational and social inequity. Lan has held diverse roles in K-12 education, supporting local, statewide, and national projects on community engagement and school climate. She currently supports restorative justice practice implementation across San Diego County at the San Diego County Office of Education.

Tune in to walk away with actionable insights on implementing restorative justice with fidelity, building educator buy-in, and creating conditions for sustainable change.

The reality of today's organizations: tension runs high, trust feels fragile, and progress stalls under the weight of reactivity. Seasoned practitioners Kristina Katayama and Miriam Zachariah join us to explore relational methods for charting a path forward rooted in awareness, connection, and intentional change.

With decades of experience across education, leadership, and organizational transformation, Kristina and Miriam reveal what truly drives lasting change in complex systems. They tell stories of lived practice, showing how leaders and teams can break free from cycles of defensiveness, conflict avoidance, and burnout. Instead of focusing solely on what's broken, they introduce an "appreciative approach", a mindset shift that uncovers what's already working and expands it into sustainable transformation. They share why readiness, not hierarchy, drives meaningful engagement. Rather than relying on top-down mandates, this approach invites participation, builds shared ownership, and fosters cultures of belonging without "othering."

This episode brings systems thinking, nervous system awareness, and restorative practices into one integrated conversation. Through real-world stories, including a simple yet powerful moment of workplace courage, Kristina and Miriam demonstrate how individual agency fuels collective change.

Kristina Katayama is the founder and lead consultant of Be Possible. With over 25 years of experience, she supports discerning, legacy-minded leaders across public, nonprofit, and private organizations who are called to effect social change beyond their job description. Her work helps leaders and teams transform conflict into connection and operationalize values through nervous-system-wise, relational practices in everyday interactions. Kristina designs appreciative, action-learning processes that build relational accountability, strengthen agency at every level, and create scalable micro-practices for vibrant engagement, trust, and collaboration. Grounded in appreciative inquiry, adaptive leadership, and trauma-informed principles, her approach integrates organizational change, leadership practice, and healthy nervous-system dynamics.

Miriam Zachariah has been a public school educator for over 30 years and recently retired as an elementary school principal. She has continued her grandfather J.L. Moreno's work to facilitate human connection, manage conflict, and foster collaborative decision-making in communities. She is a recognized trainer in restorative practices and Peacemaking Circles. The focus of her work as an educator, consultant, and trainer has been on developing community in workplaces, intervening in conflict, and fostering educational practices that decolonize schools for those whose voices have been silenced.

Tune in to discover how small, intentional shifts, like observing internal reactions, speaking up with clarity, or amplifying moments of connection, can ripple outward to transform entire teams.

Connect with Be Possible on LinkedIn and Instagram, access their 5-minute quiz: "What's really driving tension on your team?" to get a snapshot of what may be underneath recurring friction, silence, stress, or stalled accountability on your team, and view video clips of clients describing their experience.

Discover what it really takes to sustain restorative practices in today's complex school systems.

In this episode of Restorative Works, host Claire de Mezerville-López, alongside co-hosts Dr. Michael Washington and Dr. Doug Judge, welcomes veteran educator and systems leader Saundra Hensel. With more than 35 years in education and nearly a decade leading district-wide implementation, Saundra brings unmatched clarity to one of the field's biggest questions: What makes restorative practices stick?

Saundra unpacks how her district scaled training across 70 schools while staying grounded in a critical truth: that training alone doesn't guarantee faithful implementation. Instead, she reveals a blueprint built on intentional design that includes whole-school engagement, long-term investment, and a commitment to building internal capacity before rollout ever begins. She discusses initiative overload as a common tension in education. Rather than positioning restorative practices as "one more thing," she shows how they strengthen and align with existing frameworks like PBIS, social-emotional learning, and trauma-informed care.

Saundra Hensel has been an educator in various roles for over 35 years. She left a career in higher education administration to teach high school in Chicago Public Schools, then moved to Jefferson County Public Schools in Louisville, KY, in 2009. In fall 2016, Saundra was asked to join a team at the district level that was to begin implementing restorative practices. She is currently the behavior systems manager, supporting schools in implementing restorative practices and Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports. Saundra is a National Board Certified Teacher in English, with a bachelor's degree in interpersonal and small group communication and a master's degree in education and school administration.

Tune in to hear how sustainable change demands both patience and precision, because meaningful change doesn't happen overnight, but it does happen with intention.

We are joined by nationally and internationally recognized educator, leadership coach, and bestselling author Mirko Chardin for a deeply reflective conversation about healing school communities through restorative practices and equity-centered design. Drawing from lived experience and decades of leadership in education, Mirko shares how schools can move beyond compliance-driven systems and cultivate cultures rooted in trust, belonging, and authentic relationships.

Throughout the conversation, Mirko explores the principles behind Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and how educators can intentionally design classrooms that anticipate learner needs rather than reacting to them. Rather than treating equity as an afterthought, he argues that schools must plan for it from the start by creating multiple pathways for students to engage, understand, and demonstrate learning while maintaining rigorous expectations for all.

As a school founder, Mirko has spent decades supporting schools and organizations in moving from compliance-driven systems toward cultures rooted in trust, accountability, and relationships. He is the co-author of Restorative Practices That Heal School Communities and Equity by Design, and his work draws deeply from lived leadership experience, restorative practices, storytelling, and social-emotional learning. Mirko partners with school leaders, executive teams, and organizations who are navigating change, conflict, and cultural transformation.

For educators, school leaders, and advocates for equitable education, this conversation offers both inspiration and practical insight into how restorative frameworks can create classrooms and communities where every student can thrive.

Boston University Professor James W. McCarty, Ph.D., joins us to explore how restorative justice and conflict transformation can reshape the way communities engage in disagreement, repair harm, and build collective power.

Dr. McCarthy invites listeners to rethink one of society's most misunderstood realities: conflict. Rather than treating conflict as something to avoid, he reframes it as a powerful opportunity for growth, learning, and social change. From personal relationships to large-scale movements, conflict is the friction necessary to experience new futures. He discusses the critical role of community in navigating conflict. Whether within social movements, faith communities, or grassroots organizing efforts, strong relationships provide the foundation for constructive dialogue and collective accountability. Practices such as peacemaking circles and storytelling help communities surface difficult truths while strengthening the relational bonds that make change possible.

A clinical assistant professor and director of the Religion and Conflict Transformation Program at Boston University's School of Theology, Dr. McCarthy also serves as a faculty affiliate with the Institute on Culture, Religion, and World Affairs at the Pardee School of Global Studies. He is the author of multiple peer-reviewed journal articles and the editor of two books, the most recent of which is The Business of Incarceration: Theological and Ethical Reflections on the Prison-Industrial Complex (Cascade) published in 2025.

Tune in to discover valuable insights into how dignifying relationships and courageous conversations can transform conflict into an invitation for growth.

What if the practice of law could heal instead of harm?

In this episode of Restorative Works! Podcast, Dr. Claire de Mézerville López welcomes lawyer, mediator, and restorative justice facilitator Brenda Waugh for a compelling conversation about restorative lawyering. Brenda shares how she transformed her traditional legal career into a justice-centered practice rooted in healing, dignity, and human connection.

The conversation explores how restorative lawyering, the practice of legal services grounded in the principles of restorative practices, reframes the traditional legal focus on "rights" versus "needs." While legal systems often balance competing rights, restorative practices center human needs, relationships, and accountability. By shifting the process from adversarial to collaborative, lawyers can reduce trauma, create space for dialogue, and empower the people most affected by harm.

Brenda also shares inspiring stories of working outside formal legal systems, like supporting a young student facing expulsion and helping families navigate loss when institutions fall short. These moments reveal an undeniable truth that sometimes the most meaningful justice emerges through listening and being present.

Brenda is the founder of Waugh Law & Mediation, where she brings over 30 years of experience, compassion, and creativity to help clients navigate legal challenges—from contracts and workplace disputes to collaborative divorces. A former litigator and advocate for victims of family violence and consumers, Brenda has mediated thousands of cases and served as counsel for the West Virginia Senate Judiciary Committee. She earned a master's degree in conflict transformation from Eastern Mennonite University and is a certified collaborative professional. Brenda also shares her expertise nationally through seminars and published articles on restorative lawyering, alternative dispute resolution, and lawyer wellness. Her new book, Becoming a Restorative Lawyer, explores how legal professionals can build justice-centered, healing approaches in their practice.

Tune in to discover how restorative lawyering reimagines legal practice, and how a more human-centered approach to justice can create deeper, lasting change.

In this episode of Restorative Works! Podcast, Dr. Claire de Mézerville López welcomes Juan Pablo Blanco, Ph.D., for a discussion about intergenerational collaboration, youth leadership, and education justice as a basis for transforming systems that affect youth and families.

Dr. Blanco brings more than a decade of experience in community organizing and community-engaged research to this conversation. As Research Manager at CYCLE, The Center for Youth and Community Leadership in Education at Roger Williams University, he works alongside youth, parents, and community organizations to make research accessible, actionable, and rooted in lived experience. Drawing from his own journey as an immigrant and longtime organizer, Dr. Blanco shares how inequitable systems pushed him toward collective action, and how those experiences now shape his commitment to language justice and intergenerational power.

Dr. Blanco explains how CYCLE brings together young people and caregivers to co-create equity indicators, challenge traditional data practices, and transform research into a tool for advocacy rather than exclusion. He unpacks why school and district data often misses what communities care about most and how changing that process can lead to more transparent, relational, and just systems.

Dr. Blanco currently serves as the research manager at CYCLE (the Center for Youth and Community Leadership in Education) at Roger Williams University in Providence, RI, and as an adjunct professor. CYCLE supports young people and parents engaged in education justice efforts throughout New England and beyond. In this capacity, Dr. Blanco is part of CYCLE's Research and Learning team, supporting community organizations with their research needs and training community members on how to conduct their own research and engage with data for advocacy and organizing. Dr. Blanco holds a doctorate in Community Engagement from Point Park University, a Master of Science in Critical Ethnic and Community Studies, and a Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy from the University of Massachusetts Boston. His dissertation focused on intergenerational collaboration between young people and adults in education justice spaces in Rhode Island. He is currently developing resources for the field based on the findings of this study.

Tune in to gain a greater understanding of why relationship-building, trust, and restorative practices-rooted responses to conflict are not "extras," but essential to sustainable change.

Dr. Claire de Mézerville López welcomes Amy Hart, principal of Stanley Elementary in Wichita, Kansas, to the Restorative Works! Podcast.

Drawing from more than 14 years in education, Amy shares how relationship-centered leadership improves school culture, even amid systemic change, limited resources, and community mistrust. Through a real-world story involving two fifth-grade students on the brink of a physical fight, Amy illustrates why conversations rooted in restorative practices create lasting change. Instead of relying on suspension as a solution, her school engaged families, centered accountability, and facilitated conversations that allowed the harm to be named and repaired. This story brings restorative justice in education to life and shows how trauma-informed leadership builds safety, trust, and resilience.

The episode also explores what it means to lead during disruption. As a "welcoming school" absorbing hundreds of new students without additional staff, Stanley Elementary faced fractured trust and growing pains. Amy explains how her team responded by returning to their mission, vision, and shared values—embedding restorative and trauma-informed approaches into every system, expectation, and relationship. From listening and learning circles to inclusive community events, the school rebuilt its foundation and strengthened its capacity to serve all students.

Amy is the principal of Stanley Elementary in Wichita, Kansas, where she has proudly served for the past four years. With 14 years of experience in education, Amy began her career as a middle school teacher, spending seven years teaching English language arts, math, and broadcast journalism. Her passion for leadership led her to become an assistant principal for three years before stepping into her current role. Amy is trained in trauma-informed practices and restorative practices approaches, ensuring that every student feels supported and valued. Guided by transformational leadership principles, she believes that all students and staff can achieve success when provided with the right resources and feel empowered to grow. Amy is committed to fostering a positive, inclusive school culture where learning thrives and relationships matter.

Tune in to learn how restorative practices frameworks help leaders shift power from control to collaboration, creating environments where students, staff, and families feel seen, valued, and accountable to one another.

Welcome to season four of Restorative Works! Podcast! In this episode, Dr. Claire de Mézerville López welcomes Johari "J.P." Mitchell for a discussion around positive self-talk, children's literature, and how the power of storytelling helps shape how we relate to ourselves and one another.

J.P. explores how children's literature, especially picture books, can serve as a restorative practices tool across all ages. She emphasizes the concept of restorative practices-rooted self-talk: the internal narratives we use to make sense of shame, grief, identity, and belonging. J.P. illustrates how stories offer young people and adults pro-social alternatives to dealing with shame. She explains how picture books act as mirrors and windows, reflecting our inner lives while inviting us to step into experiences we may not yet have lived. Through age-appropriate storytelling, children gain language for complex emotions like loss, difference, and empathy long before crisis arrives. This proactive exposure builds emotional literacy, resilience, and relational capacity.

The episode also challenges the assumption that children's books are only for children. J.P. and Claire reflect on how picture books speak powerfully to adults, educators, parents, and leaders by reconnecting us to the "child within" and creating space for intergenerational dialogue. From navigating grief to understanding identity and difference, children's literature becomes a shared entry point for meaningful, restorative conversations.

Johari "J.P." Mitchell is an educator, writer and speaker whose passion is helping leaders link vision to opportunity through the power of words. J.P. is a restorative practices trainer with Columbus City Schools, as well as a 2-time TEDx speaker, author, and Gallup-Certified Strengths Coach. She lives in Columbus, Ohio with her family.

Tune in to learn how to become a friend of children's literature, not just a consumer, and use stories as a bridge to stronger relationships and healthier communities.

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.