Restorative Works! Hosted by Claire de Mézerville López, M.Ed., M.S., is centered around restorative practices – the study of building relationships and community. With guests from across the globe, we invite you to: Listen and be inspired by transformational stories from passionate restorative practitioners, community leaders, researchers, and more. Learn practical solutions to addressing harm/traumas and proactively increasing a sense of belonging in your community, schools, and at home. E ...
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Artful Integration: Restorative Practices, the Arts, and Evidence-Based Impact
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24:42Returning 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 an…
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Recidivism, Redirection, and Restorative Justice with Dr. Kendall Hughes
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24:59Claire 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 r…
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Global Connections Through Restorative Justice with Emanuela Biffi
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24:15Claire 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. EF…
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Change-Makers Start Here: with Dr. Michael Washington & Dr. Doug Judge
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25:40Claire 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 oper…
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Restorative Justice & Gendered Violence with Dr. Fernanda Fonseca Rosenblatt
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27:41Claire 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 secon…
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Disrupting the School-to-Prison Pipeline with Mark R. Warren
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25:49Claire 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 …
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The Art of Narrative: Trauma, and Healing with Dr. Frida Rundell
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24:28Welcome 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.…
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Live Recording: Transforming Campus Culture with Restorative Practices
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27:15Claire 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, highli…
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Restorative Justice Without Limits with Dr. Gemma Varona
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20:40Claire 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 te…
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Restorative Works! Podcast Celebrates its 100th Episode!
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37:02Join 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 aro…
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Housing, Harm Reduction, and Restorative Practices with Adam Haller
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27:02Claire 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 …
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Battling Burnout: Teacher Wellness and Restorative Principles with Ivelisse Cotto
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23:47Claire 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 tea…
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Art, Activism, and Personal Narratives with Jennifer Baker
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26:22Claire 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-drive…
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Restorative Practices and Animal-Assisted Interventions with Jenna Eckna
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18:57Claire 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 e…
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The Three Pillars of School Safety with Jadine Chou
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21:59Claire 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 pr…
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Challenges and Rewards of Elevating Student Voice with Emily Murphy
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22:46Claire 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 …
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From Trauma to Transformation with Janette Graham
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23:01Claire 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 fu…
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Challenging Punitive Systems with Student Leader, Anusha Nadkarni
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21:19Claire 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 restorativ…
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Fostering Connection in Education with Shana Haines, Ph.D.
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20:57Claire 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…
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Bridging Gaps with from Kendall Hughes, D. Min., and Captain Jeff Stilwell
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21:21Claire 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 e…
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Storytelling and Literacy for Reconciliation with Jennifer Coreas
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21:29Claire 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. Jen…
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Safety and Harmony: Stories from Finland’s Mediation Practices
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19:49In this special episode of Restorative Works!, host Claire de Mezerville López welcomes Kethlin Lorincz and is joined by co-host Maia Chochua, vice chair of the European Forum for Restorative Justice (EFRJ), to celebrate Restorative Justice Week. This episode is part of a special series, "Restorative Justice in Local Communities Around the World," …
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Indigenous Wisdom, Global Lessons: Restorative Justice in Bolivia
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24:10In this special episode of Restorative Works!, host Claire de Mezerville López welcomes Paolo Baffero, Ph.D., and is joined by co-host, Laura Hein, policy officer at the European Forum for Restorative Justice (EFRJ), to celebrate Restorative Justice Week. This episode is part of a special series, "Restorative Justice in Local Communities Around the…
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Restorative Justice in the Amazon: Communities, Nature, and Conflict
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25:25In this special episode of Restorative Works!, host Claire de Mezerville López welcomes Nirson Medeiros da Silva Neto, Ph.D., and is joined by co-host, Brunilda Pali, Chair of the board at the European Forum for Restorative Justice (EFRJ), to celebrate Restorative Justice Week. This episode is part of a special series, "Restorative Justice in Local…
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Sasmos in Crete: A Vernacular Approach to Restorative Justice
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24:03In this special episode of Restorative Works!, host Claire de Mezerville López welcomes Leah Koumentaki, Ph.D., and is joined by co-host Federico Reggio, Ph. D., from the European Forum for Restorative Justice (EFRJ), to celebrate Restorative Justice Week. This episode is part of a special series, "Restorative Justice in Local Communities Around th…
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Navigating Conflict: Lessons from Debate with Zeph Chang
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20:29Claire de Mézerville López welcomes Zeph Chang to the Restorative Works! Podcast. Claire is joined by co-host, IIRP Director of Organizational Development Koury Cook. Join us as Zeph shares how debate can open minds, teaching students to understand multiple perspectives through “switch side debating,” and how these experiences build emotional intel…
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Walking Through Tensions: Navigating Polarization in K-12
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22:09Claire de Mézerville López welcomes Eneida Padró, Ph.D., and Kate Shapero to the Restorative Works! Podcast. Claire is joined by co-host, IIRP Instructor and Implementation Coach Nikki Chamblee, Ph.D. In this series of episodes, we explore what it means to “walk through tensions” - how we exist, find, and build community and forge a path forward th…
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Walking Through Tensions: Navigating Polarization with Dr. Borbala Fellegi
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27:45Claire de Mézerville López welcomes Borbala Fellegi, Ph.D., to the Restorative Works! Podcast. In this series of episodes, we explore what it means to “walk through tensions” - how we exist, find, and build community and forge a path forward through times of extreme polarization. Dr. Fellegi joins us to explore the intricate dynamics of polarizatio…
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Walking Through Tensions: Conversations on Identity and Community in Higher Education with Dr. J. Cody Nielsen
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22:33Claire de Mézerville López welcomes J. Cody Nielsen, Ph.D. to the Restorative Works! Podcast. Claire is joined again by co-host, Associate Director for the Collaborative Center for Restorative Practices in Higher Education Kaleigh Mrowka, Ph.D. In this series of episodes, we explore what it means to “walk through tensions” - how we exist, find, and…
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Walking Through Tensions: Navigating Family Dynamics with Shelley Jones-Holt, Ed.D.
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29:53Claire de Mézerville López welcomes Shelley Jones-Holt, Ed.D. to the Restorative Works! Podcast. Claire is joined again by co-host, IIRP Vice President for Partnerships Keith Hickman. In this series of episodes, we explore what it means to “walk through tensions” - how we exist, find, and build community and forge a path forward through times of ex…
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Healing Through Dialogue: Insights from Alaya Vautier
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21:55Claire de Mézerville López welcomes Alaya Vautier to the Restorative Works! Podcast. Join us as Alaya reflects on the importance of taking time in mediation processes, the power of genuine listening, and the challenges and rewards of working with youth through restorative justice. From her early days in mediation to her current role designing and …
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Restorative Practices in the Judicial System with Judge Ray Kramer
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26:26Claire de Mézerville López welcomes Raymond E. Kramer, J.D., to the Restorative Works! Podcast. Claire is joined by co-host, IIRP Vice President for Partnerships Keith Hickman. Judge Kramer joins us and provides a compelling narrative of how restorative justice, mediation, and peacekeeping circles have shifted the paradigm in administrative law, em…
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Bridging Academia and Lived Experience with Dr. Gabriel Velez
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23:24Claire de Mézerville López welcomes Gabriel Velez, Ph.D., to the Restorative Works! Podcast. Dr. Velez joins us to explore the intricate ways adolescents perceive violence, peace, and justice, shedding light on the critical need for adult reflection and humility in restorative work. They discuss how the societal emphasis on punitive measures influ…
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From PO to Parliament with Razwana Begum Bt Abdul Rahim
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22:23Claire de Mézerville López welcomes Razwana Begum Bt Abdul Rahim to the Restorative Works! Podcast. Razwana joins us and shares her unique insights into the importance of healing, accountability, and ethical leadership within the realms of public safety and community support. Listen as she describes how her extensive experience working with vulner…
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Indigenous Ethos and Restorative Justice with Gayle Desmeules
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24:29Claire de Mézerville López welcomes Gayle Desmeules to the Restorative Works! Podcast. Gayle joins us and shares her insights into how restorative practices rooted in Indigenous ways of knowing are transforming communities and workplaces in Canada. She highlights the significance of acknowledging traditional lands and celebrates National Indigenous…
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From Restorative, Culture, and Corporate America with Jose Molina
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19:26Claire de Mézerville López welcomes Jose Molina to the Restorative Works! Podcast. Jose joins us and shares his journey from volunteering with the Peace Corps in Costa Rica to implementing restorative practices in corporate America. He provides firsthand accounts of building bridges within communities, creating inclusive environments, and empowerin…
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Existing with Audacity and Authenticity with Lauryn Whitney
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23:47Claire de Mézerville López and co-host, IIRP instructor and implementation coach, Kiyaana Cox-Jones, welcome Lauryn Whitney to the Restorative Works! Podcast. Lauryn dives deep into the transformative power of storytelling, explaining how personal narratives can drive collective healing and societal change. She explains what it means to live with a…
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Restorative Approaches to Student Behavior with Nicholas Steffner, M.A.
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25:03Claire de Mézerville López welcomes Nicholas Steffner, M.A., to the Restorative Works! Podcast. Nicholas shares his personal path with restorative practices, from his beginnings as a teacher and counselor to becoming a leading advocate and trainer in restorative practices approaches. With insights from his ongoing doctoral research, he discusses th…
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From Words to Action: DEI and RP with Cameron K. Ramirez, M.Ed.
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23:52Claire de Mézerville López welcomes Cameron K. Ramirez, M.Ed., to the Restorative Works! Podcast. Cameron joins us as we discuss her recent op-ed, “When it Comes to DEI, Principals Must Be More Than Performative,” discussing the urgent need to turn words into actions when it comes to diversity, equity, and inclusion. She shares her personal journey…
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Special Collaboration Episode: Broken Office Chair and Restorative Works!
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40:49Join us for an exciting collaboration between the Restorative Works! Podcast and Alternatives Youth podcast, Broken Office Chair! Claire de Mézerville López sits down with BOC’s host and Alternatives’ Executive Director, Bessie Alcantara, to chat about their experiences with their respective podcasts and the growth and opportunities to connect that…
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Hawaiian Indigenous Voices with Noenoe Silva and ʻIhilani Lasconia
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24:03Claire de Mézerville López welcomes ʻIhilani Lasconia and Noenoe K. Silva, to the Restorative Works! Podcast. Noenoe and ʻIhilani join us to share their passionate insight on the imperative nature of preserving, restoring, and honoring Hawaiian culture and language. Noenoe shares her journey of reclaiming Native Hawaiian history through the lens of…
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Restorative Employment: When Work Restores Dignity and Livelihoods
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23:06Claire de Mézerville López welcomes back Justin Mui to the Restorative Works! Podcast. Justin joins us again to follow up on the conversation started in episode 42 where he took us through an exploration of the benefits of utilizing a relational mindset in the workplace. Justin shares the journey of LCCS’s Restorative Employment Hub initiative whic…
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Building Bridges Through Circle Work at Carnegie Mellon
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19:17Claire de Mézerville López welcomes Candace Okello and Tera Monroe of Carnegie Mellon University to the Restorative Works! Podcast. Claire is joined again by co-host Associate Director for the Collaborative Center for Restorative Practices in Higher Education Kaleigh Mrowka, Ph.D. In this series of episodes, we explore the use of restorative pract…
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Center for Restorative Justice at West Virginia Wesleyan College
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22:43Claire de Mézerville López welcomes Debra Dean Murphy, Ph.D. and Jess Scott, Ph.D., to the Restorative Works! Podcast. Claire is joined again by co-host Associate Director for the Collaborative Center for Restorative Practices in Higher Education Kaleigh Mrowka, Ph.D. In this series of episodes, we explore the use of restorative practices in higher…
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Conflict and Connection in Higher Ed with Jeff Godowski, M.Ed.
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21:26Claire de Mézerville López welcomes Jeff Godowski, M.Ed., to the Restorative Works! Podcast. Claire is joined again by co-host Associate Director for the Collaborative Center for Restorative Practices in Higher Education Kaleigh Mrowka, Ph.D. In this series of episodes, we explore the use of restorative practices in higher education through variou…
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Heart Strong Work: Improving Workplace Culture with Dr. Linda Kligman
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21:40Claire de Mézerville López welcomes IIRP President, Linda Kligman, Ph.D., to the Restorative Works! Podcast. Dr. Kligman joins us to discuss her new book, Heart Strong Work: Improving Workplace Culture, and share her journey and insights into creating inclusive and participatory workplaces. From her unique metaphor of the heart, inspired by her dau…
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From the Classroom to Home with Michelle Jacobs
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22:28Claire de Mézerville López welcomes Michelle Jacobs to the Restorative Works! Podcast. In this episode, Claire is joined by co-host, IIRP Instructor and Implementation Coach Mike Azzalina, M.Ed. Mike has over 16 years of experience in public education as an elementary school teacher, assistant principal, and principal across elementary and middle …
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The Heartbeats of Education with Mike Azzalina, M.Ed.
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21:04Claire de Mézerville López welcomes Mike Azzalina, M.Ed., to the Restorative Works! Podcast. Mike joins us to discuss navigating the nuances of creating inclusive communities, starting with the simple yet profound act of showing up for others. Mike shares personal stories from his journey, including his own challenges growing up with a heart condi…
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Disruptive Education: Envisioning a New Way with Bobby Morgan
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22:09Claire de Mézerville López welcomes Bobby Morgan to the Restorative Works! Podcast. Bobby joins us and reflects on his early struggles as a teacher and the realization that traditional teaching methods were not effective in modern classrooms. He shares how his experiences led him to embrace restorative practices and culturally responsive teaching t…
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Peacekeepers: Youth Empowerment with Jen Williams
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23:04Claire de Mézerville López welcomes Jen Williams to the Restorative Works! Podcast. Jen joins us to share her journey of developing a restorative practices based program at her former middle school. The program was born out of a necessity to address conflicts and empower students. Through anecdotes and reflections, Jen illustrates moments where st…
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