Restorative Works

IIRP
  • 5.0 (6)
  • Philosophy

Restorative Works! Hosted by Claire de Mézerville López, Ph.D., 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. Explore methods to facilitate meaningful conversations that create understanding and positively impact the people around you.

  1. Building Belonging for Stronger Campus Communities with Heather Gardley

    5d ago

    Building Belonging for Stronger Campus Communities with Heather Gardley

    In this episode of Restorative Works!, we are joined by Heather Gardley, a leader deeply committed to advancing community-centered approaches through restorative practices in higher education. Heather shares insights from her work supporting schools and organizations in building cultures rooted in trust, belonging, and accountability. Heather invites us to consider how we can implement restorative practices on campuses to build community, whether that be during new student orientation, student employee training, problem solving spaces, or when conflicts occur. Through moving stories of real-world impact, this episode offers a thoughtful look at how restorative practices can help transform not only institutions, but also the ways we show up for one another in our daily work. Heather Gardley serves as the Director of Student Conduct, Rights & Responsibilities at California State University, East Bay. With over 20 years of experience in higher education, she is recognized as a strategic and thoughtful leader committed to fostering ethical development, student advocacy, and retention. Her work is grounded in a student-centered approach, with a strong emphasis on care, accountability, and growth. A dedicated restorative practitioner, Heather brings a balanced perspective to student conduct work, prioritizing both responsibility and support. Heather earned her bachelor's degree from San José State University and a master's degree in organizational communication from CSU East Bay. She is also a proud member of Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc., reflecting her ongoing commitment to service, leadership, and community engagement. Tune in to discover how restorative practices can transform educational higher ed spaces and support the work of joining students and strengthening campus community.

    23 min
  2. The Web of Rights: Centering Student Voice in Schools with Dr. Cameron McCuaig

    Jun 18

    The Web of Rights: Centering Student Voice in Schools with Dr. Cameron McCuaig

    In this episode of Restorative Works!, host Claire de Mezerville Lopez is joined by educator and researcher Dr. Cameron McCuaig to explore what it truly means to center student voice and reimagine schools as spaces of service, dignity, and community. Cam challenges traditional models of education by contrasting compliance-driven systems with a more relational, student-centered approach. Using real classroom experiences, he invites listeners to reconsider the role of educators: not as directors of learning, but as guides who walk alongside students, helping them navigate barriers and pursue meaningful engagement. Through powerful stories from his work with young children, Cam illustrates how even the youngest learners can understand complex ideas like rights, responsibility, and mutual care. At the heart of this episode is a compelling reminder: restorative practices are not simply reactive tools, but proactive, preventative ways of being that prioritize relationships and belonging. Dr. Cameron McCuaig is a Canadian French Immersion principal, educator, speaker, and creator of the Web of Rights, a practical framework that helps schools move from compliance-driven discipline toward structured, rights-informed learning communities grounded in dignity, student voice, and shared responsibility. He holds a Doctor of Education from Northeastern University, where his research examined democratic school models in Ontario public elementary schools. With more than two decades of experience in schools and professional learning spaces, he supports educators and school communities through workshops, webinars, consultation, and practical implementation tools. Through Student Rights Education, he shares strategies for rethinking classroom management, conflict, and school culture with greater dignity, clarity, and accountability. Follow him at @dr.cammccuaig and tune in to discover how centering rights, voice, and relationships can transform not only classrooms, but the future of education itself.

    22 min
  3. Building Inclusive Practice: The Restorative Rainbow Alliance and LGBTQ+ Affirmation in Restorative Justice

    Jun 11

    Building Inclusive Practice: The Restorative Rainbow Alliance and LGBTQ+ Affirmation in Restorative Justice

    In this special roundtable episode of Restorative Works!, host Claire de Mezerville López brings together a powerful group of restorative justice practitioners, educators, and leaders to explore the creation and impact of the Restorative Rainbow Alliance's Facilitator Code of Conduct. Guests Ames Stenson and Rami El Gharib, co-founders of the Restorative Rainbow Alliance, join Lindsey Pointer and Kathleen McGoey, co-authors of The Little Book of Restorative Teaching Tools, to share the story behind this groundbreaking initiative. Together, they reflect on the urgent need for LGBTQ+ affirming practices within restorative justice, drawing from lived experiences, community dialogue, and the gaps that led to harm when identity and power were not fully considered in restorative conferences.   The conversation explores how the Alliance's Code of Conduct, now adopted as a foundational document in Colorado, offers both guidance and a call to reflection for practitioners seeking to move beyond cis-heteronormative frameworks and toward truly inclusive, equitable practice. The group also highlights a collaborative effort to bring the code to life through an engaging, experiential learning activity: Inclusive Facilitation: Increasing LGBTQ+ Awareness in Restorative Justice. Designed as a companion tool, this resource supports practitioners in navigating discomfort, building empathy, and applying inclusive principles to real-life scenarios through dialogue, play, and reflection. Throughout the episode, listeners are invited into a rich and honest conversation about harm, accountability, identity, and growth. The guests emphasize the importance of curiosity, compassion, and the willingness to sit with complexity as essential elements of restorative practices, especially when working toward belonging for LGBTQ+ communities. This episode offers both inspiration and practical pathways for anyone committed to deepening fostering spaces where all identities are affirmed and valued. Tune in to learn from these wonderful guests, and we invite you to explore the Restorative Teaching Tool activity for the Facilitator Code of Conduct here.

    34 min
  4. Carrying Stories with Care: The Power of Embodied Connection and Compassionate Witnessing

    Jun 4

    Carrying Stories with Care: The Power of Embodied Connection and Compassionate Witnessing

    In this episode of Restorative Works, host Claire de Mezerville Lopez is joined by Deanna Zilske, school leader, theater director, and restorative practitioner, to explore the powerful intersection of restorative and embodied theater practices. Drawing from her work with a community of educators, artists, and practitioners, Deanna shares how integrating narrative practices, such as compassionate witnessing and reauthoring maps, with movement, voice, and improvisation can deepen storytelling, empathy, and connection. When words are not enough, the body becomes a powerful tool for expression, allowing individuals to explore lived experiences, trauma, and preferred futures in ways that feel both accessible and transformative.  Deanna also shares moving examples from the group's experience, illustrating how embodied storytelling can support healing, release, and reconnection, both with oneself and with others. As one participant reflected, the process created an opportunity to listen differently and to carry others' stories with greater care and empathy.  Deanna Zilske currently serves as the Principal at Jaffrey Grade School in Southwestern New Hampshire. Before that, Deanna served as Principal at Keene Middle School and as a Principal and Instructional Coach at Harrisville-Wells Memorial School. In addition to her work in education, Deanna currently directs the Lions Club Foundation's annual Summer and Winter Musicals. Before moving into administration, Deanna built her foundation with ten years of classroom teaching experience and a background in theatre and arts education. She holds a Master of Science in Restorative Practices, alongside Graduate Certificates in Relational Facilitation for Healing Trauma and Change Implementation in Organizations and Social Systems from the International Institute for Restorative Practices. In addition, she holds a CAGS in Education Administration, an MTA in Elementary Education, and a BA in Theatre Arts. Tune in to discover how embodied theater practices can expand restorative work, opening new pathways for expression, understanding, and collective transformation.

    23 min
  5. The Win-Win Workplace: Why the Strongest Companies Start with Worker Voice

    May 28

    The Win-Win Workplace: Why the Strongest Companies Start with Worker Voice

    We are joined by Harvard researcher, author of The Win-Win Workplace, and founder of Future Forward Strategies, Dr. Angela Jackson, to discuss how organizations can redesign work to strengthen both employee well-being and business performance.  Backed by research across more than 1,700 companies, Dr. Jackson makes a clear, data-driven case for human-centered leadership. She reveals how organizations that invest in employees through practices such as centering worker voice, reimagining benefits, and fostering inclusive innovation see improvements not only in employee morale but also in performance. These strategies directly impact retention, engagement, and long-term financial success, reframing well-being as business-critical, not optional.  Dr. Jackson shares how understanding employees' lived realities, such as caregiving responsibilities and access to childcare, directly impacts retention and performance. She offers a concrete example of a company that introduced on-site childcare after identifying it as a key barrier for employees, resulting in a 98% retention rate among women during the pandemic.  Dr. Angela Jackson is a leading voice on the future of work and CEO of Future Forward Strategies, a labor market intelligence firm focused on helping organizations grow through continuous learning and innovation. A lecturer and researcher at Harvard University, she equips executives with practical strategies to build high-performing workplaces that strengthen engagement, productivity, and long-term growth. Her work has appeared in Harvard Business Review and Stanford Social Innovation Review, and she is frequently featured in The New York Times, Forbes, The Wall Street Journal, Fortune, BBC, and The Economist. She has spoken at TED, South by Southwest, and ASU GSV. Previously, Dr. Jackson was managing partner at New Profit, where she launched the Future of Work Grand Challenge, reskilling 25,000 workers into living-wage jobs. She began her career in global leadership roles at Viacom and Nokia. Her debut book, The Win-Win Workplace, is a New York Times bestseller.  Tune in for real-world examples that shift toward more inclusive, responsive, and adaptive workplace cultures where well-being, performance, and innovation are mutually reinforced.

    22 min
  6. Human-Centered Higher Ed: How SNHU Scales Restorative Practices System-Wide

    May 21

    Human-Centered Higher Ed: How SNHU Scales Restorative Practices System-Wide

    We are joined by Program Manager in the Office of Diversity and Inclusion at Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU) Jen Torres, to explore what sustainable, system-wide implementation of restorative practices in higher education really looks like.   Jen brings a practitioner's lens to a challenge many institutions face: how to move from reactive, discipline-focused approaches toward proactive, relationship-centered campus communities. She walks us through SNHU's three-year restorative practices implementation process that brings theory to life through real-life examples. From using AI tools to audit communication for relational language to tracking real-time shifts in restorative practices approaches with students, these stories demonstrate how innovation and human-centered practice can coexist and thrive.  On the topic of the use of AI, Jen reminds us that technology can enhance efficiency, but it cannot replace human connection. In an era of eroding trust, restorative practices become essential to rebuilding and maintaining strong relationships.   Jen M. Torres serves as program manager, social justice advocate, and liberatory learning designer for SNHU's Office of Diversity and Inclusion. With over 16 years of experience across education, nonprofit, and corporate sectors, Jen founded SimplyLead, LLC, and specializes in antiracist practice, conflict transformation, restorative practices, and liberatory approaches to leadership and culture repair. Her work centers on dismantling systemic inequities while helping teams and institutions move through conflict with honesty, accountability, and care. Known for blending deep relational practice with clear strategy, Jen designs and facilitates spaces that are brave, grounded, and action-oriented. Through workshops, leadership development, and collaborative learning experiences, she helps teams build cultures rooted in belonging, shared responsibility, and lasting change, where conflict is engaged as an opportunity for growth, learning, and collective transformation.  Tune in to discover what it takes to truly weave restorative practices into the fabric of higher education.

    21 min
  7. Youth Reintegration and Restorative Justice in Belize with Dr. Aveka Mano

    May 14

    Youth Reintegration and Restorative Justice in Belize with Dr. Aveka Mano

    We are joined by criminologist, researcher, and educator at the University of Belize, Dr. Aveka Mano, to hear about the impact of restorative practices on the lived realities behind complex issues like gang involvement, human trafficking, and youth reintegration, and its connection to higher education.   Dr. Mano challenges traditional approaches to justice by emphasizing long-term reintegration over short-term punishment. She highlights how stigma, lack of opportunity, and systemic gaps often push individuals back into cycles of harm, and how restorative practices can interrupt that pattern. She asks us to consider what it would be like if we prepared individuals leaving institutional systems with the same intentionality we bring to higher education.   Dr. Avekadavie Parasramsingh Mano is an assistant professor and distinguished researcher at the University of Belize within the Faculty of Management and Social Sciences. Trained at the University of the West Indies, she specializes in Criminology and Criminal Justice, with a focus on Belize's socio-legal landscape. Dr. Mano is widely recognized for her fieldwork on gang culture, human trafficking, and sex worker migration. Her scholarship engages with complex issues at the intersection of crime, human rights, and social inequality. Beyond academia, Dr. Mano collaborates with the Forensics Department, the Leadership Intervention Unit, and other organizations working with at-risk youth. Her work is grounded in a commitment to bridging theory and practice to advance sustainable approaches to crime prevention and community development in Belize.  Tune in to discover Dr. Mano's roadmap for sustainable crime prevention rooted in early intervention, community collaboration, and restorative practices.

    21 min
  8. The Sustainability Myth: What Schools Get Wrong About Restorative Practices

    May 7

    The Sustainability Myth: What Schools Get Wrong About Restorative Practices

    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.

    24 min
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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
6 Ratings

About

Restorative Works! Hosted by Claire de Mézerville López, Ph.D., 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. Explore methods to facilitate meaningful conversations that create understanding and positively impact the people around you.

Information

  • Creator
    IIRP
  • Years Active
    2023 - 2026
  • Episodes
    172
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2023
  • Show Website
    Restorative Works

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