News & Announcements

Transforming Communities Around the World
After decades of working in public health managing community coalitions and developing school health and safety curriculum, Lynne Lang decided to shift her career. This work led her to the IIRP, where she graduated with her Master of Science in Restorative Practices in 2018, leading her to form a non-profit spreading her work around the world.

Inspiring Change Through Families and Communities
With a mission to restore civil societies, Keisha Allen knew she was looking for a unique educational experience. After participating in an IIRP continuing education event, she was drawn to working with the restorative practices framework. Today, Keisha serves as the Executive Director of Black Family Development Inc.’s Training Institute (BTI) in Detroit, Michigan, a subsidiary of Black Family Development Inc., who will be partnering with the IIRP to host the 2023 World Conference.

Arti Mohan, a 2019 IIRP alumna and 2018 recipient of the Shawn Suzch Scholarship, is the Restorative Justice Program Officer at the Counsel to Secure Justice (CSJ) in India. Her work involves providing healing and pathways to justice for communities affected by gender-based harm and includes training in restorative circles across the country. Arti also serves on the Value and Standards Committee of the European Forum for Restorative Justice where she helps design restorative practices implementation training for governmental stakeholders and civil society stakeholders.

Judge Mark A. Ingram served as a Magistrate Judge in the State of Idaho for twenty-one years prior to his retirement in 2022. Early on in his judicial career, Mark recognized that the standard court responses to criminal behavior, child welfare cases, domestic relations, and behavioral health issues were largely ineffective and did little to address the root causes for the social ills on display in his courtrooms. That recognition ultimately led him to the IIRP and restorative practices.

Healing the Impact of Gun Violence
A restorative practitioner at a West Oakland (California) Middle School, Scott says the most important thing is giving students more power and voice. In this multi-cultural setting where all students are eligible for free or reduced lunch, Scott uses practices like community-building circles and cooperative games to make this happen.

Supporting the Emotional & Mental Health of Children
At age 25, Ivan Villaseñor Madriz has been involved in restorative efforts for 10 years. He is currently the Social Services Coordinator for the San Francisco field office of KIND (Kids in Need of Defense), the leading national organization advocating for the rights of unaccompanied migrant and refugee children in the United States. He is also a 2022 graduate of the IIRP and the 2020 Impact Scholarship awardee.