I have spent over 25 years working at the intersection of education, conflict resolution, and social justice. My path here was not direct. I began as a graphic designer — inspired by ACT UP and its use of design as a tool for political action. I saw how communication could spark dialogue, mobilize collective action. That never left me.

In the 1990s, I co-founded Ruckus Safety Awareness alongside Asian American feminist martial artists — an organization rooted in self-defense, assertive communication, and violence prevention. What began as a program for Asian American women expanded to serve women and LGBTQ communities broadly. For 15 years, I taught throughout Japan.

In 2004, a participant asked a question that changed the direction of my work: "How do I resolve everyday disputes?" That question led me to a Master's in Conflict Resolution at Columbia, mediation certification, and an apprenticeship with a divorce mediator. My practice grew — and deepened — through work with communities and organizations navigating difference.

In 2014, I arrived at Restorative Justice. It offered not just a framework, but a way of being that aligned with everything I had been moving toward. I became a Restorative Justice Coordinator in a New York City public high school, working with students of color navigating the school-to-prison pipeline. That work is now the foundation of everything I do.


**** Laura van Dernoot Lipsky / Trauma Stewardship acknowledgment
Ruckus Safety Awareness — the founding story
NYCHA / OLI Core Instructor credential
Full training list (pre-2012)