Beth Hampson Co-Founder & Partner

My commitment to teaching and learning has spanned more than 30 years and every age from preschool through high school. I began my journey as an undergraduate studying elementary education, tutoring and student teaching in Washington, D.C. public schools. Those early experiences opened my eyes to systemic racism and the historical roots of inequity—and shaped my belief that education can be a path to justice.

After college, I worked with Head Start in rural Oregon, providing classroom and home-based education and supporting low-income families in strengthening parenting skills, understanding child development, and building school–home partnerships. I later earned my Master’s degree in Learning and Teaching from Harvard Graduate School of Education, where my studies deepened my understanding of generational and cultural trauma and the ways unaddressed collective harm continues to shape our communities. I came to see how barriers to learning—such as poverty, substance use, and mental health struggles—are connected to historical wounds, and that healing happens through relationships, community, and belonging.

These foundations guided my work as a classroom teacher, where I found great joy in creating learning spaces that honored every voice and fostered true belonging—spaces where students felt seen and where conflict became an opportunity to build stronger relationships. Today, I’m grateful to share restorative mindsets, circle practice, restorative language, and relational ways of being with schools, families, communities, and organizations. I am convinced these practices offer a powerful path toward a more just and peaceful world.

Rebecca Taplin Partner

I have been a special needs teacher, a Montessori social studies teacher, and most recently a tutor. The common thread connecting my previous and current work is my belief that everyone, no matter what, possesses dignity, deserves respect, and needs connection.

Long before I knew the specifics of Restorative Justice in Education, I was practicing its core values within my relationships. As a child I always felt relieved after fessing up about my mistakes. As a middle school student, I made friends with individuals from every clique and loved collaborating on projects. I spent a lot of time observing others in new situations, including college courses, before joining the conversation. 

My work as a special educator, Montessori teacher, and one-on-one tutor has strongly reinforced my core values. In these areas of education, everyone is seen as an individual with unique strengths and needs. We also know that students must learn and practice social-emotional skills in order to be successful in their own lives. I love teaching adolescents! Working with young people to discover new information, solve problems, and find joy in being human keeps my brain sharp. Harnessing the adolescent explosion of neural connections and seeing my students’ authentic selves sustains my own heart and soul. 

Now that I’m helping adults use Restorative Practices, the beliefs I’ve always held stand true. I see each person I meet, from a middle school student to a seasoned administrator, as worthy of these essential aspects of humanity: dignity, respect, and connection.

Collaborators

I come to this work at the intersection of educational leadership, pastoral care, and justice. My journey began in urban schools, where, as a longtime educator, school leader, and ordained minister, I discovered the transformative power of listening, repairing trust, and creating spaces where people feel seen and valued. Over the past 25+ years, I’ve served students, families, and communities, driven by a deep conviction that true transformation happens when we lead with empathy, equity, and high expectations.

Grounded in faith and informed by my academic foundation from Evangel University, Cambridge College, and Northeastern University, I’ve applied Restorative Justice alongside culturally responsive education and leadership development. Whether reimagining school culture, designing mentorship programs for young men of color, or facilitating circles that honor each person’s dignity, I approach every initiative with strategic clarity and a steadfast commitment to belonging, healing, and agency.

Dr. Rachel King Facilitator/Trainer

As founder and restorative justice practitioner at RK Resolution LLC, I specialize in issues of identity-based and sexual harm in education.

For over two decades, I have been facilitating restorative justice conferences in community and school-based programs. I am passionate about helping individuals and schools respond to difficult situations in ways that give voice to those involved and promote healing and accountability. Restorative justice offers a framework for responding to harm that emphasizes relationships and repair over retribution and shame.

Experiencing serious interpersonal harm is difficult enough, but often that harm is exacerbated when we feel our needs go unmet afterwards. Through facilitation, coaching, and training, I have the honor of collaborating with and assisting the students, teachers, and staff within schools to effectively respond to and prevent harm using Restorative Practices.

Dr. Candace Julyan Retired

Janice Durham Retired