Beth Hampson Co-Founder & Partner

I believe that education is justice.  

As a college student studying elementary education, I tutored and student taught in Washington DC public schools. Through my teaching and course work I began to understand the reality of systemic racism and the historical roots of injustice.

At Harvard’s Graduate School of Education, a class with Carol Gilligan and Bessel van der Kolk deepened that understanding. We explored cultural trauma and how unaddressed collective harm—like the trauma of slavery and genocide—persists across generations. I began to see how poverty, mental health struggles, and violence are linked to historical wounds we’ve never fully acknowledged or healed.

As a teacher I work to create classroom spaces that honor all voices. Despite working in systems that focused on diversity and inclusion, the reality was that students were expected to assimilate rather than be fully seen and heard. Schools struggled to change; the burden was always on the students.

Throughout my career my I have come to understand more deeply that both education and justice work is relational—it happens in community. This is what led me to Restorative Practices.

I’ve spent 30 years working with children and families, intuitively centering strong healthy relationships. Whether through circles in my classroom or facilitating conversations among adults, I’ve seen the power of restorative work to heal, connect, and create real justice.

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

I am a restorative justice practitioner with RK Resolution LLC, specializing 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