About A Center for Restorative Solutions & the Team

Pam learned from her Teacher Marshall Rosenberg:
“Get very very clear about what you want, and then live that way.”

Pam Orbach, the founder of A Center for Restorative Solutions acknowledges her privilege in the form of the opportunities and systemic inheritances she has been handed. She is dedicated to using her power and privilege to work nonviolently for justice and equity.

Since 2010, Pam has been a Nonviolent Communication consultant and trainer deepening her practice in Restorative and Transformative Justice, mediation, Circle Keeping and nonviolence. She works to support compassionate consciousness and direct action — a paradigm shift — partnering to collectively increase self-awareness, authentic communication, interrupt harm when it happens and to support systemic change.

Pam’s particular approach to community building and conflict transformation, grounded in Marshall Rosenberg’s Nonviolent Communication and Dominic Barter’s model of Restorative Circles, Pam has designed and delivered trainings in WA state prisons since 2015, consulted for and supported work with Freedom Project to dismantle the institution of mass incarceration and heal its traumatic effects on the community.

She has worked with businesses, NGO’s, local universities, school districts, and community organizations in the Greater Seattle area, nationally and internationally.

Tomo Kuman-Lesher is a graphic designer with over 30 years experience in her field. She has broadened her expertise with a combination of website development and business administration. She is beyond grateful to be core support for the center, supporting its undaunted and meaningful journey. Tomo's unique skill set in administration, logistics, finance, visual organization and communication structurally indispensably holds the structure/backend of the organization and manages how the center interfaces with the world. Tomo continues to support her other graphic and website clients in various industries in & out of Seattle area.

OUR PARTNERS & COLLABORATORS

Janice Eng is a second generation Chinese American from Eastern Washington. Janice has facilitated Nonviolent Communication classes since 1999.  

Janice is a founding member of two nonprofits based on Nonviolent Communication: Northwest Compassionate Communication in 1999; and Freedom Project in 2001. 

She has facilitated Restorative Circles with a Center for Restorative Solutions since 2019 and supported the Center’s year-long RJ immersion program in 2019-2020.

Janice has also facilitated Peace Circles on racial equity through Circle Works in 2018 through 2019.

She has been a certified counselor since 2013.

Devon Little finds passion in cultivating belonging - communities in which people know, value, and support one another at a deep level. She works as a facilitator, consultant, program manager and trainer, guided by the values of belonging, creativity, social justice and dignity. Devon is primarily informed by wisdom that has been in communities and ecosystems since time immemorial, but has been taught to her as part of the following frameworks: arts-based empowerment, restorative justice, anti-oppression, collective liberation, somatic awareness, organizational leadership, communication skills, and community-building. 

Devon has designed, facilitated, and managed experiential-learning programs for numerous organizations in the US and abroad. She also offers training and consultation for educators, team leaders, and other social service professionals. Devon supports individuals to access and articulate their hopes and knowledge, communicate across difference, undo implicit bias, envision new possibilities, improvise, learn communication or facilitation skills, transform conflicts, and more. Devon holds a Masters of Social Work and a Graduate Certificate in Restorative Justice. Her experiences in the performing arts inspire her to use creative mediums for individual and community development work.

P. Leonie Smith is a first-generation Canadian of Jamaican heritage and is founder of The Thoughtful Workplace, a consultancy that uses a relational and skill-building approach to coaching, training, and mediation. Her work and life are centred around sharing people-centred modalities such as Nonviolent Communication, Restorative and Transformative Justice practices, and Sociocracy to support people who are traditionally marginalised to show up in their full humanity. 

Through the use of these and other tools, she supports groups and teams to find ways of working that reduce harm by understanding and sharing practical skills to address the impact of systemic racism and oppression.  She has over 20 years of experience in senior management positions in nonprofit organisations in communications, fundraising and human resources. She is based in Vancouver, BC, Canada.  

thethoughtfulworkplace.com