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The IIRP is proud to introduce six new members to our Board of Trustees in 2023. The IIRP Board of Trustees are holders of the organizational trust and mission. Our trustees bring many different perspectives and experiences from fields such as law, higher education, faith, public education, private foundations, government relations, management, and child welfare, which mirror the numerous arenas where restorative practices are being implemented.
- Héctor Alejandro Valle López, Ph.D. is a narrative psychotherapist, mediator, and restorative justice facilitator. He is the founder of the Dialogues Collective, a program that develops psychosocial and psychotherapeutic accompaniment programs in different communities such as prisons, schools, hospitals, and communities of victims. He is a trainer of facilitators in restorative justice, peacemaking circles, and mediation throughout Latin America and Spain.
- Deborah McLeod, Ph.D., worked for many years in the area of equality and human rights and recently retired as Director of Human Rights for the Northwest Territories in Canada. Deborah was instrumental in the development and implementation of a restorative approach to the work of the territorial human rights system and particularly to the human rights complaints process. She currently works as an independent consultant and is pursuing her Master's degree at the IIRP Graduate School. Deborah earned her doctorate from the University of Alberta (Canada), and is a chartered professional in human resources.
- Mike Butler is a retired Public Safety Chief in Longmont, Colorado, where he served for 26 years. He reinvented public safety within the context of partnerships and leveraged social capital. During his tenure, Longmont Public Safety instilled a philosophy that utilized many alternatives to the criminal justice system in order to respond to the human condition. Those options included restorative principles and practices in public safety’s response to numerous social and health issues. Mike also co-founded the School of Statesmanship, Stewardship, and Service (SOSSAS). The purpose of SOSSAS is to create a learning environment in which leaders, elected officials, appointed officials, and students can embrace, learn, and practice the many skill sets necessary to enhance their capacity to serve their local community, organization, or company in ways that produce high levels of citizen and/or employee engagement.
- Stephen Young is a certified community mediator and restorative justice trainer with Community Justice Alternatives of Durham Region (CJAD), where he also serves as the President of the Board. He works for Restorative Resolutions, providing training and coaching to schools across Canada, and can be heard in the weekly podcast “Circle Forum” discussing aspects of restorative justice in schools and broader society. He recently published The Restorative Principal: Leading in Education with Restorative Practices, describing his personal journey in learning about and implementing restorative practices in schools. He is an IIRP alumn and retired elementary teacher and principal with 35 years of service, having used restorative practices in schools for more than 20 years. Steve also worked in the Youth Justice court system and is a member of FaithCare, providing restorative services to faith communities.
- Mark Twomey, MPA, has worked in a wide range of roles in a number of industries and organizations over his working life. He spent extensive time at ANZ Bank Australia, with roles covering corporate and commercial finance, human resources, and strategic planning. At Youth Off The Streets, a not-for-profit organization, Mark provided support for young people through accommodation, outreach, and education. During his career, Mark gained experience leading and managing finance, fundraising, human resources, and information technology teams. In his current roles as the chief corporate services officer at Ability Options Limited, he applies his diverse experience as he oversees finance, property, and communications.
- Abdul-Malik Muhammad, Ed.D., has been serving both youth and adults as an educator, transformational leader, entrepreneur, and author for nearly three decades. Working with the underserved in urban and rural areas, he has focused on the development of boys to men, been active in social justice, and has built progressive organizations. His previous leadership journeys have included being a principal, career college president, corporate director of education, and regional vice-president of a national mental healthcare organization. He is currently the founder and CEO of Akoben LLC, a professional development company, and Transforming Lives Inc., a provider of alternative education services. Through this work, Malik is continuing to diligently transform lives, one community at a time. He is the author of The Restorative Journey – Book One: The Theory and Application of Restorative Practices and contributing author of the recently released Colorizing Restorative Justice: Voicing Our Realities.
