Joe Brummer is an internationally recognized restorative justice and trauma-informed educator and consultant whose work bridges trauma science, restorative practice, and peacebuilding. He is co-author (with Margaret Thorsborne) of Building a Trauma-Informed Restorative School and Becoming a Trauma-Informed Restorative Educator. Joe teaches at Hartford International University for Religion and Peace and supports schools and organizations internationally in building cultures of safety, regulation, and belonging through restorative approaches.

Veronica Madsen is a mixed settler/Mi’kmaq woman and a member of the Metepenagiag Mi’kmaq Nation in New Brunswick. Now based in Newfoundland and Labrador, she continues to learn and honour her culture through connection with Elders and community. As Coordinator of the IndigeLab Network at Memorial University, Veronica supports collaborative, community-based research grounded in Indigenous data sovereignty and relational methodologies. Her graduate research in cultural geography explores community-led housing and decolonizing approaches to “home,” guided by care, inclusion, and connection to land and people.

Tom Mugford is a Beneficiary of the Labrador Inuit Land Claims Agreement and the proud son of the late Horace and Martha (Williams). He spent many years in Labrador as a school teacher and administrator before relocating to St. John’s, NL, in 2018 to work with the Department of Education as a Program Development Specialist for Indigenous Education. Tom is also a Licensed Lay Minister in the Diocese of Eastern Newfoundland and Labrador. He has served for many years in his traditional homeland of Labrador as an active leader in the life of the Anglican Church and was installed as Canon for Indigenous Ministries and Advocacy in the Cathedral Chapter of the Diocese of Eastern NL.

dr. dorothy vaandering, professor of Education at Memorial University and Director of Relationships First Newfoundland & Labrador, has dedicated over 15 years to restorative justice education (rje) research. She is passionate about fostering relational, interconnected communities that value the worth of all, and works towards sustainability and transformation in rje. A prolific author, she has contributed to numerous publications, notably "The Little Book of Restorative Justice in Education."

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Sarah McDonald Moores is the Restorative Justice Education Coordinator with Relationships First Newfoundland and Labrador (RFNL). A longtime music educator and graduate of Memorial University’s Bachelor of Music/Bachelor of Music Education and Master of Education (Leadership Studies) programs, Sarah has taught in public schools since 2006. As a per-course instructor at Memorial University, she teaches Relationships First: Rethinking Educational Engagement. Her work promotes holistic restorative justice in education as a way of being grounded in connection, care, and accountability.

Kellie Walsh is the Artistic Director of the internationally celebrated Shallaway Youth Choir, Founder and Artistic Director of the award-winning Lady Cove Women’s Choir, and co-founder of the Inuit Youth Choir Ullûgiagatsuk in Nunatsiavut, Labrador. A Past President of Choral Canada, Kellie’s work spans Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada, and beyond. Her leadership embraces choral music as a powerful medium for cultural connection, social reflection, and community transformation.

Alla Melnychuk is a Ukrainian concert pianist and dedicated piano teacher. A graduate of the Kharkov National University of Arts, she has performed across Ukraine, Estonia, Poland, and France, and has taught students throughout Europe. Since moving to St. John’s in 2022, Alla has continued to teach and perform, sharing her artistry through collaborations with local musicians and community choirs. She provided language coaching and cultural guidance for Lady Cove’s performance of Trisagion by Ukrainian composer Iryna Aleksiychuk.

Kevin Coffey (Nunatsiavut Inuit) is the inaugural Knowledge Sharing Guide at First Light, an Indigenous-led organization based in St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador. He leads outreach, advocacy, and training for partners across arts, education, health, government, and community sectors—helping organizations move from awareness to meaningful action on Indigenous inclusion and the Calls for Change. Grounded in storytelling and heritage, Kevin’s work focuses on building trust-based partnerships to advance truth and reconciliation alongside communities.

Beth Tuinstra is Assistant Professor of Music Education in the Faculty of Education at Memorial University. Their teaching and research explore decolonizing and Indigenizing education, anti-oppressive education, the experiences of 2SLGBTQIA+ people with/in education, and reflective teaching practices. Through lived experience and scholarship, Beth brings insight into the intersections of culture, education, and identity, and is deeply committed to fostering equity and relational learning.

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Laurie Pinhorn is a Registered Social Worker, Holistic Naturopathic Therapist, and trauma-focused mental health practitioner. She integrates over thirty years of experience in counselling, social work, and holistic nutrition to support emotional regulation and healing. As co-creator of Empowered Parents, Laurie specializes in trauma-informed, body-based approaches grounded in Internal Family Systems (IFS), Self-Reg™, and polyvagal theory. Her work focuses on helping individuals, families, and communities build resilience through compassion, connection, and care.

Lisa Pinhorn is the co-founder of Empowered Parents, a holistic family intervention service that supports calm, connected, and compassionate environments for neurodiverse children. She brings more than 25 years of experience in community work, advocacy, and education, with a focus on authentic inclusion and family empowerment. Drawing on her training in Self-Reg™, trauma-informed yoga, and holistic wellness, Lisa helps families and educators nurture regulation, resilience, and relational strength at home and in schools.

Brooke Temple is a Haudenosaunee woman originally from Wahta Mohawks, Ontario. She is a passionate advocate for raising awareness around issues impacting Indigenous communities, with a focus on Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, and Two-Spirit People (MMIWG2S+), Indigenous rights, and gender-based violence. In her role as an Inclusion Case Manager at First Light, Brooke emphasizes trauma-informed and strength-based approaches rooted in understanding, balance, and holistic healing. She lives in Conception Harbour with her son Henry and partner Jordan.

Vice Chief Colleen Paul is the Central Region Vice Chief of Qalipu First Nation, elected in 2024. With over 25 years of experience in community development, she is a passionate advocate for Mi’kmaw families and Indigenous justice. A Certified Gladue Writer and trained Circle Keeper, Colleen promotes restorative approaches rooted in Mi’kmaw tradition and cultural teachings. She serves on the provincial Indigenous Women’s Steering Committee and facilitates community development through Empowering Indigenous Women for Stronger Communities. Born and raised in Badger, she lives there with her husband Robert and their two children, Kelly and Emily, remaining deeply connected to her community.​​

Catherine Ann Kelly is the Lead Facilitator with Community Justice Connect (CJC). Her restorative justice practice is rooted in community and shaped by years of learning alongside mentors, colleagues, and organizations such as NARES Camp, YOUCAN, and the Sioux Lookout Anti-Racism Committee. Catherine serves as Past President of the St. Leonard’s Society of Canada and as an advisory member to several national initiatives focused on justice, community engagement, and lived experience.

Lisa Charlong Norris, RFNL’s Grants and Project Manager, holds a BA, BEd, and MEd, and brings over fifteen years of experience in research administration, including grants facilitation, proposal writing, and Canada Research Chairs management. Her work bridges academic and community settings, combining expertise in research impact and project management with a deep commitment to restorative and trauma-informed practice. Lisa also works within the addictions-recovery community and is passionate about helping individuals and organizations foster healthier, more connected ways of being.

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Alyssa Brennan is an Instructional Resource Teacher and Athletic Director at Holy Trinity High School in Torbay. She holds degrees in Physical Education, Education, Special Education, and a Master of Education focused on Social and Restorative Justice from Memorial University. Alyssa empowers youth to lead learning through restorative practices and recently presented her work on student engagement at national conferences. She lives in Conception Bay South with her husband Mike, their four children, and puppy JamJam, and finds daily inspiration in the young people she teaches and her own family’s joy and curiosity.

Trent Langdon is an educator, counsellor, and advocate who is currently serving as Past President of the Newfoundland and Labrador Teachers’ Association and Vice-President of the Canadian Teachers’ Federation. A Canadian Certified Counsellor (C.C.C.), he works as a junior high school counsellor and is deeply committed to student well-being, educator voice, and inclusive, relationship-centred schools. Trent is dedicated to championing teachers, children, and publicly funded education.

Sheila O’Neill is from Kippens and is a member of Qalipu First Nation. A mother, grandmother, educator, and Traditional Knowledge Holder, she carries teachings shared by respected Elders and is dedicated to supporting Indigenous resurgence through education and relationship. Sheila has worked as a Communications Instructor with the College of the North Atlantic in Newfoundland and Labrador and in Qatar, and has served as Coordinator of Indigenous Student Success at Memorial University. She is currently the Indigenous Relations Manager with NewDock and Horizon Naval Engineering. Sheila is co-author of My Indian (2021) and Suliewey (2023) with Chief Mi’sel Joe.

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