Susan
Willson
About Susan
Susan Willson has over 20 years of experience using a restorative lens in her work to promote individual voice, advocacy and to create community. She is the founder of Together Works Restorative Consulting and serves as an ombudsperson for a national education organization, trains and teaches individuals and communities in restorative practices, and facilitates restorative dialogues.
Susan has implemented restorative practices with children, adolescents, and adults. She has worked in secondary schools (public and private), work ready programs, higher education, and nonprofits. In her role as student services coordinator at Temple University, Susan introduced restorative practices to increase inclusivity and accessibility for students impacted by a disability. She is actively involved in academic research in higher education and presents regularly at national and international conferences.
Susan values the power of community inclusion and the ability to connect with one another to heal, transform and create endless possibilities. Susan holds a Bachelor of Arts in English from New York University and a Master of Science in Restorative Practices from the IIRP Graduate school.
TESTIMONIALS
"I operate a farm-based education operation in Shelburne, Vermont. Susan's need-based approach and perspective have transformed our organization. It's so easy in a position of leadership to impose solutions on program staff and participants. It's also easy to ignore that preserving all the power and control also means shouldering all the stress. Thanks to Susan's coaching my job has become so much easier. I hold my and the organization's goals for the children in the forefront and help my staff flesh out what works for them, the parents and the children in the day to day programming. The challenges that emerge become opportunities to become more aware of each other and our collective needs. Our problems become stepping stones to greater understanding and communication. Staff buy in is so much greater, and as they learn restorative practices and pass them on to the children, magic emerges."
MICHAELA RYAN / OWNER / NEW VILLAGE FARM
"Susan is an incredibly thoughtful and intuitive listener who essentially understands what I am saying before it fully comes out of my mouth. This is her years of experience combined with a unique sensitivity - the perfect balance of science and art. She has helped me to lead my organization using restorative practices as the guiding force. Every day is a journey of getting to 'with'."
NANCY EASTON / CO-FOUNDER & EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR / WELLNESS IN THE SCHOOL