RESTORATIVE JUSTICE SPECIALIST (she/her)

Donna facilitates dialogue with youth, families, and community members who have experienced harm, and her role with CCEJ includes restorative justice diversion for youth as an alternative to incarceration. Donna’s experiences as a second generation Iranian American raised in the Central Valley of California led her to question Eurocentric curriculum in schools. She was introduced to anti-oppression pedagogy in her undergraduate studies at UC Davis where she studied Middle Eastern and African History. Her passion for social justice and working with youth led her to UCLA where she earned a Master’s in Education and was introduced to Restorative Justice in schools. 

Donna taught high school social studies for 7 years for the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) where she aimed to challenge Eurocentric views of world history. In the classroom, Donna facilitated Restorative Circles and centered relationship building with her students. She designed an elective in which she trained students in Circle facilitation and Peer Mediation techniques. In her last 3 years with LAUSD, Donna transitioned to the role of Restorative Justice Teacher where she facilitated community building campus-wide and guided youth who were involved in incidents of harm. She aimed to dismantle the school-to-prison pipeline by approaching discipline through a restorative lens. Rather than punish students, she centered relationships, healing, and accountability. 

Donna’s aim to find alternatives to the criminal justice system led her to CCEJ where she facilitates harm and conflict dialogue with youth involved in the juvenile justice system.