Dr. Virginia Diaz-Mendoza is an Assistant Professor in the SEEK Department at John Jay College of Criminal Justice. Dr. Diaz-Mendoza is a licensed mental health counselor and currently serves as the SEEK Counseling Coordinator. In that role, she works with SEEK Counselors to provide evidence-based trauma informed counseling and advisement services. Her research interests include restorative practice implementation, educational equity, student leadership development, and organizational effectiveness. She recently completed a two-year evaluation of the implementation of restorative justice as an alternative to punitive discipline in New York City public schools. Findings support the use evidence-based restorative practices for mediating conflict, healing harms, and improving school climate and culture. (108 words)