Dina Thompson

Dina Thompson is the Executive Director and a founding member of Erie County Restorative Justice Coalition and serves as an adjunct professor of Restorative Practice at University at Buffalo Department of Social Work. She is a graduate of Hilbert College and holds a Master Certificate and licenses in Restorative Practice from the International Institute of Restorative Practices in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.  As a Restorative Practice practitioner, Dina has successfully help implemented Restorative Practices in several school districts across our county. Thereby, reducing negative responses to misbehavior and increasing positive parent involvement in school. As Executive Director, she has trained and supported  over forty schools and hundreds of community members in Restorative Practices. Through collaboration with other community-based organizations, Dina supports the implementation of restorative practices in many of our institutions across the region and in partnership with the Center for Resolution and Justice has helped facilitate restorative conferencing in Family Court and has coordinated Restorative Justice Day in Buffalo for the past four years. Dina and her team lead monthly restorative conversation to address the past and present harms of racism, privilege and implicit bias.