New Provost Selected for the International Institute for Restorative Practices Graduate School

BETHLEHEM, Pa., Jan. 9, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- After a nationwide search, Linda J. Kligman, Ph.D. President of the International Institute for Restorative Practices (IIRP), has selected Michael Valdez Raffanti, Ed.D. as provost for academic affairs.

As Provost, Valdez Raffanti oversees all the IIRP educational offerings from continuing education to graduate-level programs.

"Provost Valdez Raffanti brings a collaborative spirit and the proven creativity needed to develop and expand our educational programs. He has successfully recruited adult learners passionate about social justice and developed meaningful curriculums across disciplines," said Kligman.

Valdez Raffanti has an extensive professional background in education and social justice. He became interested in a career in education while practicing poverty law in San Francisco, CA, where he had the opportunity to co-create a high school law academy.

Valdez Raffanti earned his doctorate and launched a career in higher education as a professor and academic leader. He has engaged with restorative practices and related concepts as a lawyer, teacher, and scholar and is committed to the growth of the field of restorative practices through interdisciplinary research, evidence-based practice, and forging relationships with like-minded scholars and practitioners.

"The field of restorative practices offers evidence-based means for strengthening individual relationships and community connections. It also can make an impact on counteracting the division, isolation, incivility, and community deterioration that are so prevalent in today's world," said Valdez Raffanti. "I am honored to join the IIRP team and further the mission of restorative practices."

For more information go to IIRP Leadership.

About Michael Valdez Raffanti, Ed.D.

Valdez Raffanti holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Philosophy and History from the University of Portland, a Master's in Teaching from The Evergreen State College, a J.D. from Boston College Law School, and a Doctor of Education in Leadership and Change from Fielding Graduate University. He has published in journals such as Grounded Theory Review, World Futures, Journal of Integral Theory, and International Journal of Diversity in Organizations, Communities and Nations. He has also presented at international conferences on topics of leadership, diversity, pedagogy, social emotional learning, children's social justice literature, and qualitative methods. His love of research is reflected in the more than fifty dissertations he has supervised for doctoral students over the years.

About the IIRP

The International Institute for Restorative Practices (the IIRP), located in Bethlehem, PA, is the world's first accredited graduate school that specializes in studying the field of restorative practices, providing education, research, and consulting services.

At the heart of restorative practices is the understanding that human beings are instilled with the need to connect and grow with each other. The IIRP supports students and community leaders with the tools they need to transform relationships and effect change within their own lives as well as within public and private K-12 educational institutions, public and private four-year residential colleges and universities, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and community-based organizations (CBOs). Through strong academic offerings combined with a real-life approach to education, the IIRP helps mend issues and makes resilient and meaningful relationships thrive.

As the field of restorative practices grows and evolves, we are dedicated to always being at the forefront of exploring and testing new concepts, new approaches, and new methods. IIRP.edu

Contact: Kim Plyler [email protected]

SOURCE The International Institute for Restorative Practices