It runs in the family! A passion for restorative practices steeped in leadership and alignment.
Dr. Camille Tyson Jacobs earned her graduate certificate in restorative practices after being introduced to the field in her former role as an assistant principal – and at the dinner table, thanks to a family member! Currently, she serves as the Manhattan Borough Director of Restorative Practices and Implementation for the New York City Public Schools Department of Education. In this role, she oversees the implementation of restorative practices across more than 140 schools in New York City, guiding school leaders and superintendent teams from initial adoption to full integration. Her work focuses on cultivating restorative mindsets, building relational capacity, and embedding practices into school culture and policy – all while ensuring alignment with district-wide goals for sustainable, transformative change.
Q: What brought you to the IIRP?
A: I was first introduced to restorative practices through a district-mandated initiative while serving as an assistant principal. As part of that mandate, I participated in professional development focused on circle facilitation, but I was left wanting more. I needed to understand the deeper why, and the theory that grounded these practices.
It was during a family gathering that a chance conversation with my Aunt Hazel opened an unexpected door. She shared that she was beginning a master’s degree in restorative practices. I immediately asked, “Where does one go to study that?” Her reply: “The International Institute for Restorative Practices.” The rest, as they say, is history. I began taking professional development courses at IIRP and later earned a graduate certificate.
What started as a professional exploration soon became deeply personal. I realized that restorative practices were not only reshaping my leadership approaches but also transforming how I showed up in everyday life. That holistic shift became a turning point in my journey, and it was at the IIRP that I truly fell in love with restorative practices.
This love for the work stayed with me and became the heartbeat of my doctoral research, which explores restorative leadership as an alternative to traditional leadership models, such as servant leadership and transformational leadership. My research deepened my understanding of the intersection between relational leadership, justice, and collective care –not only as a way of knowing, but as a way of being and doing. This alignment between theory, practice, and purpose ultimately solidified my commitment to helping leaders reimagine their work through a restorative lens. You can engage with my full research here.
Q: Please tell us about your professional work now and what makes you passionate about it.
A: I am passionate about all things restorative! I bring nearly two decades of experience in educational leadership and currently serve as the Manhattan Borough Director of Restorative Practices in New York City Public Schools. The relational nature of this work, both complex and deeply human, has not only transformed my leadership but has also redefined how I build, repair, and sustain communities.
I am deeply passionate about helping school and system leaders lead with courage through a restorative lens. Researching and writing about the future of restorative leadership not only excites me, but also deepens my belief that leadership must evolve – centering humanity, justice, and shared responsibility.
In addition to my research, I am a contributing author in forthcoming publications that explore restorative leadership and the power of leading with purpose and passion. It brings me joy to be a steward of this work and to walk alongside other leaders committed to transformation, from policy to practice.
Whether I’m speaking at conferences, leading professional learning, or facilitating space for courageous reflection and collective growth, I remain devoted to helping others lead with clarity, compassion, and conviction.
Q: What would you like to see in this restorative work in the future?
A: I envision restorative leadership being more deeply embedded across sectors, not just as a practice, but as a transformative leadership philosophy. This includes developing immersive restorative leadership experiences that support leaders in cultivating healing-centered, relational approaches; embedding restorative frameworks into leadership preparation and certification programs; and disrupting traditional leadership pipelines that no longer serve today’s leaders, especially those navigating the complexities of schools, institutions, and communities in the 21st century. These shifts are essential to creating leadership models that center humanity, shared responsibility, and justice.
