Community Wisdom with Stephanie “Sal” Lee and Donna Lekander

Restorative Works!

Claire de Mézerville López welcomes Stephanie “Sal” Lee and Donna Lekander from the Carlton County Restorative Justice Program to the Restorative Works! Podcast.  Stephanie and Donna join us and provide valuable perspectives on fostering healing and accountability in their respective roles. They discuss the critical role of meeting the changing needs of families and their community, emphasizing the power of restorative justice in supporting youth and families through grief and trauma. Stephanie and Donna envision a future where all youth have the opportunity to reach their full potential, supported by compassionate communities and holistic approaches to justice. They also highlight the importance of self-care for practitioners and the organizational culture necessary to sustain this vital work. Stephanie is a program specialist with the Carlton County Restorative Justice Program and has had the honor of serving youth and families through her work with restorative justice and grief support. Recognizing the importance of meeting the changing needs of families and community; she strives for ever-evolving program development, growth, and improvement. In her spare time, she enjoys tending the garden, walking the fence lines on her farm and hugging her grandsons.   Donna serves as the director for the Carlton County Community & Family Initiatives Department and Children’s Mental Health & Family Services Collaborative, bringing three decades of experience in social service and education. She specializes in program development, policy formulation, system-level work, and program evaluation, fostering collaborations with various partners, school districts, and tribal nations to support youth and families. Known for her innovative leadership and unwavering dedication to enhancing lives, Donna also finds joy in spending time with her family and immersing herself in nature during her leisure time. Tune in to learn more about Stephanie and Donna's impactful contributions to community well-being and discover how restorative approaches are reshaping the landscape of justice and healing. Their program boasts of a 92% success rate for the youths first offense and 75% of youth do not return to the program as well as a lower number of youth courts involved. Learn more here!