Trusted voices

Shila works with brilliant collaborators and co-facilitators to support you in finding the right outcomes. Shila knows that she is stronger when she’s supported by a team of trusted voices.

In Loving Gratitude and Remembrance of Elder Billy Lewis

Billy (1925-2024, he/him pronouns) was a vibrant spirit who left an indelible impact on anyone who was lucky to know him. *Restorative Approach* was born in part because of his steadfast support, wisdom, guidance, and love. Billy was a peacemaker, a trickster, a passionate advocate and protestor, an avid reader, and a well-loved and well-known member of the community. Even in his later years he never stopped working on community projects that support the common good. He occupied the role of Dalhousie Elder in Residence and acted as an Elder in other places as well: in restorative justice circles, for event openings, and for the KAIROS Blanket Exercise, to name a few. His was interested in an incredible diversity of topics, including justice activism, restorative approaches to justice, labour organizing, sustainable gardening, and creating the loving communities we long for. Billy was a dear friend and collaborator of Shila’s for many years and provided her and the team with endless wisdom. She is immensely grateful for his nurturing presence. In Billy’s spare time he loved to socialize, go to sweats, cuddle his cute dog, and disrupt the status quo. He was so loved, and he is dearly missed. We at *Restorative Approach* send Billy endless gratitude for his connection to us, and for his exemplary embodiment of walking the path of peace. We now hold him as a beloved Ancestor and continue to learn from his teachings and legacy. Our firm would not be what it is today without Billy. We miss him terribly. His obituary is here.

Our Team

We are a small team of 12 diverse practitioners from a variety of professional lineages including restorative justice, victim/offender mediation, non-violent crisis intervention, queer advocacy, domestic violence prevention, and youth advocacy. We aim to connect the right practitioners to each project. Restorative Approach is proud to be 100% queer-owned.

To learn about our founder (and lead on every project), see Shila’s bio page here.

We are honoured to work with
Elder Geri Musqua LeBlanc (she/her).

Geri Musqua LeBlanc (she/her) is a mother, grandmother and great-grandmother. She is a residential school survivor. She follows the traditional way of life as taught by her ancestors. Geri has received the Queen's Diamond Jubilee medal for her work on employment equity and sharing her knowledge with co-workers and leaders. She is now honoured as an Elder in urban Kjipuktuk and supports participants in the KAIROS Blanket Exercise. Geri believes she is doing what Creator has asked her to do - share knowledge to help Indigenous people be treated fairly. Restorative Approach is honoured to work with Geri!

Our makeup

30% of our team is racialized

65% of our our team are women

30% of our team is from the 2SLGBTQIA+ community

75% of our team is from an equity-seeking group

Maliha Azhar (she/her)

Maliha Azhar (she/her pronouns) has a Master of Law in Human Rights and Dispute Resolution and believes in using restorative approaches not only with clients at work but as a way of life. Working in South Asia in mediations as well as providing dispute resolution training to judges and lawyers provided Maliha a unique perspective on the justice system. After moving to Canada, she wanted to continue working with the community and be able provide holistic dispute resolution. Maliha has been facilitating restorative justice circles for more than seven years and brings her diverse experience to the process. Maliha also enjoys spending time with friends and family, and travelling.

Claire Leger (she/her)

Claire Leger (she/her pronouns) is a community connector and youth worker located in Kjipuktuk (Halifax, NS). She has worked for Halifax Public Libraries as a Teen Specialist since 2017, supporting youth in Clayton Park and Fairview via programming, volunteerism, and advocacy. She is also certified as a Nonviolent Crisis Intervention Workplace Trainer through the Crisis Prevention Institute. In addition, Claire is a yoga instructor and has worked with diverse groups of all ages to incorporate mindfulness practices into daily life. Prior to her role with Halifax Public Libraries, she worked for ten years in the performing arts. Her work as a choreographer has toured across Canada and she has presented at national and international conferences and events. Her professional endeavours are all inspired by her passions for community building and nurturing mental health and wellness through the restorative lens. Claire is the proud mother of a curious and charming two year old daughter, and loves to read, cook, and spend time outdoors with her family.

Stevi Gerrior (they/them)

Stevi Gerrior (they/them) has always served the community in a frontline capacity. They bring their lived experience, knowledge, and sense of humour to each and every conversation. They are committed to supporting people in having healthy, open, and honest discussions around safe sex, gender, and sexuality while removing the stigma for topics that are "taboo". Stevi envisions a world where accessibility is the norm and people feel free to be who they are.

Becky Kerr (she/her)

Becky Kerr (she/her pronouns) is a Social Worker who utilizes restorative approaches in her work with clients. With a degree in Criminology and Sociology alongside her Bachelor of Social Work, Becky has years of experience working with diverse populations with a strong focus on at-risk youth and those encountering housing insecurity. Becky has worked with Out of the Cold Shelter, Phoenix Youth Programs, and with various Shelter NS locations, including Metro Turning Point. In addition to her work with restorative approach, Becky is a Youth Counsellor with Halifax Municipalities Mobile Youth Support Team where she provides brief intervention services to youth in crisis with risk of engaging in gun and gang violence. Becky is passionate in the belief that restorative approaches to harm serve the community, persons harmed and persons causing harm. She believes it is more impactful long term to employ restorative responses than traditional ones. Becky has been facilitating restorative justice circles for years and is confident in navigating complex conversations.

Allison Smith (she/they)

Allison Smith (she/they) received her law degree from Dalhousie in 2014 and since then has built a career focused on human rights, fostering gender diversity, addressing gender-based violence, and restorative conflict resolution. She has worked as an investigator at the Nova Scotia Human Rights Commission and in various roles at the Legal Information Society of Nova Scotia. An avid and articulate writer, Allison is the author of publications such as Moving Beyond the Binary: a Guide on How to Make Your Organization Meaningfully Inclusive of Two-Spirit, Trans, Non-Binary, and Gender Diverse People and Let Me Be Me: a Legal Information Guide to Canada's Conversion Therapy* Ban. Both publications were written in collaboration with Restorative Approach founder Shila. Allison's current position is at Acadia University, where she is responsible for the university's Sexualized Violence Policy, supporting and advocating for survivors, and building and deepening a culture of consent across campus. She is passionate about employing a trauma-informed and survivor-centered approach in all aspects of her work. Allison has the privilege of collaborating with Restorative Approach on various initiatives, including public legal education projects and workshops. Allison is also an accomplished creative writer and musician and is working both on her first collection of short stories and on recording her many songs.

Justyn Henley (he/him)

Justyn (he/him pronouns) is a psychology graduate of Saint Mary’s University who is currently pursuing a master’s degree in counselling psychology. Justyn is certified in Dialogue for Peaceful Change, which he credits for enhancing his mediation skills. He has worked as a recreational assistant, psychology research assistant, and as a support worker within a small-options home. For the last two years Justyn has worked as a circle co-facilitator in a group counselling context, working with men to develop and maintain healthy intimate relationships. Justyn embodies restorative practices in his work and hopes to continue promoting restorative solutions in the community. Apart from professional interests, Justyn enjoys reading, watching animated series, and going to the gym.

Maureen St. Claire (she/her)

Maureen St. Clair is a conflict coach, facilitator and trainer with over 20 years building safe and brave enough spaces for people to authentically grapple and reckon with conflict as a pathway to vision, purpose, action and change. Maureen is a board certified psychosynthesis coach, serving as an embodied conflict coach working in the areas of transition, anti-racism, and relationship building.
Maureen co-founded The Grenada Listening Project and has worked extensively holding space individually and collectively for and within relationships. Maureen has worked with friendships, parents and adult children, work colleagues, directors and employees, and artists. Maureen works with folks struggling with issues such as cultural, gender, class, racial differences, life transitions, finding what is theirs to do in an unjust world and artists labouring to move their projects/ideas/dreams forward.
Maureen carries with her a deep rootedness in transformative learning and community practice, believing in the creative force of nonviolent conflict for personal and social change and emphasizing the importance of our lived experience. Maureen invites individuals to reflect on and work towards transforming relationships at personal, interpersonal, and systemic levels, with a focus on compassionate communication and transformative conflict analysis skills and tools. Her commitment supports inner work for healthy relationships as a means of empowering the outer work of impacting systems and structures.

Stephanie MacKinnon (she/her)

Stephanie (she/her) is a Life Coach and Community Facilitator, with an MA in Adult Education and Community Development. Stephanie is passionate about supporting those she works with to foster lives where they feel clear, confident and excited each day. She builds on ten years of experience working in the non-profit and community development sectors to support socially conscious humans to shed external expectations (the ‘shoulds’ society places on our shoulders) and to confidently pursue the dreams they hold for themselves, their loved ones, and their communities. Outside of her work, you will often find Stephanie by the ocean, whether taking a cold dip, going for a beach walk or surfing; she finds being by the sea both deeply grounding and expansive, all at the same time. Steph runs her own firm - to learn more, find her website here.