Organisational Committee Members
David Moore
President
David Moore has been involved with Australia’s restorative justice movement since the pilot program of group conferencing in NSW in the early 1990s. He has taught at several universities, worked in a Premier’s Department, trained facilitators and helped establish evaluated programs around Australia, North America, the UK and Scandinavia, and worked with David Williamson on the Jack Manning Trilogy of plays. In recent years, David has been a principal advisor to the Defence Abuse Response Taskforce and National Redress Scheme.
Michael Wood
Treasurer
Michael Wood is based in Melbourne. He is an Anglican Priest, Professional Coach and Restorative-Practices (RP) facilitator. Michael convenes a Community of Practice for people who are developing Restorative Practices in Faith Communities. He is also the Treasurer of the Australian Association for Restorative Justice.
Kristy Elliot
Kristy Elliott (B.Ed, MAPP) is an international consultant and educator with over two decades of experience supporting schools across Australia and Asia. As founder of Restorative Pathways, she helps schools build positive, relational cultures through restorative practices, leadership development, and the science of wellbeing. Kristy provides coaching, professional development, and strategic support for educators, leaders, and students, fostering psychological safety, collaborative classrooms, and stronger school communities through evidence-based, sustainable approaches.
Alikki Vernon
Vice President & Secretary
Alikki Vernon has worked in conflict management and restorative practice for more than twenty years. She coordinated the Dispute and Conflict Resolution Programs at La Trobe University Law School, and currently provides professional development training in group conferencing with Dr David Moore. She provides mentoring, and support for service-delivery & program development in justice, community and workplace contexts, practical support in managing workplace conflict, community and public sector organisational governance, & responses to institutional abuse and adolescent and adult family violence.
Anya Savundra-Shepherd
Administrator
ACT Restorative Justice Unit
Amanda O’Neil
Amanda has convened with the ACT RJU for 8 years.
She has a background working in psychotherapy, homeless services, DV crisis services and justice agencies. Her work to create and maintain safe spaces for people impacted by crime, and to realise the therapeutic potential of victim-offender conferencing, is informed by feminist and narrative perspectives.
Central Victorian Restorative Practices Alliance
Eastern Metropolitan (Melbourne) RAJAC
Eastern Metropolitan RAJAC
represented by
Aunty Lois Peeler
Aunty Lois Peeler
Aunty Lois is a Yorta Yorta Elder, a member of the Sapphires, political activist, passionate educator and principal at Australia’s only Aboriginal girls’ boarding school. Lois began her career in the community sector as Assistant Director of the Aborigines Advancement League, and subsequently held senior positions in the State and Federal public service. In 2017, she was named Victorian Senior Australian of the Year.
Jesuit Social Services
JSS represented by
Genevieve Higgins & Clare Horsfall
Clare Horsfall
Clare is Senior Manager of Jesuit Social Services programs in the Northern Territory.
Genevieve Higgins
Genevieve is Manager of Community Justice Programs at Jesuit Social Services in Melbourne.
Current jurisdictional representatives
The AARJ Committee has State and Territory Association Representatives, who (i) act as a local point of contact, and (ii) keep colleagues in other jurisdictions informed of local developments.
Current jurisdictional representatives are as follows:
NEW SOUTH WALES: Sue Brereton
QUEENSLAND: Christine Jones
SOUTH AUSTRALIA: [pending]
TASMANIA: Rikki Mawad
WESTERN AUSTRALIA: Graham Castledine