The FRJA Board of Directors
Gretchen Casey
President
President
Gretchen provides facilitation and training on utilizing and incorporating restorative justice approaches in criminal cases involving serious crime. For over 34 years Gretchen has been an advocate and counselor for victims of crime in Gainesville, FL. From 1999-2012, She was also the Director of Project Payback, a juvenile offender restitution program housed in the State Attorney's Office-8th Judicial Circuit. Gretchen is also the creator of amendinitiative.org and the facebook platform page Unshame which posts supportive messages for survivors of sexual assault. She believes that our lives are defined by what we are paying attention to; that people and ideals are often in conflict, and that in order to repair harm we need to face and understand harm. She has studied Morita therapy and trained with Dr. Brian Ogawa for the past 24 years. On weekends she is an avid gardener, horseback rider, and story collector. Here is a link to Gretchen's recent TEDxUF talk, Restorative Justice: Repairing the Harm after Sexual Assault https://youtu.be/eGzjM1JEbwo
Heart Phoenix
Board Member
Board Member
Heart's work, service and activism has spanned over five decades in the United States and internationally. As an educator and champion of environmental, animal rights, social justice, restorative justice, peacebuilding, racial and gender equality issues, she brings the passion and energy of her name....Heart. She is a co-founder of The Peace Alliance working towards legislation for a more peaceful and sustainable world. She is currently living her dream as Board President of the River Phoenix Center for Peacebuilding, in honor of her son. Her tireless efforts to launch and drive this work has lead to success in forming partnerships with Law Enforcement, Department of Juvenile Justice, Florida's State Attorney's Office, the University of Florida and countless partners in peacebuilding. She co-founded "Peace4Gainesville: A Trauma Responsive Community Initiative."
Her passion and commitment to nonviolence, includes over 40 years of a vegan lifestyle, and has been the center point of her life.
Her passion and commitment to nonviolence, includes over 40 years of a vegan lifestyle, and has been the center point of her life.
Nancy Charles
Board Member
Dejah Myers
Board Member
Dejah Myers is a life-long social justice advocate who is passionate about harm reduction and social revolution. She is a public speaker specializing in topics regarding race, gender, mental and physical health, and environmentalism, and has spoken for organizations around the world in countries like Mexico and South Africa. For the past 4 years, Dejah has worn many hats while working with the PeaceJam Foundation – an international organization founded by Nobel Peace Laureates for the purpose of inspiring youth to better themselves and their communities – including mentor, conflict resolution leader, and mentor trainer. Additionally, Dejah served as an adjunct professor at Thomas University, teaching their Peace Leadership course.
Dejah has also received both a Bachelors and Masters from Florida State University in the field of Sport Management and is currently pursuing a second Masters in Clinical Social Work with the hopes of continuing to work within the field of criminal justice reform and advocating for the importance of mental health.
Dejah has also received both a Bachelors and Masters from Florida State University in the field of Sport Management and is currently pursuing a second Masters in Clinical Social Work with the hopes of continuing to work within the field of criminal justice reform and advocating for the importance of mental health.
Michael Humphreys
Board Member
Andrew Robbins
Board Member
Wanda Easley Perkins
Board Member
Michael McBride
Board Member
Michael McBride is a Senior Database Administrator with Montalbano and Associates, currently contracted with the Florida Department of Transportation in Tallahassee. In March of 2010, his life drastically changed when his 19 year old son, Conor, took the life of his fiancé, Ann Grosmaire. Abruptly immersed in the judicial system, Michael witnessed firsthand the benefits of Restorative Justice in his son’s case.
As the story of this tragedy gained exposure, Michael has provided a unique perspective as a parent of the offender. With his wife, Julie, and Ann’s parents, Kate and Andy, he participated on a Restorative Justice panel at Campbell Law School and regularly speaks to a Law and Society class at Florida State University. He has presented at Restorative Justice conferences and contributes his knowledge of Restorative Justice to the Leadership Tallahassee Justice Day programs. Michael takes every opportunity to provide his perspective in support of restorative practices.
As the story of this tragedy gained exposure, Michael has provided a unique perspective as a parent of the offender. With his wife, Julie, and Ann’s parents, Kate and Andy, he participated on a Restorative Justice panel at Campbell Law School and regularly speaks to a Law and Society class at Florida State University. He has presented at Restorative Justice conferences and contributes his knowledge of Restorative Justice to the Leadership Tallahassee Justice Day programs. Michael takes every opportunity to provide his perspective in support of restorative practices.
Dr Cindy Bigbie, Julya Rose Taylor Denholm DeMaria, and Kelly McGrath, Esq.
Founders
Around a kitchen table in Tallahassee in 2014, these three friends and colleagues - dedicated to a more just and peaceful world - signed the founding documents for this organization.
The FRJA Staff
Dan Kahn
Executive Co-Director
Executive Co-Director
Along with serving as our Executive Co-Director, Dan teaches empathy skills to teenagers and supports them to achieve their goals with the Community Connections Restorative Justice Program in Tallahassee,
Dan received his AB from Amherst College, and his JD from Lewis and Clark College's Northwestern School of Law.
He is the seventh of eight siblings, and uncle of many. He lives in Tallahassee, where he loves to swim, bike, play, cook, eat, and watch stuff grow.
Dan received his AB from Amherst College, and his JD from Lewis and Clark College's Northwestern School of Law.
He is the seventh of eight siblings, and uncle of many. He lives in Tallahassee, where he loves to swim, bike, play, cook, eat, and watch stuff grow.
JoHanna "J" Thompson
Executive Co-Director
JoHanna Thompson, MPA is an Executive Management
Consultant who earned a Master of Public Administration from New
York University, Wagner School of Public Service, and an
undergraduate degree in psychology from Columbia University.
J’s career has been dedicated to creating collaborative spaces
across an intersection of networks, fostering relationships, and
maintaining a vision to increase the capacity of influencers,
community organizations, programs and campaigns working toward
equitable social and transformational justice.
J Thompson lends lived experience and expertise as a Social Impact Strategist, Public
Administrator, Organizer, Guardian ad Litem, Therapeutic Foster Parent, Temporary Instructor,
Interventionist, Restorative Justice Practitioner, facilitator, trainer, and Healer. A self proclaimed
agent of change and persuasion, J’s personal commitment and approach to life aligns with
community accountability, Structural Reconstruction, and the belief that “one day change gonna
come.”
Consultant who earned a Master of Public Administration from New
York University, Wagner School of Public Service, and an
undergraduate degree in psychology from Columbia University.
J’s career has been dedicated to creating collaborative spaces
across an intersection of networks, fostering relationships, and
maintaining a vision to increase the capacity of influencers,
community organizations, programs and campaigns working toward
equitable social and transformational justice.
J Thompson lends lived experience and expertise as a Social Impact Strategist, Public
Administrator, Organizer, Guardian ad Litem, Therapeutic Foster Parent, Temporary Instructor,
Interventionist, Restorative Justice Practitioner, facilitator, trainer, and Healer. A self proclaimed
agent of change and persuasion, J’s personal commitment and approach to life aligns with
community accountability, Structural Reconstruction, and the belief that “one day change gonna
come.”