Centre Staff | RMIT Centre for Innovative Justice

Bess Smallwood

Bess (she/her) has more than 10 years’ experience in the justice and community sectors, including 6 as a practising criminal defence, mental health and community lawyer.

Theo (they/them) is a current Juris Doctor student at RMIT and holds a Bachelor of Arts (Criminology and Politics & International Relations) from The University of Melbourne. They are currently living and working on Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung Land.

Bonnie Vu

Bonnie is the Administrative Officer at the CIJ, bringing over five years of experience in administration.

Yvette Clarke

Yvette is a policy, research/evaluation, community engagement and strategic projects specialist with over 15 years’ experience across access to justice, family violence, Aboriginal justice, crime prevention, early intervention, and service delivery.

Phoebe Barton

Phoebe is an experienced restorative justice facilitator and project manager. She currently manages Open Circle’s Weaving Repair program that responds to young people harmed by, and engaging in, harmful sexual behaviours.

Alex Partington

Alex is a researcher at the CIJ with a background in legal practice across the community, public and private sectors.

James Davis

James is an experienced administrator, having worked in many varied administrative roles over his career.

Emily Piggott

Emily is a social worker with extensive direct practice experience working with people with disability involved in the criminal justice system.

Samara Young

Samara has worked across a range of sectors, including Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations, NGOs and the education sector in roles involving communications, social policy, project management and service delivery.

Matilda Simpson

Matilda provides project support across a range of projects at the CIJ, with a focus on the CIJ's family violence research agenda.

Melanie Joosten

Melanie is a social worker, writer and researcher who supports the CIJ’s work in the area of restorative justice. She manages the Transport Accident Commission (TAC) Restorative Justice Program, which provides restorative justice for people who have experienced road trauma.

Katie Christensen

Katie Christensen (She/Her) is a Wurundjeri Woman who has extensive experience working in the Domestic Violence sector – supporting Women who have experienced violence in crisis and long term case management and facilitating healing groups for women.

Megan Hughes

Megan Hughes is a lawyer, writer and policy adviser with experience working in the public, private and not-for-profit sectors.

Renee Handsaker

Renee is a highly skilled facilitator with extensive expertise in restorative justice and conflict transformation.

Dorothy Armstrong

Dorothy Armstrong is an advisor, lived experience expert and peer mentor. She works extensively across the disability and criminal justice sectors and provides advice on a range of issues relating to people with acquired brain injury involved in the criminal justice system.

Riley Ellard

Riley is an experienced researcher, consultant and trained lawyer with over a decade of experience in social policy. She has experience and technical expertise in qualitative research, evaluation, program and system reviews, service design, and reform implementation, and a particular interest in working with people with lived experience, whether in the context of research participation, consultation, or co-creation of knowledge and solutions.

Katherine Ogilvie

Katherine (Kat) Ogilvie is a social worker who works across the Centre for Innovative Justice and partner agency the Law and Advocacy Centre for Women.

Stan Winford

Stan helped establish the Centre for Innovative Justice (CIJ) at RMIT University and the CIJ’s restorative justice arm, Open Circle. He is a practising lawyer and justice expert with experience in innovation and reform.

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Centre for Innovative Justice

RMIT Building 13
405 Russell St, Melbourne, VIC, 3000
Wurundjeri Country

Email: cij@rmit.edu.au
Phone: 03 9925 7249

Acknowledgment of country

RMIT University acknowledges the Kulin Nations as the Traditional Custodians of the land on which the University stands. The University respectfully recognises Elders both past and present. RMIT also acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of lands across Australia where it conducts its business, their Elders, Ancestors, cultures and heritage.

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