Staff + Board

Larell has been in Baltimore since 1991. Originally from Boston, Massachusetts she came to Maryland to attend the Historically Black University, Morgan State University. During her senior year she began her career in the Non- Profit sector as an intern at the Court Appointed Special Advocate Program of Baltimore City. It was during that internship when her passion to empower, uplift, and support inner city youth began to take form. After interning for a year, and graduating from Morgan State, Larell extended her services to the Baltimore Child Abuse Center, formerly known as the Child Advocacy Network. During her 11 years of employment at the Child Abuse Center she refined her skills as a child and community advocate.  Larell joined the Community Conferencing Center (now Restorative Response Baltimore) as a Case Coordinator and Facilitator in 2010.  Along with her strong communication skills, she also learned how to multi-task, organize, and create a structured atmosphere that lends to a strong working environment. Larell is excited to be part of an agency that allows members of a community to have a structured environment to effectively work out their conflicts.

Community Conferencing has helped Larell to learn that it is important to express how we feel, in order to feel a sense of wholeness and to help others to learn from our experiences.

Jade, born and raised in Southern Maryland, has always had a passion for mental health advocacy, racial equity, and youth empowerment. From a young age, she took this passion and went to work becoming one of Maryland’s youngest community mediators in 2016, as well as a founding member of Prince George’s County State’s Attorney’s youth advisory council. Jade has had extensive experience in conflict management and small business operations. She is excited to learn and grow with the Restorative Response Baltimore team!

Liesje joined the RRB team on January 2, 2024. Previously, she served as the Executive Director of the Village Learning Place (VLP) and was with the non-profit library since 2001. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Environmental Biology from the University of Maryland, but her love of reading led her to the VLP Library. She brings her skills in management, strategic planning, financial development, and relationship building to her work at Restorative Response Baltimore. Liesje has been married to her husband, Neal, for 20 years, and they have 2 girls, Cait (19 years) and Paige (16). Liesje spends her time outside work reading, baking, camping, and traveling (or planning for the next family vacation).

Bobbi, once an at-risk youth, is dedicated to improving the quality of school life and building community for the children of Baltimore through restorative practice. Through advocacy, Bobbi educates school communities on discipline disparities among children based on race and gender. Her research includes increasing self-awareness and positive identity-building through targeted responsive circles for Black and Brown girls exclusively. Baltimore born and raised, she holds a Bachelor of Arts in English and a Masters of Science in Negotiations and Conflict Management both from the University of Baltimore. Bobbi is currently a doctoral student at Morgan State University studying Urban Educational Leadership, and her research focuses on the circle-keeping practices of Black women RJ practitioners and implementing RJ at home for Black caregivers.

Bobbi can be reached at barbara@restorativeresponse.org

For 20 years, Alicia has been a supporter and advocate for marginalized communities in a variety of roles. Alicia has worked with businesses, government agencies, nonprofit organizations, and corporations to support and promote communities of color by way of training, program development and leadership support.

Currently, she is also serving as the chair of Maryland Humanities Council. She was also the visionary and founder of the Maryland Black Chamber of Commerce and grew the chamber by offering programs such as the Black Women’s Leadership Roundtable, a groundbreaking accountability and training program for Black women business owners in Maryland.

In each of her positions, she has continued to be a voice for marginalized members in the community and a thought leader on issues of race and racism. She continues to engage in social and racial justice in all areas of her life.

Alicia can be reached @

director AT restorativeresponse.org

Sydney (she/her), is a restorative justice practitioner and youth advocate. She has had a strong passion for antiracism, youth development, and facilitation since adolescence. Sydney grew up in racially and socioeconomically diverse communities, having lived all across Baltimore City and in numerous surrounding counties.

Sydney graduated cum laude with a B.A. in Human Development & Community Engagement from Temple University’s College of Education, and she is now earning her M.A. in Restorative Justice from Eastern Mennonite University’s Center for Justice & Peacebuilding. She has spent several years working towards racial equity for Black families in Howard County experiencing high levels of normalized racism and elitism in intense academic environments, as well as supporting Baltimore City Public School students in academic and personal development. Her practice focuses on using restorative approaches to address and transform conflict in multicultural spaces related to identity, culture, and power dynamics, and to facilitate racial trauma healing spaces specifically for black youth and adults.