Our Instructors

Executive Director: Instructor and Implementation Coach

Pat Lewis serves as the Director for IIRP Canada. Pat’s professional journey has been guided by a deep commitment to student voice, inclusive education, and restorative school leadership. With more than three decades in public education, Pat brings a thoughtful and relational approach to every facet of her work.

Early in her teaching career, Pat explored ways to meaningfully engage students in decision-making, learning firsthand how relationships and emotional well-being are foundational to academic success. 

As a principal, she continued to elevate student agency and searched for a framework that aligned with her belief in community-centered leadership. That search led her to restorative practices—a discovery that sparked a transformative professional path focused on cultivating restorative school communities.

Throughout her career, Pat has taken a particular interest in supporting neurodiverse learners, advancing student well-being programming, and fostering teacher growth and leadership. In addition to her school-based work, she has contributed to restorative justice beyond education through volunteering with a local Youth Justice Committee.

Pat holds an Honours Bachelor of Arts in History from Western University, a Bachelor of Education from Queen’s University, and a Master of Education in Leadership and Administration from Brock University, where she focused her research on the opportunities and challenges of leading restorative schools.

She continues to be inspired by change-makers who believe in reimagining systems rooted in care, equity, and connection. Her greatest joy comes from collaborating with others who are dedicated to building more compassionate communities and applying restorative principles wherever people live, learn, and work together.