Speaker Details

Suzanne Belleci

Director of the Center for Restorative Practices

Suzanne Belleci taught conflict transformation, social justice, cross-cultural communication, and leadership courses for more than 18 years at SIT Graduate Institute. There, she served as SIT’s first ombudsperson, bringing groups together, facilitating restorative circles for conflict resolution, and mediating one-on-one disputes. She has also taught global peacebuilding, conflict analysis, conflict Interventions, and restorative justice practices to domestic and international students in SIT's graduate certificate program in Peace and Justice Leadership.

Working nationally and internationally, for more than 20 years, Susie has led workshops and trainings for peacebuilders in conflict and post-conflict zones in Iraq, Kosovo, Macedonia, Bosnia, Rwanda, Sri Lanka, Israel, and Palestine. She has also led trainings for youth from Northern Ireland, Cyprus, Iraq, Jordan, and the United States. She served in the office of Senator Nick Petris, in Oakland, California, as an aide and advocate in the most economically depressed city in the wealthiest state in the union. In this role, she worked on legislation to create universal healthcare and represented the senator in the district for the 10 months each year that he was in the Capitol. Continuing her work in advocacy, Susie was the developer and director of Jardin de Maestros, a program to create pathways for students of color to become teachers in the very districts in which they were raised and have their roots. She was a teacher and trainer in Madrid, Spain; Dijon France; Florence, Italy; Porto and Lisbon, Portugal; Jenin, Palestine; and Pohnpei Island in the Federated States of Micronesia and was the associate director of world studies at Marlboro College. Most recently, she was the director of the Greater Falls Community Justice Center in Southern Vermont and currently teaches Restorative Practices at Vermont Law School.

Fabio A. Ayala

Assistant Director of the Center for Restorative Practices

Fabio Arnaldo Ayala joins our community with rich experience in school and college-based restorative practices, conflict transformation, group facilitation, and training. With two undergraduate degrees in Spanish Studies and Religious Education from Andrews University, and a Masters of Arts in Intercultural Peacebuilding & Conflict Transformation from SIT Graduate Institute. Fabio has committed himself to being a life learner and reflective practitioner.

Prior to joining Amherst College, Fabio served neurodivergent learners at Landmark College as a Residential Dean & Assistant Director for Student Conduct & Community Standards. During this time he was able to put into practice his training in circle facilitation, program development, and community building with the goal of creating more inclusive and restorative spaces on campus.

Fabio’s professional journey also brought him to work with the Greater Falls Community Justice Center in Bellows Falls, Vermont where he served as a restorative practices’ trainer, community conflict mediator, youth advocate, and circle facilitator. Through his work at the GFCJC Fabio was able to complete his master’s thesis which centered around understanding how circles can be used as a tool for men identifying teens to reflect on, and engage with, their masculinity with the hopes of cultivating a more nuanced view of masculinity and its expression.

Fabio grew up in Windsor, Connecticut with deep cultural and familial roots in Puerto Rico. He is a lover of music and nature, avid swimmer and adventure seeker. He also enjoys tending to his houseplants and spending time with his cat Pippen. His next adventure will be taking on outdoor gardening.