Since my graduating in ’98 I have worked in the fields of education, gerontology and now in child care.

Conflict management is an important role for this grandmother of two. Kourtnee, age ten, and her sister Kelsee, age seven, plus their pet cats and dogs, are part of the daily mix that bring life, fun and challenges to the household. Chauffeur, tutor, chef, and program director are all part of my daily schedule while their mother works.

Monday mornings find me volunteering in the office of the girls’ private school. I enjoy assisting elementary students in various projects, and it allows me to get better acquainted with students, parents and grandparents. Conflict Mediation is offered as part of the curriculum in this school.

As an advisory board member for the Salvation Army of Harrisonburg and Rockingham County , I join the volunteer bell ringers to collect funds and bring Christmas cheer to our community.

9/07

I'm currently serving as Interim Priest and Rector at Trinity Episcopal Church in Muscatine, IA, integrating and using what I can from my learnings at EMU.

8/07
I am currently working with the Pittsburgh Mediation Center (PMC) in Pittsurgh, PA. I began with the Center in 2004 when I was hired to pilot a Restorative Justice program in schools. In 2006, PMC merged with the Center for Victims of Violence and Crime, at which point my role evolved into a training position encompassing work with both agencies.

Bonnie Price Lofton is the editor of Eastern Mennonite University’s quarterly magazine, Crossroads. She is also communications coordinator for the Center for Justice and Peacebuilding and editor of its bi-annnual magazine, Peacebuilder. She has more than 20 years of experience in newspaper, magazine and newsletter publishing. Ms. Lofton has worked as a writer or an editor for the Montreal Gazette newspaper, the Canadian Press wire service, the Richmond News Leader, the University of Virginia, Duke University and for a publisher of corporate newsletters. She has also worked for Science magazine. Ms. Lofton holds a masters in conflict transformation from EMU and a bachelors in English from McGill University in Montreal.

Following our graduation from CJP in 2000, Krista and I returned to Africa , working for MCC in Liberia . In the Fall of 2003 we completed this term and moved to the U.S. Krista was accepted in the Ph.D. program of ICAR at George Mason University . I found work as a consultant with various African development and peacebuilding groups.

In January ’06, I joined the Washington , D.C. office of Church World Service’s Emergency Response Program as associate director for international response. This work uses my experience in humanitarian aid, international development and disaster response, including work for the Mennonite Central Committee and Refugees International in Angola . My area of responsibility includes Africa and the Middle East , and it requires a lot of travel.

January 2008:

On January 25, 2008, I completed my position as a Founding Partner at the Voluntown Peace Trust (VPT). I currently live and work in New York City.  I am doing some restorative justice consulting with a non-profit organization called CASES - Center for Alternative Sentencing and Employment Services.  Through a partnership with the NYC Department of Education, CASES operates an alternative high school for youth transferring out of the juvenile detention system.  The school has incorporated restorative principles into its vision, and I am helping to develop curriculum and structure for the high school advisory program rooted in restorative justice principles, practices and processes.

January 2007:

Phase 2 of the campaign is now under way with our message being, "Defund the War and Declare Peace in Iraq!"  We will continue to target Congress, building on the ever-growing mandate for peace (as exhibited by the elections and the current opinion polls), which indicate that the people of the U.S. and Iraq want an end to the U.S. Occupation. Since the only power that Congress has to this effect is to redirect funding from war related spending to reconstruction, reconciliation, and troop withdrawal, our message is “Defund the War and Declare Peace in Iraq.”  Check out www.declarationofpeace.org for more information.

First Report:

Danny is a Partner at the Voluntown Peace Trust (www.voluntownpeacetrust.org), a non-profit center for social change and sustainable living located on 57 acres in Eastern Connecticut.  Voluntown Peace Trust is focused on creating space for hospitality and healing, particularly for those struggling against injustice, coming out of prison, or transitioning from work overseas.  We offer peace and justice oriented programs for youth and adults.  We also promote local organic agriculture and the resurgence of a local economy. This past year we formed an Organic Gardening Collective, and we planted about ½ acre on our property.  

In April, ’06, I became involved in organizing a campaign called Declaration of Peace, which spearheaded a week of nonviolent action in September. That week included congressional visits, rallies, vigils and nonviolent civil disobedience in over 120 cities across the U.S. to advocate for a shift of funding for war to meeting human needs, particularly in Iraq.

Pat Hostetter Martin is director of the Summer Peacebuilding Institute, a program of the Center for Justice and Peacebuilding at EMU. She was previously co-coordinator and adjunct professor in EMU’s Justice, Peace and Conflict Studies program. For eighteen years, she worked with Mennonite Central Committee’s programs in Southeast Asia. She holds a masters in conflict transformation from Eastern Mennonite University.

Gilberto works in Goshen, IN, at Northeastern Center, Inc., a community mental health center, as a bilingual therapist and director of a welcoming program for Latinos. He writes: “In the last year my activities have revolved around program development for the Bienvenido Program. The most recent activity was coordinating a Latino Behavioral Health Summit in Northeast Indiana. We were privileged to have presenters from California, Maryland, Michigan, Mexico City, and Indiana. The conference was an attempt to bring local Latino behavioral health professionals from our region to discuss the barriers to service and current sustainable behavioral health initiatives in the Latino community. We were excited about the turn out. We had 110 participants who represented a diverse sector of the community: mental health centers, schools, probation officers, teachers, professors, ENL teachers, counselors, and others.”

"Upcoming projects for 2006 will be to launch the Bienvenido Facilitator Training Program. We hope to secure interest from communities who are interested in implementing the Bienvenido Program. The program works at improving mental health and quality of life of Latino immigrants. Currently the program runs at NEC, West Noble High School, Elkhart Community Schools, and Center for Nonviolence. You can access more information at our website: www.nec.org"

Amy Potter is Associate Director of the Practice Institute. She develops projects and programs for the Institute. Amy is an experienced mediator, facilitator and trainer. Before coming to CJP, she worked at the Iowa Peace Institute conducting mediation and conflict resolution training. She was the coordinator of University Accord, a campus-wide program at EMU that provides mediation, facilitation and restorative justice services. She holds a B.A. from Principia College and a master’s degree in Conflict Transformation from Eastern Mennonite University’s Conflict Transformation Program.

In February of 2006, I left my job as Executive Director of a community mediation center in Roanoke, VA to work full-time with our son, Benjamin, who turned two in May. This change has provided more time for reflection and contemplation, which is sure to end once the second Poulson child arrives in May of ‘07.

I continue to serve as a mediator for the U.S. Postal Service and the local community mediation center. I am also the coordinator of the effort to have a “Peace” license plate produced for cars through Virginia’s Department of Motor Vehicles. Income from this plate will help support the peacebuilding efforts of Virginia’s community mediation centers. (Please contact me for details!) Christine, Steve and Benjamin currently live in Staunton, VA, only 30 minutes south of EMU.

Christine, Steve and Benjamin Poulson
314 Sherwood Ave.
Staunton, VA 24401
(540) 294-0732
poulsonca@yahoo.com