Alex Zuur, M.S.W.

Senior Consultant

Alex Zuur is a restorative justice facilitator, researcher and social worker with significant experience in designing and implementing trauma informed responses to harm in a range of international and local contexts.  She has a strong foundation in front line street outreach, advocacy and case facilitation and is now passionate about the application and implementation of restorative frameworks to different situations of harm and distress. 

During her time in New York, she conducted action research to apply restorative justice principles to the crisis of mistrust between police and communities. There she developed and led the reconciliation portfolio of a US. Department of Justice funded pilot project and advised police departments around the country on ways to implement a city wide reconciliation process that acknowledges harm and creates meaningful change. 

Back in New Zealand, she led the operational and emotional support components of the world’s first nationwide restorative process to address health care harm.  This project was co-designed with patient advocates and resulted in more than 600 patients sharing their stories of surgical mesh to senior representatives from the health sector.

She also has expertise in supporting both survivors and perpetrators of sexual harm and currently provides trauma informed crisis support and restorative responses to students impacted by sexually harmful behaviour. 

She currently works as a Research Fellow for the Diana Unwin Chair in Restorative Justice, as a Student Interest and Conflict Resolution Advisor and as a Restorative Justice Facilitator through Wellington Community Law Center. In these roles she provides training, consultation and facilitation services to support organisations implement restorative practices. 

Alex holds a Bachelor of Social Work from the University of British Columbia, where she represented New Zealand as an International Leader of Tomorrow Scholar, and a Masters of Science in Social Work from Columbia University. She is also trained as a trauma informed yoga teacher, as a mediator, and has a number of advanced certifications in complex restorative justice case facilitation.

Alex also enjoys the opportunity to give back to her community as a Search and Rescue Volunteer with Wellington LandSAR.