About Us
Dr. Sandra Pavelka, Ph.D., is President and CEO of Community & Restorative Justice Associates and Pavelka Consulting Group. Dr. Pavelka serves as Professor and Founding Director of the Institute for Youth and Justice Studies at Florida Gulf Coast University. Dr. Pavelka has been honored with numerous prestigious awards, including the distinguished Lois Haight Award of Excellence and Innovation by the Congressional Crime Survivors and Justice Caucus, US Congress as well as the eminent National Points of Light award. Dr. Pavelka was awarded the esteemed 2024 Women in Business APEX Award by the Greater Ft. Myers Chamber of Commerce. She has also received the Leadership and Service Award from the Florida Department of Juvenile Justice and the McTarnaghan Teaching Award at Florida Gulf Coast University.
Dr. Pavelka previously served as Project Administrator of the Balanced and Restorative Justice Project, funded by the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, U.S. Department of Justice. Prior to this appointment, she served as the Associate Director of the Center for the Study of Youth Policy at Nova Southeastern University, Shepard Broad Law Center. In this position, she administered the Florida and National Juvenile Detention Alternative Initiatives supported by the Annie E. Casey Foundation and served as Research Director for the Center.
Dr. Pavelka earned her Ph.D. in Public Administration with a specialization in Justice Policy from Florida Atlantic University. Her dissertation, Practice to Policy to Management: A Restorative Justice Framework, focused on national legal system reform and policy implementation. Dr. Pavelka holds a Master of Public Administration from Florida International University and a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from the University of Florida.
Dr. Pavelka is an internationally recognized expert, consultant and scholar in restorative justice. She serves as Senior Advisor on Restorative Justice for Restorative Justice on the Rise. Dr. Pavelka serves on the Law and Policy Committee (former Chair) for the National Association of Community and Restorative Justice, Law Working Group for the European Forum on Restorative Justice as well as the Advisory Committee for the U.S. Congressional Crime Survivors and Justice Caucus. She is a Certified Family Court Mediator and Restorative Justice Trainer. Her extensive body of work includes books, scholarly publications, and national conference presentations. She provides expert consultation, training, and technical assistance to legislators, policymakers, justice system professionals, educators, victim advocates, and community organizations.
In addition to her academic and professional achievements, Dr. Pavelka is a respected political and justice analyst for media on local, state, and national platforms. She co-chairs the Girls Coordinating Council of Southwest Florida and is actively engaged in community service through organizations such as the PACE Center for Girls, the Circuit 20 Juvenile Justice Advisory Board, and the Coalition for a Drug-Free Southwest Florida. Above all, Dr. Pavelka's greatest pride is her three children—Lauren, Breann, and Conner.
SELECT PUBLICATIONS
BOOKS
International Perspectives on Restorative Justice in Education. Editors: Charlton, J., S. Pavelka, and P.J. Verrecchia. Kanata, ON: J Charlton Publishing Ltd, 2011.
JOURNAL PUBLICATIONS
Pavelka, S. and D. Thomas, “The Evolution of Balanced and Restorative Justice,” Juvenile and Family Court Journal, 7(1), 2019.
Pavelka, S. and A. Seymour, “Guiding Principles for Restorative Justice and Victims,” Corrections Today, Jan/Feb 2019.
Pavelka, S., Restorative Justice in the States: An Analysis of Statutory Legislation and Policy, Justice Policy Journal, 13(2), 2016.
Pavelka, S. and D. Thomas, "Performance Measurement in Juvenile Justice: Developing and Implementing Model Reporting Systems," Perspectives, American Probation and Parole Association, Winter 2016.
Rowan Leach, M. and S. Pavelka, "The Political Rise of Restorative Justice," Huffington Post, March 26, 2014.
Pavelka, S. "Practices and Policies for Implementing Restorative Justice Within Schools," The Prevention Researcher, 20(1), 2013.
O'Brien, S. "Restorative Justice: Principles, Practices, and Application," The Prevention Researcher, 14, 2007.
SELECT PRESENTATIONS