Building Peace
©2021 by buildingpeaceks.org
A 501(c)(3) organization
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Our Team
Lyle Seger
After serving as a United Methodist pastor for 35 years, Lyle expanded the scope of his service to include restorative justice. He worked as a mediator for the Center for Conflict Resolution in Kansas City before deciding to create Building Peace in Lawrence. Lyle believes that victims need an opportunity to tell their story in order to heal, and restorative justice allows both victim and offender to address the wrong which builds stronger, healthier communities. “The Court System does not bring satisfaction to victims–the victim never gets to tell their story or ask questions, and they can’t heal. In a restorative justice process, the person harmed gets to say ‘this is what I need from you to move on’ and the offender has to take accountability and state that to the person they harmed. This allows the victim to feel like the incident that binds these two people together has some redemptive quality.
Verdell Taylor
Verdell is a retired pastor for the historic St. Luke AME Church in Lawrence and has been a mediator for over 20 years. He is also the Inclusion, Diversity, and Equity Manager at Lawrence Memorial Hospital. Verdell values listening to all sides and really taking the time to walk in another person’s shoes. Verdell believes that restorative justice gives people a chance to understand how their actions affect others, and to connect from the heart. “Listen from your heart. Listen from another person’s point of view. Listen from wearing someone else’s shoes. That is how justice is restored.”
Lisa Larsen
Lisa got her start in mediation settling landlord-tenant and civil disputes, where she met fellow board members Nancy and Lyle. Together they saw a need for a different approach to the justice system. From this, they worked to form Building Peace. Lisa believes restorative justice is an opportunity to give victims a voice in a justice system that often overlooks thier needs. It also holds those that have caused harm accountable for their actions.
Nancy Kelley
Nancy is a retired Language Arts teacher and has been a mediator for landlord/tenant cases and juvenile victim/offender cases using restorative justice practices for over 10 years. Nancy specializes in serving juvenile offenders and people from impoverished backgrounds, and believes that restorative justice is the best way to create safe, connected and thriving communities long term. “Restorative Practices help to create safe communities. When neighbors respond to conflict in a restorative manner, community connections can stay strong. When harm is done, restorative justice gives those who are harmed a means to address the harm with those who caused harm and find satisfaction in an outcome. Miracles can happen when people come together to solve a problem and to find common ground.”
Dave Mathis
Dave started volunteering with Offender-Victim Ministries in Newton, Kansas five years ago where he became enthralled with restorative justice and mediation. After receiving his training as a mediator, he has focused on parent-adolescent conflict resolution. Dave believes that we have an opportunity to change the trajectory of an individual's life by introducing a thoughtful pause and making sure we are truly in dialogue with one another.
Kirsten Paludan
Kirsten provides administrative support for the team and brings to Building Peace a wealth of creative and artistic talent. She is passionate about community outreach and uses her creative skills as a private music teacher and mentor. Kirsten is nationally known as a musician, actress, composer, as well as a mentor at the River Rock Camp for the past five years. Her love of community and creativity is a great asset to our team.