Laura Parks

Laura Parks (she/her) is a PhD candidate in the Department of Teaching and Learning at Vanderbilt Peabody College. Laura completed her dissertation and doctoral coursework with a focus on racial equity and disrupting adult/youth power dynamics through Restorative Practices and Youth Participatory Action Research. Laura also completed her M.Ed. in the Learning, Diversity, and Urban Studies program at Peabody, and she returned for her PhD after teaching for 8 years in Metro Nashville Public Schools, where she taught high school English, coordinated Restorative Practices, and founded and currently leads Restorative Students Leaders. Laura is married to Community Research and Action PhD student, Ellen Parks, and has two yellow labradors, Honey and Winnie.