Staff
Troi Bechet (she/her) is the founder and CEO of the Center for Restorative Approaches. Troi earned her Bachelor’s in Psychology from the University of New Orleans and Master’s in Social Work from Southern University at New Orleans and has over 25 years of administrative experience. Prior to her work with CRA, she worked as the Director of the Community Building Initiative at Neighborhood Housing Services, and served as the Director of the New Orleans Theater Association, as well as the Vice President of Operations at the Private Industry Council of New Orleans.
Email: tbechet@thecra.net
Jen Pagan (she/her) is a Restorative Approaches Specialist with the Center for Restorative Approaches facilitating restorative circles and training school faculty and staff in Restorative Approaches. Prior to her work with the CRA, Jen served as the Artistic Director for InterACT NOLA, a theatre program for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities at the Arc of Greater New Orleans. During her six year tenure as the Marketing Director for Whole Foods Market, she developed strong community partnerships with local schools and programs including the Rethinkers, Grow Dat Youth Farm, Liberty’s Kitchen, Tulane School of Public Health, Café Reconcile and the Emeril Lagasse Foundation among others, to address healthy school lunch initiatives, youth development and food security. Additionally Jen brings twenty years of experience in youth arts programming as an administrator, performing artist and educator with non-profit arts organizations and schools such as Young Audiences, LA Children’s Museum, Contemporary Arts Center, McMain High School and Crocker Elementary. She is a graduate of the Second City Conservatory in Acting & Writing and is a certified Talent Teacher in Theatre Arts.
Email: jpagan@thecra.net
Gahiji Barrow (he/him) is a Restorative Approaches Facilitator with the Center for Restorative Approaches. He was born in New Jersey and has been living in New Orleans since 2010 after he graduated with a degree in international relations from Hawai’i Pacific University. He has done advocacy and organizing work within the criminal justice arena, previously working with Voice Of The Experienced and other organizations. Gahiji began mediating with the New Orleans Independent Police Monitor community police mediation program in 2015 and has since expanded his conflict confrontation practice to include inclusive and transformative mediation as well as restorative circles and coaching. He uses these tools to further transformative justice with acknowledgment of how systems and situations affect our ability to maintain healthy balances and deny us the right to see and interact with each other bringing our full selves. He is excited to further this work as part of the CRA team.
Email: gbarrow@thecra.net
Margaret Swords (she/they) is the Operations Manager at the Center for Restorative Approaches. A Mississippi native, Margaret is deeply committed to building and sustaining community — a commitment she has put into practice through organizing and mutual aid work with Step Up Louisiana, Southern Solidarity, and other local organizations. Margaret is also a Community Mediator for the Office of the Independent Police Monitor and is passionate about expanding access to alternative dispute resolution. As Operations Manager, she brings her experience managing teams and operations for small businesses in the hospitality world to support the smooth functioning of CRA’s programs. She is a graduate of the Step Up Louisiana Organizer in Training Program and the Anne Braden Anti-Racist Organizer Training Program.
Email: thecra@thecra.net