Kandace Forrester
Restorative Equity Partnership, Managing Partner and Chief Innovation Officer
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Dr. Kandace Forrester is a highly accomplished managing partner at Restorative Equity Partnership (REP), renowned for her expertise in education and her dedication to improving the lived experiences of students. With a career spanning over 15 years, she has held various impactful roles, including educational psychologist/school psychologist, director of student services, consultant, speaker, homeschool teacher, and curriculum developer.
Previously, Dr. Forrester served as the CEO of the California Institute for Educational Progress (CALIEP) and worked as a CDE-approved Technical Assistance Facilitator. Her comprehensive knowledge encompasses a wide range of areas, including special education, restorative justice, psychosocial and cognitive development, qualitative and quantitative research methods and data analysis, as well as diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging.
Drawing from her expertise, Dr. Forrester is committed to amplifying joy and eliminating oppression in the educational landscape. Her focus lies in ensuring that students' experiences are enriched, and their agency intentionally catalyzed in ways that help them to thrive in their academic journeys and beyond. By promoting culturally-affirming restorative practices and fostering a sense of belonging, Dr. Forrester aims to create an environment where every student can flourish.
Dr. Forrester's extensive knowledge, passion, and commitment make her an invaluable partner for organizations seeking to create more inclusive and equitable educational spaces. Dr. Forrester and REP provide a robust array of services, including consultee-centered consultation, systems analysis and transformative strategies based on in-depth data analysis, customized professional learning based on specific areas of need and growth, and more. REP’s collaborative work with dozens of districts throughout California, spearheaded by Dr. Forrester and Micki Singer, has positively impacted the lives and experiences of thousands of students and hundreds of school personnel.
In addition to her professional accomplishments, Dr. Forrester is a Sacramento native who, as the first in her family to attend college, earned her B.A., M.A., and Ph.D. from UC Berkeley. Before moving to Los Angeles, where she and her family currently reside, they lived in the Bay Area for several years and spent over a year exploring the United States by living “on the road” full-time in their RV. Dr. Forrester’s personal interests include exploring the city's vibrant restaurant scene, hiking, attending live concerts, and finding solace at the ocean or in front of the pottery wheel.
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Honest Conversations, Bold Actions: Building Equitable Systems Grounded in Care
This session is a partnership between Restorative Equity Partnership (REP) and Fresno Unified School District (FUSD)—a collaboration grounded in trust, accountability, and a shared commitment to transforming equity work from performative to truly impactful.
Through real, on-the-ground examples, this session highlights how theory, existing district initiatives, and action are braided together to drive research-based transformation. Participants explore how:
1. Honest acknowledgment of systemic shortcomings builds trust, validates lived experiences, and lays the foundation for meaningful action,
2. Foundational learning, like Cultural Proficiency Training, serves as a springboard for deeper, equity-centered work, and
3. Staff-driven learning—rooted in intentional framing, active listening, and actionable problem-solving—empowers educators to approach challenges with agency, creativity, and care.
This session engages participants through interactive discussions, reflective exercises, and collaborative problem-solving. Participants gain tools to:
1. Build psychological safety that fosters courageous, solution-focused equity conversations,
2. Leverage district priorities and initiatives as a foundation for sustainable change, and
3. Center care and creativity to create environments where both staff and students thrive.
When theory, action, and district commitments are braided together, equity work becomes more than an aspiration—it becomes a transformative force that creates real, lasting change. This session moves beyond acknowledgment to demonstrate how care, collaboration, and bold leadership drive equity into action.
Kandace Forrester
Restorative Equity Partnership, Managing Partner and Chief Innovation Officer
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