The Reverend Leaf Seligman
13 Reaveley Road, Hancock, NH 03449
cell: 603-213-1589 email: leaf1231@gmail.com
education
Master of Divinity, Harvard Divinity School, June 2002
Graduate Study in Playwriting, Brandeis University, 1991-2
Master of Arts in English, Writing, University of New Hampshire, 1985
Bachelor of Science in Human Development and Family Relations, University of Connecticut, 1980
professional training
Restorative Justice and Trauma-Informed Practices
Ampersands Restorative Justice Facilitator’s Training (for situations of sexual harm), Sept. 2023-Jan. 2024
Reflective Structured Dialogue Facilitator Training, Dublin, NH July 2022
International Institute for Restorative Practices, 2-day Educators Training Course, July 2022
Intergenerational Trauma Conference Learning Certificate, 2021
The Principles of Collective Trauma Healing Certificate (30 hours online training), 2021
Understanding and Initiating Trauma-Informed Systems Change, Hancock, NH, January 2020
Nine-Day Immersion Training, River Phoenix Center for Peacebuilding, Gainesville, FL Oct. 2019
Introduction to the Regulated Classroom, Keene, NH March 2019
Restorative Classroom Management: Doing What Works, Concord, NH, February 2019
Global Unity and Healing: Building Communities with a Restorative Approach (International RJ Conference), Center for Justice Reform, Vermont Law School, Burlington, VT, June 2018
National Association of Community and Restorative Justice, 6th National Conference, Oakland, CA, 2017; Pre-conference training: Developing Skills to Practice Restorative Justice through an Equity Lens, Oakland, CA, June 2017
Mastery Level Restorative Justice Circle Processes, Kay Pranis, New York, NY, April 2018
Foundational Restorative Justice Circle Processes, Kay Pranis, New York, NY, February 2017;
Nonviolent Communication
Family Constellations: A Day-Long Workshop, Sarah Peyton, Belfast, Maine, March 2019
Your Resonant Self: Neurobiology and Pathways to Joy, Sarah Petyon, Maui, January 2019
Transforming Adverse Childhood Experiences: What Neuroscience and Nonviolent Communication Have to Offer, Sarah Peyton, Belfast, Maine, March 2017
Basic Nonviolent Communication training, Peggy Smith, Keene, NH, December 2016
restorative experience
Trainer/Consultant/Guide for restorative practices and circle process, 2018-present
Consulting Restorative Practitioner, Women’s Interval Home, Sarnia, Ontario
(I have worked with schools in New Hampshire and Virginia, the Cheshire Co. House of Correction, Endicott College, St. Anselm College, The New York Yearly Meeting of Friends, Powell House Retreat Center, Road’s End Camp, among other organizations)
Cheshire County Restorative Justice Program, co-founder, 2018-present
—developed a volunteer-based restorative justice adult diversion program in consultation with the county attorney and county administrator; created and led training for volunteers.
Juvenile Court Diversion Committee Coordinator, Youth Services, City of Keene, NH, 2017-2019
—working with youth and their families; interfacing with schools; coordinating and facilitating restorative circles.
Monadnock Restorative Community, co-founder, former board president, and mentoring project coordinator, 2015-2018
—developed a 501c3 organization that provided mentoring, recovery coaching, and educational programming to women leaving Cheshire County House of Correction, Keene, NH
Community Circle Keeping—2017-present
—circle keeping for a series of community listening circles; circle keeping to offer transitional support in congregational settings; community forgiveness circles, Cheshire County, NH
Facilitator, Alternatives to Violence Project, Massachusetts Correctional Institution—Shirley, MA, 2010-12; North Central Correctional Institution, Gardner, MA, 2013-17
teaching experience
Keene State College, Keene, New Hampshire, Adjunct Instructor, 2009-present
—teaching undergraduate and learning in retirement courses in forgiveness, reconcilation and restorative justice
Franklin Pierce University, Rindge, New Hampshire, Adjunct Instructor, College Writing, Sept. 2007-2009
The University of New Hampshire, English Department, Instructor, 1985-1988, 1993-1999
The University of New Hampshire, Thompson School of Applied Science, Social Science Instructor, 1988-1991
The University of New Hampshire, Women’s Studies Program, Adjunct Instructor 1986-1988, 1994, 1996, 1998
New Hampshire State Prison for Men, 1987-1988; New Hampshire State Prison for Women, 1990-1994
HCA Portsmouth Pavilion, adolescent psychiatric treatment unit, (per diem) 1989-1993
Oyster River Middle School, visiting writer, January 1993, April 1994
Marshwood Adult Education Program, writing instructor, Spring 1993
Lincoln Akerman School, visiting writer, Spring 1990, Winter 1992
courses taught:
- Introduction to Restorative Practice
- Integrative Thinking and Writing (Forgiveness and Reconciliation; Restorative Reckoning)
- Justice Beyond Incarceration
- Engaging the Community with Restorative Justice
- Freshman English
- Introduction to Prose Writing; Special Section of Introduction to Prose Writing: Deconstructing Gender (cross-listed with women’s studies)
- Persuasive Writing
- Beginning Fiction Workshop
- Introduction to Women’s Studies; Special Topics: Art as Activism
- Human Relations
- Social Issues
- Form and Theory of Fiction
- College Writing I & II
- Creative Writing
wrote grants for, coordinated, and led the following:
New Hampshire Humanities Council:
Coming to Voice: An Historical Overview of Women’s Literary Traditions, New Hampshire State Prison for Women, 1994
Explorations in Reading Contemporary Women’s Literature, New Hampshire State Prison for Women, 1994
One’s Place in the World: Developing a Historical and Cultural Context, New Hampshire State Prison for Women, 1993
Changing Lives Through the Humanities, New Hampshire State Prison for Women, 1992
Understanding Ethics: A Dramatic Approach, New Hampshire State Prison for Men, 1988
Charles Dean Trust:
From Writing to Playwriting, New Hampshire State Prison for Women, 1990-1991
Teaching Writing to Incarcerated Individuals: A Curriculum Manual, New Hampshire State Prison for Men, 1990
Freshman English New Hampshire State Prison for Men, 1987
publications and presentations
International Healing-Centered Education Conference, October 8, 2023, Presenter
RJWORLD international conference, presenter, 2022, 2020
“The Call of the Tent,” Chapter 16 (online journal of the TN Humanities Council), Nov. 2019
From the Midway: Unfolding Stories of Transformation and Belonging, Bauhan Publishing, Sept. 2019
Keynote Speaker, Jaffrey Chamber of Commerce Annual Meeting, Feb. 2017
Speaker, Healthy Monadnock 2020 Summit on Addiction, May 17, 2016, Keene, NH
Speaker, TEDx Event, Amoskeag Millyard, Manchester, NH, November 2015
A Pocket Book of Prompts, Bauhan Publishing, 2015
Speaker, Monadnock Summer Lyceum, July 1, 2012, Peterborough, NH
“Wandering in the Wilderness,” UU World, Spring 2012
Opening the Window: Sabbath Meditations, Bauhan Publishing 2011
“Engaging with the Word: UU Ministry and the Bible,” Living A Call: Ministers and Congregations Together, edited by Michael Durall, Jenkins Lloyd Jones Press, 2006
“A Demanding Joy,” UU World, Nov.-Dec. 2002
“Reunion,” Creative Nonfiction, April 1999
“Seeing the Light,” The New Thought Journal, January 1998
text and journal reviews:
Border Texts
Critical Situations in Writing
Cultural Exchanges
Outlooks and Insights
Reflections on Cultures
The Prose Reader
Up, Down, and Sideways
academic community service
Member, Anti-Oppression Coalition for Equity, Keene State College, Keene, NH, 2018
Member, Composition Committee, English Department, University of New Hampshire, 1995-1997
Hearing Officer, University Judicial System, University of New Hampshire, 1987-1988
Member of the President’s Task Force on Rules, Regulations and Judicial Procedures, UNH, 1987
Member of the President’s Committee on Diversity, University of New Hampshire, 1986-1987
professional activities
Member, Community Health Improvement Plan Behavioral Health Working Group, Keene, NH 2018-present
Member, Be the Change Behavioral Health Task Force, Peterborough, NH, 2017-present
Member, Task Force on Youth Literacy, UU Urban Ministry, Boston, Massachusetts, Fall 1999
Participant and Fellowship Recipient, The Fund for Theological Education Annual Conference on Ministry, Indianapolis, IN, May 1999
Presenter, Lewis & Clark College Seventeenth Annual Symposium on Gender, Portland, Oregon, March 1998
Participant, Austin Screenwriting Conference, Austin, Texas, 1997
Participant, Thirteenth Annual Human Rights Conference, Facing History and Ourselves, Boston, Massachusetts, 1997
Participant, Wesleyan Writers’ Conference, Middletown, Connecticut, 1996
Presenter, First Annual Lilly Conference on Teaching Excellence-New England Region, 1995
Participant, Sewanee Writers’ Conference, Sewanee, Tennessee, 1994
Faculty, Young Writers’ Conference sponsored by The New Hampshire Writers and Publishers Project, 1995
Member, Advisory Board, New Hampshire State Council on the Arts, Prison Project, 1993
Participant, Ninth Annual Conference on Human Rights, Facing History and Ourselves, Boston, Massachusetts, 1993
Participant, First International Women Playwrights Conference, Buffalo, New York, October 1988
Faculty Evaluator, Learner Assessment Team, College for Lifelong Learning, 1986
ministry experience
Pulpit Supply, various UU and UCC congregations, New Hampshire and Massachusetts, 2016-present
Minister Emerita, First Parish Unitarian Universalist, Fitchburg, MA, Sept. 2007- July 2013
Minister of the Week, Life on A Star I, Star Island Conference Center, Aug. 2011
Minister, The Unitarian Fellowship of London, Ontario, Aug. 2003-Aug. 2007
On-call chaplain (volunteer), London Health Sciences Center, 2004-2007
Volunteer Chaplain, Cheshire County House of Correction, New Hampshire, 2002-3, 2018.
Ordained, South Church, Unitarian Universalist, Portsmouth, NH June 8, 2002
Clinical Pastoral Education, Maine Medical Center, Portland, Maine, summer 2000.
Provided chaplaincy to pediatric and nephrology units in a 567-bed tertiary care hospital, and one day a week at the Maine Center for Cancer Care, Scarborough, Maine, an out-patient treatment center.
denominational and interfaith community service
Presenter, Canadian Unitarian Council (CUC) Annual Meeting and Conference, St. John, NB, 2006
Easting Justly, Eating Well: a workshop examining ways to live out our socially responsible values
Co-founder and member, East London Faith Alliance (ELFA), London, Ontario, 2004-7
—a coalition of five east-end congregations working to strengthen community ties through shared good works. ELFA sponsored a satellite food distribution site for the London Food Bank, an annual Food Bank fundraiser, Empty Bowls; and provided weekend meals for residents at Women’s Community House, a shelter for abused women
Co-organizer, World Religion Day Celebration, London, Ontario, 2005-7
Presenter, Canadian Unitarian Council Regional Fall Gathering, London, ON, November 2004
Developing a Congregationally-Based Model of Pastoral Care : day-long stream designed to equip congregations with the tools to implement a self-contained model of pastoral care.
references
Elisabeth (LB) Brown, former manager of Youth Service, City of Keene, New Hampshire,
603-209-3335, lbbrown31@gmail.com
Carol Jones, Director of Harm Reduction, Alliance for Living, New London, CT, 860-884-1477
Kimberly Cloutier Green, 55 Chauncy Creek Rd., Kittery Point, Maine 03905, 603-475-4084, luckyfish2@myfairpoint.net