Laurel Abdelnour
Executive Director
Laurel Abdelnour has had a long and diverse career serving youth, and juvenile offenders specifically, as an educator, counselor and group facilitator.  She first worked in Restorative Justice in Virginia, where she was fortunate to apprentice under direct students of Howard Zehr, one of the field’s pioneers.  Laurel also serves as a Counselor and Health Educator for Yavapai County Community Health Services and has successfully implemented several educational programs throughout the Verde Valley on topics including alcohol and substance abuse, adolescent brain development, teen dating violence and sexual health.  She holds a Master’s Degree in Counseling Psychology from Pacifica Graduate Institute and is an avid hiker, yoga instructor and explorer of the Southwest. 


​Board of Directors

Jo Stone
President
Jo Stone, MFT, PhD started working in private practice in 1980 in California and moved her practice to Sedona in 1989. It has always been her goal to help guide individuals, couples and families through challenging life transitions by enriching their communication skills, teaching tools for a positive life view and a general healthy approach to living. This has included running a senior women’s group for four years, counseling families dealing with life threatening illness, working with at-risk teens and their families as well as women in transition.  Giving back has always been of great import to Jo.  She served on the Board of Make-A-Wish of Northern Arizona for 13 years, Sedona Godmothers for three years, has been a facilitator with Restorative Justice for the last 10 years and joined the board in 2014.

Shelley Allen
​Treasurer
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Jan Montgomery
Secretary
Jan Montgomery is a long time educator of children and teachers. Her varied roles as teacher, supervisor, counselor, principal and director have brought her broad experience and depth of understanding of the issues that children face in our society.  She earned a BS in Ed, M.Ed in administration and psychology, and is a Professional Fellow of the Weatherhead School of Management at Case Western Reserve University. She has taught children and teachers extensively and lectured in universities in Japan, China and the US to help teachers address children with differentiated needs. In England, she presented a scholarly paper that was accepted at Oxford University. In 2005, Jan moved from Ohio to the Sedona area and continues her work in the schools. She serves on a charter school board of directors and represents her local community as a member of the Big Park Regional Coordinating Council. Jan’s interests include reading, child welfare, lifelong learning, and entertaining friends and family.

Deborah Brockner
Vice President
Deborah is formerly from Long Island, New York and is now, gratefully, a full time Sedonan. She has enjoyed a fulfilling life of service as a US Army Veteran, entrepreneur, businesswoman and endangered species conservator. She currently works for a non-profit organization raising money to support a woman's sanctuary. In addition to these activities Deborah spent 4 years commuting to New Delhi and Northern India where she taught English and was a liaison for a non-profit organization. She operated her own successful restaurant in Long Island, NY for over 20 years. Currently, Deborah is enrolled in the Compassion course at the New York Center for Non-Violent Communication. Deborah has a passionate interest in helping troubled youth and believes in our mission. She joined the NARJ board in 2016.

Barry Maketansky
Actively involved in the non-profit community across the Verde Valley, Barry is a founding member our board of directors since October of 2014. He has been a Lead Facilitator for eight years, embracing the Restorative Justice Model. Barry is currently employed by the Verde Valley Sanctuary and is an
advisor to their board. Raised in New Jersey, he did undergraduate work at Michigan State University and has gone on to continue his graduate studies in the areas of non-profit and philanthropy. Much of Barry’s work has included the defense of endangered species against extinction, Special Expedition
Cruises in the Amazon and varied ecological studies for National Geographic in Mexico and Central America. Barry’s interests include the environment, animal welfare and theater.

Marilyn Venegas
Marilyn moved to Sedona in 2015 and joined our board of directors in November of 2017. She has long been interested in restorative practices after learning how they were used in South Africa to mend the harm there after apartheid. Her children also participated in their teens. She is an executive coach, after retiring from the corporate sector where she taught, facilitated and coached colleagues in emotional intelligence, leadership, teamwork and clear communication. She is also a NARJ facilitator and a volunteer at Twice Nice, which supports the Verde Valley Sanctuary.

Dustin Gilman-Stienstra
Dustin Stienstra joined our board in August of 2017. He comes to the board with a passion to see offenders be given the opportunity to live a restored life by learning to repair the harm done to the victims of their misdeeds. Dustin owns the Lion Within and is a teacher, consultant and life coach, addressing recovery, mental health issues, mediation and life transitions in the adult population. He has worked within the prison population as a GED instructor and facilitated college classes for inmates. He has seen the transformation of men, after their participation in spiritual development and education, be able to reintegrate into community upon release.
Dustin brings his rich background of experience to offer us his expertise to advance our mission.