Rebecca Lewis-Pankratz 

Keynote Speaker, Trauma Responsive Education, Restorative Justice, Poverty Resolution, Reimagining At-Risk Learners as At-Promise, Building Educational and Community Systems for Better Outcomes

“I see you, I hear you, I am with you” - is a phrase Rebecca coined to help people understand the foundational approach for building resilience in kids and staff.

Rebecca is a dedicated advocate working tirelessly with both communities and schools across the United States to tackle poverty and heal trauma. Her journey began in 2011 when, as a single mother of three, she fought her way out of poverty and a trailer park. Discovered by a local poverty resolution project, Rebecca's transformative journey led her to ESSDACK. She later went on to establish multiple projects aimed at assisting families across the country. 

After earning her college degree with an emphasis on education, Rebecca turned her attention to public schools, sparking a trauma-informed schools movement in her state and beyond. Widely recognized in Kansas and throughout the United States for her groundbreaking work in building trauma-informed schools, Rebecca is a captivating presenter. Her lived experience invites audiences into a powerful narrative of healing, hope, and restoration.

Rebecca is a master facilitator, a generous storyteller, and possesses a unique talent for distilling and conveying complex concepts around the brain, behavior, and healing. Her carefully crafted work has illuminated the path for hundreds of schools and thousands of teachers on their journey to creating trauma-informed cultures and frameworks. More importantly, she guides participants in identifying their current position, their goals, and the path forward as a system.

Currently, Rebecca is the Director of Student Services/Resilience at ESSDACK, a school board member, and an active collaborator with Youth Core Ministries in expanding poverty resolution projects in Kansas and beyond. She is a wife to her soul mate, a mother to three incredible sons, and she treasures mentoring women in her hometown.