Sandra Pavelka, Ph.D., is Professor of Political Science and Public Administration at Florida Gulf Coast University.  She is President and CEO of the Community & Restorative Justice Associates. She is Principal Evaluator of the Ft. Myers Reentry Initiative, a 3-year $1 million grant, funded by the Bureau of Justice Assistance, US Department of Justice. Dr. Pavelka previously served as the Project Administrator of the Balanced and Restorative Justice (BARJ) Project funded by the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, US Department of Justice.

Dr. Pavelka is an internationally recognized restorative justice expert.  Dr. Pavelka serves on the USDOJ OJJDP National Restorative Justice Working Group. She is Chair of the National Association of Community and Restorative Justice (NACRJ) Law and Policy Working Group and serves on the NACRJ Advisory Council. Dr. Pavelka is the recipient of the distinguished National Points of Light Award among other awards and honors.