Rachael Dietkus, LCSW
Digital Services Expert in Design & Social Work, United States Digital Service
Rachael Dietkus is a pioneering social worker-designer specializing in trauma-informed care and ethics within civic and public interest design and technology. With nearly 25 years of experience in social justice, Rachael most recently was the first social worker ever hired at the United States Digital Service, where she focused on integrating trauma-informed practices into federal technology projects. As the founder of Social Workers Who Design, she consults globally on design, research, and strategy projects, nurturing trauma literacy and care humility among designers. Rachael is an RSA Fellow, a Design Council Expert, and a contributor to key publications, including "Feminist Designer" and the forthcoming "This is Journey Management" and "Designed with Care: Creating Trauma-Informed Content." She is also working on her first book on care, trauma, and design with MIT Press. Rachael's work bridges the gap between social work and design, advocating for more humane, care-centered approaches in public service delivery and civic tech.
Rosenverse talks by Rachael:
" All design has costs; AI is not unique in this respect. "
AI: Passionate defenses and reasoned critique [Advancing Research Community Workshop Series]
September 18, 2024
" Secondary trauma can feel neurobiologically the same as if the traumatic event had actually happened to you. "
Leading through the long tail of trauma (Videoconference)
July 13, 2022
" Consent is ongoing; if you sense discomfort you must pause or stop research to protect people’s well-being. "
Leading through the long tail of trauma (Videoconference)
July 13, 2022
" We want to be a big tent for civic design, welcoming all kinds of people, from everywhere, to define and scope out this field together. "
Everything You Need to Know about the Civic Design 2022 Call for Presentations (Videoconference)
May 17, 2022
" Recognizing when a participant is uncomfortable and knowing when to soften or pause is critical in trauma-informed interviewing. "
Learnings from Applying Trauma-Informed Principles to the Research Process
March 10, 2022
" Our ability to entice participants to share personal stories raises the risk of exploiting them for materials. "
Trauma-Responsive Design: Reimagining the Future of Design Now
December 10, 2021
" We are responsible when people are in our care, even if we are not clinicians or psychologists. "
Leading through the long tail of trauma (Videoconference)
January 1, 1970
