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:
" We haven’t lost our power as a discipline — we just need to reclaim agency and make others recognize the power we already hold. "
Day 3 Theme Panel
March 13, 2025
" Slowing down is not inefficiency; it is a commitment to dignity and trust. "
The power to heal and harm
March 13, 2025
" Sometimes the most ethical and just path for humans is also the most effective for preserving natural systems. "
AI: Passionate defenses and reasoned critique [Advancing Research Community Workshop Series]
September 18, 2024
" Burnout used to be chalked up to just being exhausted, but now WHO recognizes occupational burnout as a real thing. "
Leading through the long tail of trauma
July 13, 2022
" Trauma-informed work is a journey of becoming, not a destination. "
Leading through the long tail of trauma
July 7, 2022
" If you work with humans, you work with trauma; it’s inherent in human experience. "
Leading through the long tail of trauma
July 7, 2022
" Our curation process is identity hidden to prioritize equity and thematic mapping over affiliation or geography. "
Everything You Need to Know about the Civic Design 2022 Call for Presentations
May 17, 2022
" Questions can be weapons; language in research, especially demographic questions, can exclude and retraumatize participants. "
Learnings from Applying Trauma-Informed Principles to the Research Process
March 10, 2022
" We need integrity designers who are proactive and minimize the damage that is certain to happen in services we design. "
Trauma-Responsive Design: Reimagining the Future of Design Now
December 10, 2021
