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:
" Bias is constantly evolving; new ones are emerging that we might not even be aware of. "
AI: Passionate defenses and reasoned critique [Advancing Research Community Workshop Series]
September 18, 2024
" Forcing someone to take vacation in a toxic environment is like putting a fish from a dirty bowl into a clean one temporarily. "
Leading through the long tail of trauma (Videoconference)
July 13, 2022
" Being trauma-informed is as much about caring for your own trauma as it is about your participants' trauma. "
Leading through the long tail of trauma (Videoconference)
July 13, 2022
" If you feel isolated fighting alone for inclusion, the community and curators can give you the backbone and confidence to be outspoken. "
Everything You Need to Know about the Civic Design 2022 Call for Presentations (Videoconference)
May 17, 2022
" True consent means consent forms should be human readable and designed for participant understanding, not just organizational protection. "
Learnings from Applying Trauma-Informed Principles to the Research Process
March 10, 2022
" We are all swimming in a sea of collective overwhelm, whether directly impacted or not. "
Trauma-Responsive Design: Reimagining the Future of Design Now
December 10, 2021
" You cannot become trauma-informed; you are trauma-informed because it’s a continuous act of learning and care. "
Leading through the long tail of trauma (Videoconference)
January 1, 1970
