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:
"The real power is in asking great questions and managing your own reactivity."
Day 3 Theme Panel
March 13, 2025
"You can't be neutral on a moving train."
The power to heal and harm
March 13, 2025
"The act of asking a question changes the results; results are nudged by the construction of the prompt itself."
AI: Passionate defenses and reasoned critique [Advancing Research Community Workshop Series]
September 18, 2024
"Trauma is a loaded word, with psychological experiences that are subjective and unique to each individual's perception."
Leading through the long tail of trauma
July 13, 2022
"How do we ensure our research improves the lives of community folks?"
Leading through the long tail of trauma
July 13, 2022
"We pay all our speakers an honorarium and give them free access to the conference."
Everything You Need to Know about the Civic Design 2022 Call for Presentations
May 17, 2022
"We need to address how trauma manifests differently due to identity and positionality."
Learnings from Applying Trauma-Informed Principles to the Research Process
March 10, 2022
"Trauma isn't just about sharp shocks; it relates deeply to belief systems and our connection to events."
Trauma-Responsive Design: Reimagining the Future of Design Now
December 10, 2021
"If we want to be trauma-informed, we need to challenge systems that perpetuate trauma, not just reform them."
Leading through the long tail of trauma
January 1, 1970
