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:
" As researchers, we stand on the shoulders of many before us; attribution helps us honor that lineage and curiosity. "
Day 3 Theme Panel
March 13, 2025
" Research should prioritize participant and researcher well-being over institutional convenience. "
The power to heal and harm
March 13, 2025
" Who was involved in the process? Who benefited? Who was harmed? These are essential questions in AI design. "
AI: Passionate defenses and reasoned critique [Advancing Research Community Workshop Series]
September 18, 2024
" If a workplace is a dirty fishbowl, forcing someone to take vacation is just putting the fish in a clean bowl temporarily. "
Leading through the long tail of trauma
July 13, 2022
" Even if there is an element of enrichment in research participation, all processes have some extraction and must be minimized. "
Leading through the long tail of trauma
July 7, 2022
" Trauma is not the external event, but how that event embeds in an individual's body. "
Leading through the long tail of trauma
July 7, 2022
" Workshop content is equivalent to a one-day in-person event spread over 10 virtual hours with coaching and support. "
Everything You Need to Know about the Civic Design 2022 Call for Presentations
May 17, 2022
" Harm is inevitably caused by research; the question is how do we reduce that harm as much as possible. "
Learnings from Applying Trauma-Informed Principles to the Research Process
March 10, 2022
" To be anti-racist, you must be trauma-informed; to be trauma-informed, you must commit to anti-racist work. "
Trauma-Responsive Design: Reimagining the Future of Design Now
December 10, 2021
