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:
" Keep legal as a proactive partner, not just someone you call when there’s a problem; build those relationships early over coffee or casual chats. "
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
" AI reflects dominant hegemonic views, creating virtual worlds where counter views do not exist. "
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
" Assume everybody has the potential for trauma to show up in any interaction you have with them. "
Leading through the long tail of trauma
July 7, 2022
" I’ve never gone into an Indigenous community alone; relationships and partnerships are vital. "
Leading through the long tail of trauma
July 7, 2022
" The community is a big tent - welcoming diverse perspectives and geographies to define and shape civic design. "
Everything You Need to Know about the Civic Design 2022 Call for Presentations
May 17, 2022
" Research participants doing research in their own communities can create safer, richer research conversations. "
Learnings from Applying Trauma-Informed Principles to the Research Process
March 10, 2022
" Our ability to entice participants to share their most personal stories raises the potential to exploit them for design research. "
Trauma-Responsive Design: Reimagining the Future of Design Now
December 10, 2021
