Kim Patton
Kim Patton is a visionary leader, counselor, and community builder whose life’s work has been shaped by a deep commitment to healing, justice, and restoration. As Co-CEO of Life Anew Restorative Justice, she has spent over 15 years pioneering transformative approaches that address the root causes of harm and systemic inequity in communities across Texas and beyond.
Kim co-led the first Drug Market Intervention Initiative in Texas, a landmark effort that transformed the 12th and Chicon corridor of East Austin and demonstrated what is possible when communities embrace restorative practices. Her work has taken her to the highest levels of national recognition — she has been invited to the White House under both the Obama and Biden Administrations in recognition of her contributions to restorative justice and community violence intervention.
Alongside her husband and co-founder Sherwynn Patton, Kim co-created ATX Peace, a collaborative violence prevention initiative developed in partnership with local nonprofits and the Office of Violence Prevention. She also leads the training and supervision of Restorative Practices Coordinators in Central Texas schools, bringing relational trust and healing into educational spaces where young people need it most.
Kim also serves in a leadership role with the Texas Family Wellness Initiative (TFWI), an effort dedicated to strengthening families across the state through holistic, community-centered approaches to wellness. Her work with TFWI reflects her longstanding conviction that lasting community transformation begins with healthy, whole families.
Before co-founding Life Anew, Kim served as a counselor with Travis County, where she oversaw the Resolve to Abolish Violence Everywhere (RAVE) program and facilitated reentry programs for incarcerated men and women. Her counseling background, grounded in trauma-informed practice, continues to shape every program and initiative she leads.
Kim is the author of Inside Out, a transformational resource focused on healing identity through scripture and reflection, and co-producer of the award-winning documentary Chasing Smoke, which received the State of Colorado Feature Film Award in 2016. She is also the co-developer of the Restorative Ecosystem Model, a comprehensive framework for community-wide restoration and justice.
Kim holds a Master of Arts in Sociology from Prairie View A&M University and a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology from Huston-Tillotson University. She is a proud product of Austin, Texas — rooted in the very communities she serves.
Kim Patton’s legacy is one of turning pain into purpose — creating spaces where individuals, families, and institutions can experience real and lasting change.