Rachael Dietkus

Rachael Dietkus is a recognized leader in trauma-informed design, civic technology ethics, and public interest service design. She is the founder of Social Workers Who Design, a consultancy that bridges social work, design, and technology to promote ethical, trauma-responsive practices in government, healthcare, and social impact sectors. She has advised government agencies, academic institutions, design firms, and nonprofits worldwide on integrating trauma-informed methodologies into systems change efforts. Dietkus is a licensed clinical social worker with 25 years of experience in public service, social innovation, and policy advocacy. She served at the U.S. Digital Service in the White House as a Digital Services Expert in Design and Social Work—becoming the first social worker-designer to embed trauma-informed care into federal technology and service delivery. Her work has been featured in Fast Company, Fortune, Design Observer, and The MIT Press. She regularly delivers keynotes and workshops on ethical design, trauma literacy in civic technology, and systems accountability. She holds an MSW in Social Work and has advanced training in design ethics and trauma-informed practice. Her scholarship and practice focus on the intersection of trauma, technology, and power—advocating for more just, accountable, and care-centered approaches in public service systems. In addition to her consultancy, she recently served as a Design Supervisor with the U.S. Digital Corps, mentoring early-career designers and data scientists in government. Dietkus is currently writing Trauma by Design, a forthcoming book with The MIT Press, exploring the role of design in both harm and healing in public interest technology. Through her leadership and scholarship, she is advancing trauma-informed design as a vital practice to ensure care and ethics are centered in the future of technology, design, and social systems.