possibilitylab@berkeley.edu
Contact Info
Ben Fils
Affiliated Researcher

Ben (he/him) is a Haitian-born first generation college graduate. He is a member of the first cohort of the Leaders for Equity and Democracy (LEAD) educational doctorate (Ed.D) at the Berkeley School of Education. Ben’s research asks questions about the educational opportunities within carceral spaces, whose voices are most listened to in postsecondary educational policymaking, and the dynamic exchange of ideas between public institutions and civil society.

Ben is passionate about educational equity and alternatives to exclusionary discipline and retributive justice, particularly in educational contexts. He has spent parts of the past decade serving students as an advocate in disciplinary and special education proceedings and as a university administrator. He places restorative justice and transformative learning as core principles in his work. Ben currently serves as the Associate Director of the Center for Student Conduct in the Division of Student Affairs.

Ben is an avid Boston Red Sox fan and cherishes the moment they broke the Curse of the Bambino while he was attending college in the Fenway neighborhood of Boston at Northeastern University. Ben found it impossible to root for the Arizona Diamondbacks or the Philadelphia Phillies while earning a Masters Degree in International Security Studies from the University of Arizona and a Juris Doctorate from Temple University Beasley School of Law. He enjoys live comedy, gaming, pouring over historical baseball statistics, and spending quality time with his partner and their cats Cheddar (she’s orange) and Mascarpone (he’s very sweet).