Future Vision: Kjerstin Pugh ’03 on Peacebuilding, Art, and Inclusion
Peacebuilding can feel like a big, complicated system, conjuring images of high-stakes negotiations or global summits. But for Kjerstin Pugh ’03, peace begins in the quiet moments—when people come together, share space, and begin to truly see each other.
A lifelong advocate for equity and understanding, Kjerstin serves as the Deputy Program Director of the Negotiation and Conflict Resolution program at Columbia University’s School of Professional Studies. Her work focuses on youth development, inclusion, and community building. Outside the university walls, she’s the Founder and Executive Director of Offroute Art, a Pittsburgh-based nonprofit that supports young artists aged 16–24 by giving them a platform to showcase and sell their work—while simultaneously telling the stories of the neighborhoods they live in.
In both arenas, Kjerstin brings a commitment to transformative leadership—where boldness looks like inclusion, and where peacebuilding is as much about dialogue as it is about creativity—and her legacy is rooted in making space for others to thrive.
Finding Her Path in Conflict Resolution
Kjerstin’s path to conflict resolution began in the public schools of New Haven, Connecticut. Working on a youth development initiative in collaboration with Yale University, the New Haven Public School District, and the State Department of Education, she witnessed firsthand how the right tools could shift an entire room’s energy.
“I was just amazed to experience how much [peacebuilding programs] affected how everyone in the room communicated and behaved—both the teenagers and the adults, myself included,” she said. “I started to realize that these are all different aspects of conflict resolution work, but I didn't know it was actually a field of study.”
That revelation led her to become a student in Columbia’s Negotiation and Conflict Resolution program, where she earned her master’s degree.
“It was so impactful,” she said. “If you took a class one day, you could apply the skills and frameworks to your work the next.”
She began doing more community engagement work, including group facilitations, across New York City and then became the Associate Director of Curriculum Development at Columbia. She is currently the Deputy Program Director of the Negotiation and Conflict Resolution master's program. Among other projects, she is supporting the program’s expansion into social justice.
“What’s hopeful about this expansion is the number of people who are attracted to social justice now, likely as a response to current events,” said Kjerstin, who is also pursuing an Ed.D. at Teachers College, Columbia University in Adult Learning and Leadership.
Kjerstin’s work often centers on identity—how it shapes our perceptions and interactions—and on helping others navigate the complexities of interpersonal and societal conflict. Her mission is distinctly domestic, with a focus on the rhetoric and realities of peacebuilding within the United States. Her approach is also deeply human. Conflict, she believes, isn’t something to be feared—it’s a natural part of life, and a potential catalyst for growth.
“Conflict is an opportunity to transform relationships, evolve yourself, and deeply connect with people in new ways,” she said. “It applies to all parts of our lives and professions.”
Finding Her Path in Conflict Resolution
Kjerstin’s path to conflict resolution began in the public schools of New Haven, Connecticut. Working on a youth development initiative in collaboration with Yale University, the New Haven Public School District, and the State Department of Education, she witnessed firsthand how the right tools could shift an entire room’s energy.
“I was just amazed to experience how much [peacebuilding programs] affected how everyone in the room communicated and behaved—both the teenagers and the adults, myself included,” she said. “I started to realize that these are all different aspects of conflict resolution work, but I didn't know it was actually a field of study.”
That revelation led her to become a student in Columbia’s Negotiation and Conflict Resolution program, where she earned her master’s degree.
“It was so impactful,” she said. “If you took a class one day, you could apply the skills and frameworks to your work the next.”
She began doing more community engagement work, including group facilitations, across New York City and then became the Associate Director of Curriculum Development at Columbia. She is currently the Deputy Program Director of the Negotiation and Conflict Resolution master's program. Among other projects, she is supporting the program’s expansion into social justice.
“What’s hopeful about this expansion is the number of people who are attracted to social justice now, likely as a response to current events,” said Kjerstin, who is also pursuing an Ed.D. at Teachers College, Columbia University in Adult Learning and Leadership.
Kjerstin’s work often centers on identity—how it shapes our perceptions and interactions—and on helping others navigate the complexities of interpersonal and societal conflict. Her mission is distinctly domestic, with a focus on the rhetoric and realities of peacebuilding within the United States. Her approach is also deeply human. Conflict, she believes, isn’t something to be feared—it’s a natural part of life, and a potential catalyst for growth.
“Conflict is an opportunity to transform relationships, evolve yourself, and deeply connect with people in new ways,” she said. “It applies to all parts of our lives and professions.”
Kjerstin brings this philosophy to the next generation of professionals, organizing professional development opportunities and fostering community networks. In her view, conflict resolution is a critical 21st-century skill—and one that is increasingly being recognized across industries.
“If you have mediation skills and a depth of self-awareness, you can be incredibly impactful,” she said. “These are the competencies that companies and organizations want—people who can shape culture in positive ways and lead by example.”
Offroute Art: Creativity as a Peace Tool
Kjerstin’s commitment to inclusion and transformation extends beyond academia. With Offroute Art, she channels her passion into a space where creativity meets community-building.
Based in Pittsburgh, Offroute Art provides emerging artists ages 16-24 with a platform to display and sell their work. It also supports their economic agency: participants keep 100% of the profits from their sales. Offroute also creates free vending and paid development opportunities for their artists. Even more, the initiative invites artists to tell their stories of their neighborhoods, and backgrounds—fostering connection through creativity.
Kjerstin described Offroute as rooted in a future-focused vision—one that asks us to imagine the kind of world we want to live in and actively work toward positive change. For her, envisioning new futures is not only central to the creative process but also a meaningful form of peacebuilding.
“It’s a deliberate age group,” she said. “That's a challenging time in life. Offroute represents emerging artists from all different backgrounds, identities, and life experiences, and supports them during a very specific time in their lives.”
Offroute is also expanding with new opportunities for the artists it serves. In the spring of 2025, the organization partnered with the University of Pittsburgh to create an inaugural fellowship program, funded in part by Heinz Endowments. Six fellows were tasked with creating a public art project that explored ethics and the future of life sciences and biotechnology. Each of the fellows received $500 for their participation, and their own art was featured both in a final showcase as well as in a gallery in Sharpsburg. The next iteration of the fellowship, in progress this fall, will explore the intersection of art, community engagement, and conflict transformation.
“In this space, everyone’s perspective matters. You’re invited to co-create and co-envision futures with others—and to begin mapping out pathways forward,” Kjerstin said.
As Offroute artists develop the pieces that will become their legacy, the organization is there to help guide them—but not to dictate what they will create. Kjerstin said there can be social pressures on artists to become entrepreneurs or paid content creators and while that is what some artists work toward, others are seeking to reach and interact with audiences in different ways.
“My goal is to figure out how to build this meaningful infrastructure that allows artists to take a self-directed approach to what they want or need to develop,” Kjerstin said. “We’re helping artists reflect on who they are and what they want to do with their work—whether that means guiding the process or just creating space for it. When artists understand their values, it’s easier to make creative choices that feel right and leave a lasting impact.”
Grounded at Ellis
Grounded at Ellis
Much of Kjerstin’s courage to lead, build, and imagine can be traced back to her years at Ellis, where experience with hard work and critical thinking, as well as support for curiosity and authenticity, shaped her personal development.
“I loved the days when we would come in on a Saturday to work on the newspaper. I also really appreciated the ethic of hard work– it's important to remember that no job is too small and sometimes you just have to get things done,” she said. “It’s a lesson in finding your passions and also learning the humility and dedication to see a project through to fruition. It's satisfying to be able to finish something and to be proud of it.”
It wasn’t just the freedom to explore that left an impression. The school’s motto, Esse Quam Videri (“To be rather than to seem”), has served as a steady guide throughout her career.
“I appreciated it when I was in high school, but I have thought about it at many stages throughout my life,” she says. “Being able to show up authentically and not performatively is important. That’s a really great north star.”
And now, she’s weaving those values through both of her chosen careers, as she helps others form and find their own pathways, build their own futures, and create their own bold legacies.
“When I think about boldness, I actually think about inclusion. Inclusion is not passive, it’s active,” Kjerstin said. “It’s about reaching out to people and building bridges. That can sometimes be uncomfortable, and it’s something our society has made us a little afraid of, especially when reaching out to people who might be perceived as different. In moments of fear or vulnerability, choosing to be actively inclusive—and having the courage to keep showing up that way—is a powerful act of boldness and hope.”
