March 28, 2024

Dane County Selects First Ombuds

Diana Pastrana has been appointed the first Employee Ombuds for employees of the county government in Wisconsin. (Dane County is home to the state capital of Madison and the University of Wisconsin.) As an independent contractor, Pastrana will serve as a resource for about 3,000 employees. 

Meet the Ombuds Team at McKinsey & Co

The global management company has three Firm Ombuds who have been appointed in the past two years: Kathrin Braunsteiner, based in Germany, in October 2023; Gretchen Scheidler, based in Chicago, in April 2022; and Caz Williamson, based in London, in October 2023. All three moved from other roles at McKinsey. 

March 27, 2024

Ombuds to Return for American Planning Association Conferences

The American Planning Association has renewed its contract with MWI for conference Ombuds services for two APA events in April and May 2024. Nnena Odim will return for a second year to provide in-person conference ombuds services at the APA’s National Planning Conference in Minneapolis, April 13-16, 2024, and remotely from May 8-10. Odim served as the conference Ombuds services for the Coastal & Estuarine Research Federation and the American Economic Association. According to the contract with MWI, Odim will practice to IOA standards. (NPC24 Ombuds.)

University of Massachusetts Boston Adopts Ombuds Charter

UMass Boston has adopted a charter for its Office of Ombuds Services, which was established by Martha Nelson Patrick, CO-OP , in June 2023. The charter assures that the office will practice entirely to IOA standards, including complete confidentiality and access to outside counsel. (UMB OO Charter.)

Meet the Newest Ombuds at the World Bank

Jules Baughns was added to the World Bank Office of Ombuds Services on May 1, 2023, and is based in Nairobi, Kenya. He joins three other Ombuds: Caroline Nekesa Wanyonyi in Bangkok, Thailand; Doris Cecilia Campos-Infantino in Washington, DC; and Axel R. Peuker in Washington, DC. 

March 26, 2024

Job Posting: Toronto Metropolitan University

The public university formerly known as Ryerson University, is seeking an Assistant Ombudsperson for a full-time, six month contract. (In April 2022, TMU became the first college or university in Northern America to change its name to address its colonial history.) The search will fill a position temporarily vacated by Ombudsperson Maureen Helt and will report to Acting Ombudsperson Gemma Kerr

Job Posting: SOS Children's Villages, Zimbabwe

As the Austria-based international development organization continues to build out its Ombuds program, it is seeking a National Ombuds to be based in Harare. As part of a global team of Ombuds, the position will report to a (yet to be named) Regional Ombuds. The initial appointment will be for one year.

Meet the First Ombuds for the African Union Commission

Fouad Hendel was named the inaugural Head of Ombudsman and Mediation Division for the African Union in August 2023. Based at the African Union Commission in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Hendel provides a of conflict management and employee relations services to Union employees throughout the continent. His appointment is contracted for three years, including an initial one year period. 

March 25, 2024

Job Posting: GAVI

Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance (formerly known as the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization, a public–private global health partnership that promotes immunization in poor countries), has issued a request for proposals for an Ombudsperson. Gavi conducted a search for a full-time employee Ombuds in December 2022, but did not make an appointment. The new, part-time contract position will assist internal stakeholders for an initial two -year term and is based at Gavi's headquarters in Geneva.

Austria's Student Ombuds Reports Surge in Cases in 2023

In her latest annual report, the head of the Austrian Student Ombuds Office (Ombudsstelle für Studierende), Anna-Katharina Rothwangl, said her office handled 777 cases in 2022-23, a 21% increase from the prior year. In addition to her statistical report to the Parliamentary Minister for Education, Science and Research, Rothwangl also made 23 proposals to improve higher education. Nine prior proposals were adopted by legislators or institutions last year. The Austrian Student Ombuds Office serves 405,000 students at 77 universities. (Austrian Student Ombuds 2022-23 Report to Parliament, Proposals, Facts & Figures.)

March 22, 2024

Journal Article Connects Ombuds and Organizational Health

A new, peer-reviewed article in the Journal of Community Safety and Well-Being explains how Ombuds create a more resilient and inclusive workplace culture with a positive impact on the organization’s overall health and success. The authors of "Enhancing Organizational Well-being and Growth: The Value of Ombud services and the Development of Ombud Consultation Evaluation Survey" are Katy Kamkar and Mario Baril. Both are Ombuds with Public Services and Procurement Canada.

ENOHE Report Documents Two Decades of Progress

The European Network of Ombuds in Higher Education is commemorating its 20th anniversary with a special publication had been prepared, “20 Years ENOHE. Looking Back – Looking Forward.” The book was edited by Josef Leidenfrost and Jean Grier and is now available for download.

Young Harris College Assigns New Ombuds Duties to Title IX Officer

The private liberal arts college in Georgia has created an Ombuds program for students and named its Associate Vice President for Policy and Compliance and Title IX Coordinator, Laura Whitaker-Lea, as the inaugural College Ombuds. According to the current student handbook, the Ombuds provides typical services, but confidentiality does not cover Title IX and campus safety issues. 

March 21, 2024

Job Posting: SOS Children's Villages, Uganda

The Austria-based international development organization continues to build out its Ombuds program. Currently, it is seeking a National Ombuds to be based in Kampala. As part of a team of Ombuds, the position will report to a (yet to be named) Regional Ombuds. The initial appointment will be for one year.

CppCon Names 2024 Conference Ombuds

Colleen Passard will serve as the first Ombudsperson for the annual, week-long conference for the C++ community in Aurora, Colorado, September 15-20, 2024. The event is sponsored by Standard C++ Foundation and usually draws over 700 attendees. Passard has or will serve as the Ombuds for other software conferences, including CloudNativeCon, KubeDay, and cdCon+GitOpsCon. (CppCon Ombuds.)