Jefferson Lab Selects External Ombuds Provider

The Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility, the DOE lab in Newport News, Virginia, has launched an Ombuds program, nearly a year after issuing a request for proposals seeking an external provider. The new program will be provided by Bultman Wilson Consulting, a Maryland-based human resources consulting firm led by Wiltina Wilson. The new Ombuds program will provide IOA-compliant services to about 700 lab employees and other scientific users for an initial initial contract term of five years. 

Registration Opens for Inaugural Mid-Atlantic Ombuds Network Annual Event

Registration is now open for the in-person annual event of the Mid-Atlantic Ombuds Network (MAON). After meeting virtually for several years, the regional group will convene Ombuds and other conflict resolution practitioners in Washington, DC, on October 15, 2026. Registration is $115.06 and includes breakfast, lunch, and a full day of educational programming, networking, and collaborative discussions. 

SAFE Dialogue Coach Launches AI Platform for Organizational Ombuds

A new AI-powered conflict coaching platform developed by a longtime Ombuds is being promoted as a resource that Ombuds can recommend to visitors preparing for difficult conversations. SAFE Dialogue Coach, created by Diedrick (D.A.) Graham, draws on draws on established conflict resolution and coaching frameworks to help visitors analyze conflicts, prepare for conversations, and practice communication strategies. According to Graham, the platform is intended to help individuals prepare for conflict resolution and, when appropriate, seek assistance from an Ombuds, serving "not as a replacement for the practitioner" but as a supplement to human guidance. SAFE Dialogue Coach joins a growing number of AI-based products and services being developed specifically for the Ombuds profession. 

ABA Section of Dispute Resolution Annual Membership Meeting

The ABA Section of Dispute Resolution will hold its Annual Membership Meeting on Friday, July 31, at 2:00 p.m. Eastern. Outgoing Section Chair Liz Hill will reflect on the Section's work over the past year and share a few thoughts as leadership transitions to a new team for the coming year. As the Section partners with IOA to implement a Model Ombuds Act, this promises to be an exciting year.

International Ombudsman Institute Adopts Ethical Principles Guide

IOI, the international association for more than 200 public-sector (Classical) Ombudsman programs in 100 countries, has adopted a new Guide to the Ethical Principles of Ombudspersons and their Staff Members. The document was unanimously approved by the IOI World Board at its May 2026 meeting in Curaçao and is intended to provide a common ethical framework for Ombudsman institutions worldwide. The guide identifies seven core principles that apply to Ombudsman programs regardless of their legal mandate or jurisdiction. It also addresses emerging issues such as accessibility, digital technologies, and artificial intelligence, emphasizing that technology should support, but not replace, human judgment. 

Job Posting: United Nations, Chile

The UN is hiring a Regional Ombudsman for its Office of the Ombudsman and Mediation Services in Santiago. The P-5 position manages a team of conflict resolution professionals and support staff serving the Latin American and Caribbean region. The appointment is for an initial one-year term and may be subject to extension. 

University of the Pacific Appoints Ombuds

Brooke Wichmann, CO-OP has been hired to reestablish the Ombuds Office for the private Methodist-affiliated university in Stockton, California. As the full-time University Ombuds, she will reopen a program that closed in 2022 when the inaugural Ombuds, Hector Escalante Meza, moved to the University of California, Merced. Wichmann will serve about 10,000 faculty, staff, and students across three campuses. 

University of South Florida Establishes Ombuds Continuity Plan

USF Faculty Staff Ombuds Steve Prevaux has established a continuity-of-operations plan for his office by engaging MWI as a backup service provider. The arrangement is intended to ensure uninterrupted Ombuds services for more than 15,000 faculty and staff across three campuses in the event of an unexpected absence, addressing a vulnerability for solo Ombuds offices. 

University of Puerto Rico at Río Piedras Names Interim Ombuds

Ángel M. Burgos Rivera has been promoted to Interim Student Ombudsman for Universidad de Puerto Rico, Recinto de Río Piedras, the public land-grant university in San Juan. He follows Coralie Pacheco Valcárcel, who served in the role since late 2021. Burgos Rivera will head an office that serves about 19,000 students. The university will open a search for the next permanent Student Ombuds. 

Job Posting: Charles University

Univerzita Karlova, the large and historic university in Prague, is seeking its next University Ombuds. The search will fill a position held by the inaugural Ombuds, Kateřina Šámalová, who is completing a three-year term (and who has been a leader in promoting the role of Ombuds in Eastern Europe). The half-time position serves students, employees, and others connected to the university, and coordinates the work of nearly two dozen Ombuds embedded with faculties and other campus units. The appointment is expected to begin in October 2026 following consultation with the faculty's Academic Senate. 

Job Posting: tEQuitable

The Oakland-based startup that provides external Ombuds services through a technology-enabled platform, is hiring a part-time contract Organizational Ombuds. The fully remote position will provide assistance to employees of client organizations, offering conflict coaching and consultation while identifying systemic workplace issues and trends. Off-hours work is permitted. 

Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada Names Next Ombuds

Agriculture et Agroalimentaire Canada has appointed Jessica Norup as its new Workplace Wellness Ombuds. She succeeds Elianne Hall and joins Associate Ombuds Mireille Aubrey in the office, which provides services to employees of the federal agency that regulates agriculture in Canada. 

2026 International Ombudsman Seminar to Include Two Organizational Ombuds

Hans Kohler and Mary Rowe are among the speakers for Seminário Internacional de Ouvidorias - 2026 taking place next week. The online event is aimed at Classical Ombuds and features 14 senior public servants, Ombuds, and auditors from Brazilian federal and local ministries. Kohler, a Regional Ombuds with the International Organization for Migration in Kenya and Associate Editor of the Journal of IOA, and Rowe, the former inaugural Ombuds for MIT, will join a panel on the topic of "Effective Ombudsman Offices: Challenges and Pathways to Strengthen Structure, Processes, and Culture." 

IOA Seeks Feedback on Final Draft of Standards of Practice

The International Ombuds Association has released the final draft of its revised Standards of Practice and a new accompanying Compendium for member review and comment by July 16, 2026. The revisions conclude a clarification review that began in 2025 and included recommendations from a Board-appointed task force, guided review sessions, and extensive member feedback. According to the IOA, the new Compendium is intended to provide additional guidance on interpreting and applying the Standards (meanwhile, while the review of the Code of Ethics has been paused until the Standards are finalized). This is likely to be the final opportunity for members to comment before the revised Standards are presented to the Board for adoption.

IOA and ABA Form Joint Taskforce for Ombuds Model Act

The International Ombuds Association and the American Bar Association Section of Dispute Resolution's Ombuds Committee have created a joint taskforce to coordinate future work on the proposed Organizational Ombuds Practices Act. The model legislation is intended to serve as a template that individual states may adopt, establishing a statutory framework for Ombuds offices and, if enacted by state legislatures, providing legal protections consistent with the IOA's Standards of Practice. The new taskforce will develop recommendations regarding next steps for advancing the proposal.