Job Posting: Synchrony Financial

Synchrony, the large consumer financial services company is seeking its next Vice President of Ombuds and Ethics. The search will fill a position held by JoAnne Harvey since March 2025. The role combines Ombuds functions with broader ethics, compliance, and conduct risk responsibilities within a corporate governance structure. The role sits within the Risk & Compliance function and is responsible for leading the organization’s Ombuds and Ethics program, including oversight of conflict of interest processes, conduct risk governance, and related ethics reporting and controls. The role is based at the company’s corporate headquarters in Stamford, CT, with hybrid work flexibility. 

University of Iowa Names Next Faculty Ombuds

Barry Schreier has been appointed the next Faculty Ombudsperson at the University of Iowa following an internal search. Schreier, a licensed psychologist and Professor of Counseling Psychology, will replace Meenakshi “Gigi” Durham, who has served in the half-time faculty Ombuds role since 2021. The Faculty Ombudsperson is part of the university’s Ombuds Office, but reports separately to the university president. The appointment begins July 1 and carries a four-year term. 

IOA Announces First Cohort of Certified Programs

The International Ombuds Association has announced that five Ombuds offices have been certified under its new Program Certification initiative. According to IOA, the offices completed a rigorous review and evaluation process demonstrating alignment with IOA Standards of Practice and Code of Ethics, organizational integrity, and professional competency.

The newly certified offices are:

University of California San Diego Hires an Associate Ombuds

Anthony Keen-Louie has been selected as the Associate Ombuds at UCSD, the large public research university in La Jolla. He joins Interim Campus Ombuds Nicholas Raichart and Ombuds Sue Presley.

University of North Carolina Announces Interim Ombuds

Josh Canzona, UNC's Associate University Ombuds, will become the Interim University Ombuds upon the departure of Dawn Osborne-Adams in July. Canzona joined the Ombuds Office at Carolina in 2020 after serving as the inaugural Ombuds at the UNC School of the Arts for three years. UNC is expected to open a search for a permanent University Ombuds in the coming months. 

IOA Announces New Journal Editors

Laura Armstrong and Brent Epperson have been appointed the new editors of the Journal of the International Ombuds Association, the profession’s peer-reviewed journal. They take over from Shannon Lynn Burton, who led the publication for a decade.

Yale University Names First Ombuds

Dawn Osborne-Adams was named the inaugural University Ombuds for Yale according to an announcement from the University President today. Osborne-Adams will set up a program to serve more than 45,000 faculty, staff, and graduate and professional school students across the university and report directly to the President. She will start on September 1, 2026.

American University Selects Inaugural Ombuds

Alison Chrisler has been named the first Faculty Ombudsperson for the private, federally-chartered, research university in Washington, D.C. She will serve all of American's full-time faculty (about 850) and report jointly to the Provost and to the Faculty Senate Chair. She takes on the role and continues as the Director of Undergraduate Programs in AU's Department of Health Studies. 

American Economic Association Publishes Ombuds Annual Report

The professional association of economists has published its 2025 “Ombuds Summary of Activity” in the May 2026 issue of AEA Papers and Proceedings, marking what appears to be the first time an Ombuds annual report has appeared in an established professional journal. The report summarizes the work of the AEA Ombuds program, which was relaunched as an Organizational Ombuds in 2024. 

Job Posting: Central State University

The public land-grant university in Wilberforce, Ohio (the state's only HBCU), is has opened a search for its next Director of the Office of Student Ombuds. Reporting to the President's Chief of Staff, the Ombuds will serve about 5,500 enrolled students. The search will fill a position held by Marc DeWitt until his passing earlier this year. 

Update: Cal Poly Pomona Faculty Call for Reinstatement of Ombuds Office

The Academic Senate at California State Polytechnic University, Pomona unanimously approved a resolution calling for the immediate reestablishment of the Office of Conflict Resolution Services and Ombuds and an expedited search to fill the Ombudsperson position. The action follows the termination of Ombuds Mark Patterson and the abrupt closure of the office in February.

ASAE Article Promotes Ombuds for Associations

IOA Executive Director Ellen Miller authored an article for the American Society of Association Executives highlighting the value of Ombuds for associations. In the piece, Miller explains that Ombuds can help associations address volunteer conflict, member disengagement, governance tensions, and workplace culture challenges. She describes Ombuds as helping organizations “mitigate risk, strengthen trust, and foster respectful, supportive environments.” The article appeared in ASAE’s Associations Now Plus, extending visibility for Ombuds to ASAE’s broad network of association executives and industry partners. 

University of Kansas Seeks Interim Ombuds Following Retirement Announcement

The public university in Lawrence has opened an internal search for an interim University Ombuds following the announced retirement of Ada Emmett on June 30. The six-month, part-time appointment will provide continuity for the campus Ombuds Office as KU continues implementation of a university-wide administrative restructuring initiative. According to Emmett, the review of the Ombuds Office includes consideration of expanded services for staff at the KU medical center. In addition, she says that restructuring may elevate the reporting line from the Provost to the University Chancellor in line with a new administrative model. 

Union for Reform Judaism Names Ombuds

URJ, the New York-based nonprofit, has appointed Marlo Goldstein Hode as its next Ombuds. She follows Caroline Cuneo, who established the role in 2022. URJ's Ombuds provides services for concerns arising within its workplaces, camps, youth programs, and other community settings.

Virginia Health Sciences Adds Two Associate Ombuds

Macon & Joan Brock Virginia Health Sciences at Old Dominion University has added two Associate Ombuds to its Ombuds Services Office: Marilyn Caymo and Dawn James Valentine. They report to Ombudsperson, Diane Holland, and provide services for faculty, staff, and trainees across the health sciences enterprise. (TMC Ombuds.)