International Franchise Association to Launch a Franchise Ombuds Pilot

IFA, the nonprofit trade group focused on government and public relations efforts for the franchise industry, has contracted with MWI to launch an Ombuds pilot for franchised businesses in the fall of 2025. The goal of this IOA standards-compliant Ombuds pilot is to help franchisors and franchisees build trust, working relationships, and resolve concerns early before they escalate into time-consuming grievances and lawsuits. This program will be similar to the global franchise Ombuds program that McDonald's Corporation launched in 1974. Individual Ombuds for the IFA program have not yet been identified. 

Job Posting: Georgetown University

The private research university in Washington, DC is hiring an Office Coordinator and Ombuds Assistant for its Staff Ombuds office. The new position will support Linda Brothers, who became the first Staff Ombudsperson for Georgetown in September 2023. Duties for the position will be primarily administrative (about 75% of this time), with the balance devoted to entry-to-intermediate level Ombuds duties. The full-time position is eligible for a hybrid work schedule. 

Job Posting: Emerson College

The private college in Boston, Massachusetts, has opened a search for its first Ombudsperson. The part-time, nine-month per year position will last no more than 156 weeks and will follow IOA standards. The move to create an Ombuds program at Emerson was recommended by a Presidential Working Group on Title IX issues in 2020. (Notably, Israela Adah Brill-Cass, who serves as the Ombuds for the nearby Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Wesleyan University, and Clark University, is also a faculty member at Emerson.) 

Journal of IOA: Guidance for Authorship Disputes

Scott B. Cantor, an Ombuds for The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, is the author of the latest article in the Journal of the International Ombuds Association. Cantor delves into a conflict that is familiar and important for Ombuds in higher education: a dispute between researchers over the order of authorship. He reviews the relevant context for these disputes and suggests a strategy for Ombuds. The full article, "A Game-Theoretic Approach to Resolving an Authorship Conflict," is now available online.

Skydance to Replace Paramount's DEI Programs with Ombuds

Earlier this month, Skydance Media and Paramount Global announced a merger forming a new entity known as "Paramount Skydance Corporation." Facing regulatory scrutiny, Skydance promised the Federal Communications Commission that it would disband Diversity Equity & Inclusion programs and appoint an Ombudsman to review “complaints of bias” at Paramount's CBS News for at least two years. Details are scant and it is not clear whether the new Ombuds program would be similar to a traditional News Ombudsman or an Organizational Ombuds. (NBC News; Forbes; Reuters.)

Job Re-Posting: University of Rochester

The private research university in Upstate New York has reposted its opening for a University Ombuds. The search will fill a position established by Lynnett Van Slyke in 2022. The Ombuds serves all campus stakeholders and practices to IOA standards. The position reports as part of the Provost's Office and also coordinates an Ombuds Affiliate Network (see original post).

IOA Webinar: Basics for Ombuds Contracting

A webinar presented by the International Ombuds Association on August 14, 2025, will offer guidance for contractual Ombuds work. The session will be lead by Alicia Booker Cormier, the Principal Ombuds for Baylor College of Medicine and former President of the IOA Board of Directors. The program, "Ombuds Contract Work: Scoping the Work from Intake to Impact," is aimed at practicing Ombuds and other professionals considering a transition. 

Job Posting: MWI

MWI is hiring a Senior Manager of Ombuds Program Success to support the growth and quality of its outsourced Organizational Ombuds programs. This new, full-time remote role will lead program launches, manage client relationships, and ensure alignment with IOA standards.

Job Posting: SOS Children's Villages, Tanzania/Zanzibar and Guinea

The Austria-based international development organization for children is hiring two National Ombuds. A two-year contract is available in Tanzania and Zanzibar, reporting to Nandisa Tilayi, the SOS Regional Ombuds for Eastern and Southern Africa. The other one-year contract will serve Guinée and report to Sambieni Bienvenu, the SOS Regional Ombuds for West, Central & North Africa. 

University of Miami Medical School Selects Next Ombuds

JoNell Efantis Potter has been appointed the Ombudsperson for the UM Miller School of Medicine. She follows Helen Bramlett in the role and serves faculty, residents, fellows, medical and graduate students, and staff following IOA standards. Potter heads an office that includes Associate Ombuds, Bridgette M. Nevils-Taylor, and Clinical Ombuds, Steve Falcone.

Catch Up with the Blog: Informed Informality

David G. Schwartz has been the Ombuds for the University of Nevada Las Vegas since 2021 and also is remarkably prolific in many other areas. In addition to being a full professor at UNLV, he has written and edited a dozen 12 books on the history of gaming (the polite euphemism for gambling in Nevada) and many more articles, consults on a wide range of projects, and is a featured speaker. He contributed a chapter for the recent IOA book, published an article in JIOA, and co-chaired the 2025 Conference Committee. On top of all that, he has also written a blog for over a year that draws on his Ombuds work: Informed Informality. 

Job Posting: Michigan State University

The public research university in East Lansing will expand its Ombuds Office with the hiring a second Assistant Ombudsperson. The full-time position will report to the University Ombudsperson, Shannon Lynn Burton, and join Assistant Ombudsperson, Ryan T. Smith. The full-time position will assist in providing services to faculty, staff, and students, following IOA standards.

University of Michigan Appoints Student Ombuds

Mallory Martin-Ferguson has been named the Student Ombudsperson for the U-M Ann Arbor campus. She takes on the job next month and follows Tom Lehker, who has served in the role for over 15 years. The hybrid position is based on the UM campus in Ann Arbor and reports to the Vice President for Student Life. She comes to the Ombuds Office after serving as the director of Graduate Student and Program Consultation Services.

Job Posting: Chaffey College

The public community college in Rancho Cucamonga, California, seeks its first Ombudsperson. The new position will serve managers, faculty, and staff, but not the 28,000 enrolled students. The position will report to to the District Superintendent/President and appears to follow IOA standards. Evening and weekend hours are required. The initial appointment will be for one year and is contingent on continued state funding. 

Video Highlights Work of Ombuds at BarcelonaTech

Anna Serra Tort is the focus of a new video posted by the Polytechnic University of Catalonia (Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya). Since late 2022, Serra has served a student population of over 30,000 as the Ombuds Office. She followed Neus París i Domènech in the position and took on the role after over 50 years as a professor of Applied Physics. 

Meet the Ombuds for Palm Beach State College

In 2024, the public college in Lake Worth, Florida, appointed Marileidy (Mary) Guzman as its Student Ombudsman. Following IOA standards, she provides services to nearly 25,000 students. She followes Kathleen Karran-McCoy in the part-time position.

Podcast: Starting the Hype for Ombuds Day 2025

Alec Chapa is the most recent guest on Chinwe Egbunike-Umegbolu's vid/podcast show, Expert Views on ADR. As Co-Chair of the ABA Dispute Resolution Ombuds Committee, he focused on the upcoming Ombuds Day on October 9, 2025. They discussed the history, goals, objectives, and impact of the annual event, especially Chapa's work on the many state proclamations received in recent years. (YouTube.)

University of Michigan⁠—Ann Arbor Names Second Faculty Ombuds

Mary O'Riordon has been selected the Faculty Ombuds at Michigan for a three-year term. She follows Michèle Hannoosh, who stepped down after seven years of service in the role. O'Riordon joins Stephanie D. Preston, who was also appointed to the role in 2023. They both serve as Ombuds on a part-time basis. In addition to serving 7,700 faculty members in Ann Arbor, they liaise with other Ombuds within the University of Michigan system.

USOA Posts Agenda for 2025 Conference in Colorado

The United States Ombudsman Association has released the agenda for its 44th annual conference on October 22-24, 2025. Set in Vail, Colorado, and open to Ombuds of all kinds, the in-person conference is appeal appealing when IOA's next conference will be virtual. The conference is preceded by two days of training sessions.

Here are highlights of the agenda:

University of California Davis Hires an Associate Ombuds

Casey Woods has joined the Ombuds Office at UC Davis as an Associate Ombuds for an initial, full-time, two-year contract. Woods will report to Director, Lauren Bloom, and joins Lindsey Ensor, Senior Associate Ombuds, Jenny Vaccari, Associate Ombuds, and Katie Ranney, Assistant Ombuds.  Woods will be based in Sacramento at the UC Davis Health Campus and she and the rest of the Ombuds Office will service constituents at UC Davis, UC Davis Health, and UC Agriculture and Natural Resources.

Meet the Second Ombuds for George Mason University

In March 2024, Sarah Ahmed Atif was named the second University Ombudsperson for GMU. She joined Kimberly Davidson, who has held the same title since December 2021. Atif was promoted into the job after two years as the program manager for the Ombuds Office.

IOA Sets Schedule for 2025 September Symposium

The International Ombuds Association has announced details for its 2025 September Symposium, "Advocating for Your Office and the Ombuds Role." The virtual event will take place on September 30, 2025, from 9:00am to 5:00pm Eastern time. 

McGill University Announces Next Ombuds

Liman Jao has been appointed the Ombudsperson for Students at the public university. In this part-time position, she will work closely with the Assistant to the Ombuds, Carmela Parzanese, and serve over 40,000 students. Jao takes on the role in addition to her continued work as Associate Professor in Department of Integrated Studies in Education.

CEO Explains Why He Created an Ombuds Program

The CEO of Cambridge Innovation Center, an American real estate services company, explains why he established an Ombuds office in a video shared by MWI. CIC, an American real estate services company, was founded by Tim Rowe, the son of Mary Rowe, MIT's first Ombuds. In the video, Tim Rowe talks about the desire to create a positive workplace culture and retain employees. (MWI Video.)

IOA Rolls Out Office Certification Program

The International Ombuds Association has announced a new Certification Program for Ombuds Programs and Offices, expanding its professionalization scheme beyond individual practitioners. The initiative will allow Ombuds offices to demonstrate alignment with IOA Standards of Practice, Code of Ethics, and recognized best practices through a formal review and assessment process.

Job Posting: SOS Children's Villages, Palestine

The Austria-based international development organization for children is hiring a National Ombuds to be based in Palestine. As part of a team of Ombuds, the position will report to Sambieni Bienvenu, the SOS Regional Ombuds for West, Central & North Africa. The initial appointment will be for twelve months.

Job Re-Posting (Nonconforming): AIU Online

American InterContinental University has reopened a search for its first Ombudsman. (Brooke Wichmann was initially announced for the position.) AIU is a private for-profit university based in Schaumburg, Illinois, but the full-time position is advertised as fully remote. It is owned by the for-profit company Perdoceo Education Corporation. The position will establish and manage a program that is not expected to meet IOA standards. The job description appears to be primarily a complaint manager and includes these highly concerning duties: 

COFO 2025 Annual Conference: Call for Presentations

The Coalition of Federal Ombuds is now accepting proposals for its 2025 Annual Conference on September 12, 2025. The conference will be an all-day hybrid event, with an in-person conference in Alexandria, VA, and a virtual option. Organizers seek proposals for both virtual and in-person presentations.

Job Posting: United Nations, Switzerland

The Office of the UN Ombudsman and Mediation Services (UNOMS) has reopened its search for an Ombudsperson to be based in Geneva. The full-time position will be provide services to two UN organizations: the International Telecommunication Union and the World Intellectual Property Organization. (Rahele Malanca has been serving as the WIPO Ombuds since April 2023.) The appointment will be for an initial one-year term and be based at the headquarters of ITU and WIPO. 

Job Posting: University of Iowa

The public research university in Iowa City is hiring an Assistant Ombuds. The part-time position will serve faculty, staff and students, including all of UI Healthcare. The Assistant Ombuds will report to University Ombudsperson, Chanelle Reese, Assistant Ombuds, Corey P. Pass, and Faculty Ombuds, Meenakshi Gigi Durham.

Orange County Schools Ombuds Post First Annual Report

Franklin McCune, the inaugural Employee Ombuds for the the public school district in Hillsborough, North Carolina, published his first annual report last week. (He also serves as the district's Board Specialist.) McCune assisted 49 visitors as he rolled out the Ombuds Office in the 2024-25 school year. Three quarters of the visitors were certified employees and the remainder were classified staff. The report adopts the use of IOA's Uniform Reporting Categories. (OC Schools Ombuds 2025 Report.)

MWI Adds Director of Communications and Development

On August 4, 2025, Liz Hill will move to MWI as its first Director of Communications and Development. She leaves the Ombuds Office at the University of Colorado Boulder, where she has worked for nine years, most recently as the Associate Director. A search is already underway for her replacement. Hill is widely known for her work organizing and promoting Ombuds, including serving on the ABA Dispute Resolution Section’s Ombuds Committee, several IOA committees, Colorado Ombuds Group, and Association for Conflict Resolution. She is also the Chair-Elect of the ABA Section of Dispute Resolution. (MWI Announcement.) 

Canadian Names Next DND/CAF Ombuds

Mario Baril has been appointed the next Ombud for the Department of National Defence (Ministère de la Défense nationale) and the Canadian Armed Forces (Forces armées canadiennes). He follows Gregory Lick, who served in the position from 2018 through June 2024, and Robyn Hynes, who has been the Interim Ombud for the past year.

Job Posting: SOS Children's Villages, Lebanon

The Austria-based international development organization for children is hiring a National Ombuds to be based in Lebanon. As part of a team of Ombuds, the position will report to Sambieni Bienvenu, the SOS Regional Ombuds for West, Central & North Africa. The initial appointment will be for twelve months.

Job Posting: Idaho State University

The public research university in Pocatello has opened a search for its first University Ombudsperson. The new, full-time position will provide services to faculty and staff, but not students. Moreover, it is not clear whether the new Ombuds will replace the existing Ombuds Committee, which is comprised of six part-time faculty and staff Ombuds. The Ombuds will practice to IOA standards.

University of Western Ontario Appoints Ombuds

Mel Molnar has been appointed as the new Ombudsperson for Western University. She will lead an office that provides services to nearly 40,000 students. She follows the Acting Ombudsperson, Joan Finegan, and joins Associate Ombuds, Stephanie Bolingbroke, who has made permanent recently.

Texas Expands Power Over Higher Ed With New Ombuds Office

On June 20, 2025, Texas Governor Greg Abbott signed into law a sweeping bill that expands state control over public universities. Senate Bill 37 imposes reviews of university curriculum and degrees, broadens regents' power over hiring and instruction, and creates an Office of the Ombudsman within the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board.