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.)
We're so excited to have you join the team and continue your important work raising awareness about organizational ombuds everywhere!
ReplyDeleteFirst, congratulations Liz on your new position.
DeleteSecond, I find it disheartening to see a corporate business entity that clearly has its own substantial financial interests position itself as an ambassador on behalf of all organizational ombuds, especially given that ombuds are independently appointed individuals and not subcontractors for corporate business entities.
Let’s be real folks, MWI employees are employed to further MWI’s interests and not to “raise awareness about organizational ombuds everywhere.”
Andrew, for what it's worth, MWI is a nonprofit 501(c)(3), not a corporate business entity.
DeleteI’ve always believed that organizational ombuds share a common interest in strengthening and expanding the field. There’s room for a range of models and approaches, and I think we all benefit when we focus on supporting each other and the profession as a whole. Thanks.
Thanks for your response Chuck. I feel I must provide a fact check though. An organization can be simultaneously both a nonprofit 501(c)(3) and a corporate business entity. Mediation Works Incorporated (MWI) is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) corporate business entity, since it is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) corporation that engages in business activities.
DeleteI agree with you that organizational ombuds should support one another in strengthening and expanding the field. I also believe they should protect their practice from being redefined and should not unreservedly support any new model that calls itself an organizational ombuds. So, I think it is entirely reasonable for me to be disconcerted when I see MWI, which is trying to promote a model whose operating structure differs markedly from that of a traditional organizational ombuds office, position itself as a champion for all organizational ombuds everywhere.
There are posts about MWI routinely on these pages. Out of respect for a longtime colleague, maybe take a beat and share your beliefs about their organizational model on one of those that's significantly less personal in nature? "Remain non-judgmental, with empathy and respect for individual differences" is still in the IOA Code of Ethics as a core value.
DeleteI don't care at all about your critiques of MWI in your comments, for the record, I just think it's extremely rude to Liz.
Andrew - I hope you will consider the fact that there is more than one way to ombuds effectively. I also hope you would agree that all organizational ombuds, whether in-house, outsourced, hybrid, collateral, etc., should practice to Standards, continually work to be embedded within the organizations they serve, and support other ombuds in their efforts to meet these goals.
DeleteI am grateful for and proud of every single member of MWI's outsourced ombuds panel who works each day to fulfill these goals for the visitors and organizations they serve.
My invitation to you to talk with you offline remains open. I'd welcome hearing what specific concerns you have about our model that are driving your assumptions. If not, I wish you all the best and encourage you to support and promote the growth of organizational ombuds everywhere.
Thanks so much, Chuck! I’m genuinely excited to be stepping into this role and joining such a smart, mission-driven team.
ReplyDeleteI’ve seen firsthand the difference an organizational ombuds can make, and I’m fired up about helping more people understand that. Whether in higher ed, corporate settings, government, or beyond, ombuds programs have so much to offer. My hope is that this work not only raises awareness, but opens doors for more programs to grow and thrive across the board.
Looking forward to the road ahead
Congratulations all around, what a wonderful role for you, Liz!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Deborah! I appreciate the kind words and am excited about this next chapter!
DeleteCongrats, Liz!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Ariella! I appreciate it.
DeleteI'm closing the comments for this post.
ReplyDelete