Registration Opens for 2026 Summer Virtual Small California Caucus

The California Caucus of College and University Ombuds has opened registration for its fourth annual summer meeting. The online event on the morning of June 25, 2026, usually previews the topic for the traditional fall caucus in Pacific Grove.

Here are more details from announcement:

Job Posting: Los Alamos National Laboratory

The U.S. Department of Energy laboratory near Santa Fe, New Mexico, is hiring an Ombuds Specialist at level 3 or 4. The position reports to Ombuds Office Director Cindy Mazur. Depending on the qualifications of the selected candidate, additional responsibilities may be assigned at the higher level.

Emory University Selects Next Ombuds

Angela Dash has been hired as the next Ombudsperson for the major private research university in Atlanta. She will report to Lynell Cadray, the University Ombudsperson and Senior Advisor to the President, who established the position in October 2019. 

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.)

Save the Date for 2027 International Ombud Expo

Organizers have announced that the International Ombud Expo will take place in Willemstad, Curaçao, on May 24-28, 2027, with the theme of "Just Society for All: Celebrating Facilitators and Promoters in a Challenging World." The event follows the second International Ombud Expo, held in Gaborone, Botswana in 2024, which included several Organizational Ombuds (Sana Manjeshwar, Zetu Makamandela-Mguqulwa, Sarah Klaper, and Youssoupha Niang, and IOA Executive Director, Ellen Miller). According to the organizers, the Expo is intended as a global platform for sharing ideas, publications, technology, and governance practices among Ombuds of all types and related institutions. Additional details will be posted when available. (International Ombud Expo.)

Job Posting: University of Tennessee at Chattanooga

UTC is hiring its next University Ombuds, filling a position held by Anovia Slaughter since 2024. The office serves faculty and staff, and the role includes casework, outreach, and training responsibilities. The full-time position has a dual reporting structure: the Ombuds reports to the Office of the Chancellor through the Chief of Staff; and a secondary reporting relationship to the campus Human Resources Officer for education and training services. 

Call for Proposals: Cal Caucus 2026

The California Caucus of College and University Ombuds is seeking speaker proposals for its annual in-person meeting. The unique and intimate caucus is set for November 8-11, 2026, at the rustic and historic Asilomar Conference Grounds. This year's theme is, "The Grove & the Understory." The deadline for proposals is May 11, 202.

Boston University Adds an Associate Ombuds

Lailul Ikram was hired by the Ombuds Office at BU in July 2025, joining University Ombuds, Francine Montemurro, and Senior Associate Ombuds, Erin Wright.

Job Posting: Federal Reserve System

The governing board of the U.S. central bank is hiring an Assistant Ombuds in Washington, DC. This Executive Ombuds position: acts as facilitator for the fair and timely resolution of complaints related to the System’s regulatory activities; receives, reviews, and decides claims of retaliatory conduct by System staff; and reports to Board members and senior Board staff on issues that may have a significant impact on the System’s mission, activities, or reputation, including patterns of issues that occur in multiple complaints. In addition, there are collateral administrative duties. This is a hybrid position, with on-site cadence of about six times per month.

Marc DeWitt: Ombuds at Central State University

Central State University announced that Marc DeWitt, its Student Ombudsman and Director of the Office of the Student Ombudsman, passed unexpectedly last week. A longtime member of the campus community and alumnus, DeWitt had worked in higher education for more than two decades, including roles at Wright State University, Wilberforce University, and Sinclair Community College, before being appointed CSU Ombuds in November 2025.

Update: Details Emerge About Closure of Cal Poly Pomona Ombuds Office

New reporting by the student newspaper at California State Polytechnic University, Pomona provides additional detail about the termination of Mark Patterson and the closure of the Office of Conflict Resolution Services and Ombuds, which the university had not previously disclosed. Patterson, who had been appointed in 2025 as the inaugural Director of Conflict Resolution Services and Ombuds, said he was terminated in February during a meeting with senior administrators and was not given a reason for his dismissal as an at-will employee. 

Toni Robinson: Former MIT Ombuds

Toni Robinson, a longtime Ombuds at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, died on April 18, 2026, at age 73. She served as Ombudsperson in the Office of the President for two decades before her retirement in 2017. Robinson was widely recognized for her impact across the Institute and received MIT’s Collier Medal in 2015, honoring her efforts to build trust and resolve concerns across a diverse campus community.

Job Posting: University of Toronto Scarborough

The large, research university in Ontario is hiring an Assistant Secretary of the Governing Council & Ombuds Officer, a position held by Miranda Edwards for the past year. The job has two roles and a dual reporting structure. The Assistant Secretary provides administrative support, advice, and information to the Governing Council on policies, precedents, and procedures for assigned boards and committees. In addition, the Ombuds position reports to the University Ombudsperson, Bruce Kidd, and serves as a primary contact for faculty, staff and students seeking assistance from the Office of the Ombudsperson.

Podcast: Insights from a Longtime Ombuds

Reece Ramos, the University Ombuds at Virginia Tech and founder of the Ombuds Academy is the guest this week on "Conflict Managed," a podcast hosted by Merry Brown. Ramos has been an Ombuds for 25 years and is a past president of IOA. In this podcast, he shares insights from his years of work as an Ombuds.

Job Posting: Asian Development Bank

The multilateral development bank headquartered in Manila is seeking a Senior Ombuds Programs Specialist for its Office of the Ombudsperson. The role provides Ombuds services to ADB’s internal community and contributes to training, outreach, and systemic analysis efforts. The position reports to the Ombudsperson, Anje Schubert, who was appointed last month to a three-year term.

CIDR Posts Agenda for 2026 Symposium

The Centre for Informal Dispute Resolution at Saint Paul University in Ottawa has announced the agenda for its 2026 annual symposium. The hybrid virtual and in-person event, "Navigating Crises: The Evolving Role of ADR Practitioners and Ombuds in Turbulent Times," is set for May 11-12, a beautiful time of year in Ottawa. 

Job Posting: Loudoun County Public Schools

The public school district in Northeast Virginia, is seeking its next Ombudsperson. The full-time position reports to the LCPS Chief of Staff and provides services to families, employees, and community members across the division. Carey Williams established the position in 2022. The Ombuds is described as a neutral and confidential resource but is also tasked with drafting formal complaint responses, advising on policy, and providing consultative services to administration. The starting date is "immediately."

Radboud University Combines Student and Staff Ombuds Roles

Radboud Universiteit, the public research university in Nijmegen, Netherlands, has combined its Ombuds functions for students and employees following the departure of Job van Luyken, the Staff Ombuds. Aukje Verstegen, who has served as Student Ombuds since October 2023, will now handle both constituencies. The university does not plan to immediately recruit a replacement and will first review a national evaluation of the Ombuds role at Dutch universities, which may influence the future structure of the position.

Job Posting: Stellenbosch University

The public research university in South Africa's Western Cape province is seeking its next Ombud. Reporting directly to the University Council, the Ombud provides independent, impartial, confidential, and informal services to the entire campus, including over 32,500 enrolled students. The search will fill a position held by Rina Meyer since 2016. The position is a five-year fixed term, renewable once, with an anticipated start date of November 1, 2026.

German BioImaging Appoints First Ombuds

Gesellschaft für Mikroskopie und Bildanalyse e.V. (GerBI-GMB), the scientific society for light microscopy and image analysis across Germany, has appointed its first Ombudspersons for good scientific practice. Christian Feldhaus and Nina Schulze, were appointed at the 2026 General Assembly for three-year terms. The move follows the organization’s alignment with the German Research Foundation’s Code of Conduct and the adoption of internal Ombuds regulations as part of its governance framework.

CEITEC Names Student Ombuds

The Central European Institute of Technology (Středoevropský technologický institut), a multidisciplinary research center based in Brno, Czech Republic, appointed Beáta Idesová as its PhD Ombudsperson in January of this year. She follows Katarína Rovenská in the role and provides peer-based, informal and confidential support for doctoral students with academic and workplace concerns. Idesová is completing her PhD in nanotechnology. (CEITEC News.) 

University of Iowa Ombuds Releases 2024–25 Annual Report

Iowa's Office of the Ombudsperson reported 455 new visitor appointments for FY2025, with Professional & Scientific Staff making up 42% of visitors. The office is led by University Ombudsperson Chanelle Reese, with Faculty Ombudsperson Meenakshi Gigi Durham and Senior Assistant Ombudsperson Corey Pass. (Heather J. Erwin joined as a half-time Assistant Ombudsperson earlier this month.) 

Canada's Auditor General Selects Next Ombuds

Alexandre St-Jean has been appointed the next Ombuds for Bureau du vérificateur général du Canada. He follows the inaugural Ombuds, Janet Campbell, who retired after six years in the role, and provides services to the department's 800 employees. 

Houston City College Adds an Ombuds

Lisa Crawford has joined the Office of the Ombudsman at HCC (previously known as Houston Community College). She joins Michael Edwards, who restarted the HCC Ombuds Office in early 2025. Together, they serve all constituents across multiple campuses, including over 52,000 students.

(Problematic) Job Posting: York County, VA

The county government in eastern Virginia is hiring a full-time “Assistant County Administrator/Organizational Ombuds.” Although the posting references the International Ombuds Association, the role combines Ombuds duties with senior executive responsibilities that appear incompatible with core Organizational Ombuds standards. The position leads the County’s business engagement and economic development efforts, including coordinating across departments, advising leadership on policy and strategy, guiding businesses through regulatory processes, and resolving stakeholder concerns. These responsibilities involve operational decision-making and advocacy for organizational interests, which conflict with the independence, neutrality, and informality expected of an Organizational Ombuds—even if the function were intended to be part-time.

Job Posting: Ombpoint

Australia’s "first independent workplace resolution service" (providing outsourced Ombuds services) is hiring an Indigenous Adviser for a part-time or casual engagement. The role is flexible in location, with a preference for Sydney. The position emphasizes applying commercial problem-solving skills to employee relations and human resources matters, supporting organizations in managing workplace issues and improving people practices. 

IOA 2026 Trailblazer Award: Mary Rowe

At the conclusion of its annual conference today, the International Ombuds Association presented its Trailblazer Award to Mary Rowe. The IOA Board of Directors created the award in 2022 "for individuals who have devoted significant contributions to the organizational ombuds field over an extended period of time." Rowe was recognize for her work as a pioneer and one of the most influential Ombuds in the profession. Although she retired as an Ombuds in 2014, she continues to be active as a thought leader and the award was presented during her plenary remarks. (IOA Trailblazer.)

Job Posting: Frederick County Public Schools

The public K–12 system in Maryland with more than 47,000 students, is seeking its next Ombudsman. The Office of the Ombuds was established in 2019 by Sabrina Nail and provides confidential, independent, and informal assistance to students, families, employees, and community members. The position is expected to be filled by July 1, 2026.

IOA's Ombuds Release 2025 Annual Report

The International Ombuds Association's Ombuds, Laura C. Smythe and Tyler S. Smith, reported increased engagement in 2025, handling 33 cases and 51 individual visits, up from 16 cases and 35 visits in 2024. They noted that many interactions followed the IOA Annual Conference, underscoring the role of in-person events in surfacing concerns. Most visitors were affiliated with academic institutions and had between two and ten years of experience. Cases were split between IOA-related concerns and issues arising in members’ home institutions.

Meet the Second Ombuds for Harris Health System

In February 2025, Lauren Manning Salomon became the second Ombuds for the public healthcare system for Harris County, Texas, joining the Managing Ombuds Director, Jai McBride-Calloway. Salomon assisting in providing Ombuds services to over 7,000 HHS employees across three hospitals and affiliated clinics. She has been with the health care provider since 2019 and has held positions Manager of Talent & Workforce Strategies, Talent Program Manager, and Senior Organizational Development Consultant.

University of Colorado Boulder Names Faculty Ombuds

Keith Maskus and JoAnn Silverstein are the new Faculty Ombuds at CU Boulder. In these part-time roles, they primarily work with faculty, researchers, and graduate students. Maskus and Silverstein join an office led by Director Kirsi Aulin and including Associate Ombuds Jason J. Sinocruz and has hired Detric Robinson as Associate Ombuds.

Podcast: Staying Grounded with Heavy Cases

Joe Johnston is the latest guest on Brooke Wichmann's podcast, "Ombuddy." Johnston, the Ombuds at the Rochester Institute of Technology, talks about his three decades of experience in higher education, including roles in residence life, student conduct, and now Ombuds. The thread through all of these jobs: "His commitment to deep listening and, at times, dark humor." 

Job Posting: Western Governors University

The private, nonprofit, online university based in Salt Lake City, Utah is hiring a full-time Associate Student Ombuds. The position is located in the Office of Student Affairs and reports to WGU's inaugural Ombuds, Kevin L. Cummings, who was appointed in June 2019. WGU's Ombuds program provide serves an enrolled student population of about 100,000. 

Southwest Mississippi Regional Medical Center Appoints First Ombuds

In November 2025, Billie Jo Alexander became the inaugural Ombuds for the not-for-profit, acute care hospital in McComb, Mississippi. She provides providing services to over 1,100 staff, clinicians, and administrators aligned with IOA standards. 

Texas Higher Education Ombudsman Lacks Investigation Standards

The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board oversees all public colleges in the state, yet it lacks any written policies to ensure its Ombudsman’s investigations are fair or effective. Created in 2025, the Office of the Ombudsman office is tasked with policing state DEI bans and holds the power to recommend that lawmakers defund schools found in violation.

Job Posting: Santa Fe College

The community college in Gainesville, Florida, is seeking an Ombuds and Senior Director, Student Affairs. The search will fill a position previously held by Bea Awoniyi. Reporting to the Vice President for Student Affairs, this full-time leadership role also includes oversight of key student support programs, including the Disabilities Resource Center and Displaced Homemakers. The role includes supervision of staff, budget and grant oversight, and collaboration across campus and community partners.