The Ombuds Blog: University of Massachusetts Amherst Expands Ombuds Office

October 07, 2026

University of Massachusetts Amherst Expands Ombuds Office

Umass Amherst has added Liza Joy Marcato as an Assistant Ombudsperson, expanding the Ombuds Office led by Colette Carmouche and Associate Ombuds Kenneth Russell. Marcato was appointed in May 2026 and works with students, staff, and faculty. She previously served for 18 years as an ordained priest, leading congregations in the United States, Canada, and Germany, and also worked as a department administrator at Harvard Divinity School and as a residential counselor at a Vermont boarding school.

Marcato graduated from Goddard College and earned a Certificate of Ordination from the Seminary of the Christian Community in Stuttgart, Germany. She has also completed IOA's Foundations course. (Umass Amherst Ombuds.)

1 comment:

Anonymous10/07/2026 2:26 PM
A latter-day reflection of the the pastoral role a fair number of ombuds brought to the role at the dawn of rhe profession.
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Organizational Ombuds

Organizational Ombuds serve as a confidential, independent, neutral and informal dispute resolution resource for a specific entity. They are accessible to a defined population and can advocate for fairness. These unique characteristics distinguish Organizational Ombuds from Classical Ombuds, mediators, arbitrators, and other alternative dispute resolution professionals. The term "Ombuds" is shorthand for "Ombudsman," "Ombudsperson" and "Ombuds Officer," which also are used widely.

Some other variants include:

Brazil -- Ouvidor

Croatia -- pravobranitelji

France -- médiateur/defénseur

Germany/Austria -- Ombudspersonen and Ombudsleute

Italy -- difensore

Netherlands -- ombudspersoon

Norway -- ombudet

Poland -- Rzecznik

Portugal -- provedor

Russia -- омбудсмен

Spain -- ombudsman organizacional

Sweden -- studentombud

Switzerland -- ombudsmann

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