ABA Ombuds Committee Posts September 2025 Newsletter

The Ombuds Committee of the American Bar Association, Dispute Resolution Section has published a newsletter with several articles by and about Organizational Ombuds.

These include:

University of Washington Hires Two Associate Ombuds

The University of Washington has appointed two Associate Ombuds. Diana Cooke and Marguerite Dorn will join Ashley Davis and report to the University Ombud, Chuck Sloane. (This office consistently uses "Ombud" rather than "Ombuds.") Cooke is the first Associate Ombud dedicated to the UW’s medical campuses which make up more than a third of the office’s cases each year. Marguerite Dorn is also an Associate Ombud, and her work will be focused on UW’s faculty and staff. (UW Ombud Office.)

Job Posting: University of Washington

The Office of the Ombud at UW has opened a search for a new Associate Ombud for the School of Medicine. (The office consistently uses "Ombud" rather than "Ombuds.") The position will join an office with University Ombud, Chuck Sloan, and Associate Ombud, Ashley Davis, with a secondary reporting line to the School of Medicine Dean. The full-time position will work with faculty, staff, and students, and is eligible for a hybrid work arrangement.

Ombuds are Centered in ABA November 2022 Dispute Resolution Newsletter

The November 2022 issue of the American Bar Association, Dispute Resolution Section's newsletter, "Just Resolutions," focuses exclusively on Ombuds. Ken Skodacek and Allison Monyei Whaley, Ombuds Committee Chairs, explain: "The mission of the Ombuds Committee is to increase the public’s knowledge of ombuds, as well as to promote the establishment and use of appropriately designed, supported, and implemented ombuds programs in all types of entities."

IOA Releases Detailed Agenda for 2022 Virtual Conference

For the second year in a row, the International Ombudsman Association will hold its annual conference virtually. IOA's 17th annual meeting will take place April 4 through 6, 2022. Social events will use Gather.town, a virtual world with video features. Registration has been open for a few weeks and now the detailed agenda has been posted.

Agenda Now Available for 2021 Cal Caucus

The California Caucus of College and University Ombuds has posted the agenda for its 2021 conference, "Towards Restoration: What We’ve Lost and What We’ve Found," to be held at the Asilomar Conference Grounds on November 10-13, 2021. (Registration opened in July.) 

This is the first in-person event for Ombuds since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic in March 2020. Attendees must be vaccinated and show proof of a recent negative Covid test, in addition to other health protocols.

University of Washington Adds Second Associate Ombuds

This week the Office of the Ombud at UW expanded with the appointment of two Associate Ombuds. Ashley J. Davis joined the office at the same time as Ruthy Kohorn Rosenberg and also reports to University Ombud, Chuck Sloan. Davis comes into the position after working as mediator/case manager at the Center for Conflict Resolution for several years in her hometown of Chicago, and most recently served as senior coordinator in the Office of Student Rights and Responsibilities at Arizona State University.