IOA Posts Agenda for 2025 Annual Conference in Florida

The International Ombuds Association has opened registration for its 20th annual conference. The event is set for April 7-9, 2025 in Miami, Florida at the Hilton Miami Downtown. The conference is preceded by three days of training session. Registration is now open and IO has published the tentative conference agenda:

IOA Announces 2024 Honorees

At its annual conference last month, the International Ombuds Association announced its 2024 Trailblazer and President’s Award recipients. “There are so many talented ombuds serving their communities in so many vital ways,” said Alicia Booker, 2023 IOA President. “We are thrilled to honor them for all that they contribute to our profession, and for their extraordinary leadership,” added Sarah Klaper 2024 IOA President.

IOA Announces New CO-OP Board Members and Progress on Program Certification

Last week, the International Ombuds Association shared news about its certification program. First off, the Board of Certification for Certified Organizational Ombuds Practitioners has new members. The volunteer Board is the certifying body authorized to award the CO-OP credential. Board members serve three year terms. The current CO-OP directors and officers are:

Nominations Open for 2024 IOA Board of Directors

The International Ombuds Association is accepting nominations for its Board of Directors. Five member-elected directors will serve a three-year term starting in April 2024. The four directors have terms expiring in 2024 and are eligible to be reelected to a second term: Jennifer Mahoney, current Board Secretary; Sue Diviney, CO-OP; Thomas Griffin; and Jacqueline Villafane. Ronnie Thompson, the Immediate Past President, is ending her officer term and is not eligible for reelection. 

IOA Announces Board Election Results; Current President to Leave Board

The International Ombuds Association has announced the results of its board election. Voting was delayed ten months ago while the association reviewed equity concerns, and updated its election process and other provisions of the bylaws. As a result, two cohorts were up for election: a total of ten candidates for nine open board seats. With the unexpected departure of the current board president, Melanie Jagneaux, all of the candidates will become directors.

IOA Opens Election for Two Board Cohorts

After a delay of nearly a year, the International Ombuds Association has re-opened the election for its Board of Directors. Voting was delayed ten months ago while the association reviewed equity concerns, and updated its election process and other provisions of the bylaws. As a result, a third of Directors are serving well past their expected three-year term end date of April 2021. The election will fill nine positions from a field of ten candidates. Only IOA members may vote and the election closes February 25, 2022.

Pfizer Ombuds Office Marks 10-Year Anniversary

The Office of the Ombuds at Pfizer is celebrating ten years of service to the American multinational pharmaceutical and biotechnology corporation. The office has posted a celebratory video that includes thanks and encouragement from five of Pfizer's Executive Leadership Team members including the CEO, General Counsel, and Chief Compliance Officer. Sue Diviney is the Office of the Ombuds Lead and her team includes: Lourdes Delgado-Cheers, Global Ombuds; Tara Hunter, Specialist; Adam Learman, Global Ombuds; Elizabeth Lopez, Ombuds; and Sophia Qiao, Ombuds APAC. (Pfizer Video.)

IOA Board Yields to Members' Concerns with Updated Bylaws Proposal

In response to members' concerns, the International Ombudsman Association's Board of Directors announced a new process to amend the IOA Bylaws & Articles of Incorporation. At a special meeting in June, an omnibus package of updates to the bylaws failed to come to a vote in the face of procedural objections from the floor. At follow-up townhalls, members also took issue with the Board's omnibus proposal for changes to multiple bylaws. Since then, the IOA has held multiple meetings to understand the concerns and fashion a response. An email from the entire IOA Board late last week outlined a process to provide more discussion of the changes in advance of another special meeting and then  allow separate votes on individual proposals.

Election for 2021 IOA Board: 5 Nominees for 6 Seats

The International Ombudsman Association has opened the voting process for its 2021 Board of Directors. The election is a bit of a surprise this year because there are fewer candidates than open director seats. The Board said that it is reconsidering the eligibility criteria, which may be discouraging people from becoming directors. An email about the election included this announcement:

IOA Seeks Nominations for 2021 Board of Directors

The International Ombudsman Association is seeking nominations for Directors who will serve a three-year term starting at the end of March 2021. Six directors have terms that expire: Steve Prevaux, CO-OP (Board VP); Roy Baroff, CO-OP; Suzanne Diviney, CO-OP; Jessica Kuchta-Miller, CO-OP; Sana Manjeshwar, CO-OP; and Mauricio (Reese) Ramos, CO-OP.

Catalyst Webinar to Focus on Ombuds as Supportive Resource for Women

On May 7, 2020, Catalyst will offer a one-hour webinar on "How Ombuds Programs Empower Women and Support Inclusion in the Workforce." Speakers will include: Lee Jourdan, Chief Diversity Officer, Chevron; Sana Manjeshwar, Global Ombuds Manager, Chevron; Sue Diviney, Global Ombuds Manager, Pfizer; and Charles Howard, Executive Director, International Ombudsman Association. Catalyst is a nonprofit organization that involves CEO's and leading companies to improve workplaces for women.

Pfizer Adds an Ombuds in Colorado

Lourdes Delgado-Cheers has been appointed a Global Ombuds at Pfizer and based in Denver. She reports to Sue Diviney, Vice President and Office of the Ombuds Team Lead. Delgado-Cheers has worked in the pharmaceutical industry for two decades and at Pfizer since 2007. Most recently, she was the North America Employee Relations Lead.

IOA Board Appoints New Director to Open Seat

The Board of Directors of the International Ombudsman Association Board has appointed Sue Diviney to fill a one of the seats recently vacated by Ruthy Kohorn Rosenberg and Elaine Shaw, who stepped off for personal and professional commitments. Diviney is a Vice President and Lead Ombuds at Pfizer. She has worked in the Ombuds Office at Pfizer since 2011. (IOA Board; LinkedIn.)

Job Posting: Pfizer, Latin America

The Pfizer Office of the Ombudsman is hiring a part-time, contract Ombuds to support their office in Latin America region. The position preferably will be based in Brazil or Mexico, and works with the four Pfizer Ombuds: Sue Diviney, Elaine Shaw, Elizabeth Lopez, and Adam Learman.