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."

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.

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.

Palacký University Olomouc Appoints First Ombuds

On February 1, 2026, Univerzita Palackého v Olomouci, the second oldest university in the Czech Republic, named Jaroslav Šotola as its inaugural University Ombudsman. In this new role, Sotola serves faculty from eight schools, staff, and 23,000 students, with concerns including bullying, discrimination, abuse of power, sexual harassment, and other conflicts. As the Ombuds, he provides confidential consultations and informal resolution support but does not adjudicate academic or employment matters. 

Job Posting: Denver Public Schools

DPS, the large urban public school district in Colorado with more than 90,000 students across nearly 200 schools, is hiring an Associate Ombudsperson. The full-time position will report to and support the District Ombudsperson, Antoinette Hudson, CO-OP, and provide services for employees, including coaching, mediation, and facilitation. The role also contributes to training, identifies systemic concerns. 

Prince George's County Public Schools Names Ombuds

Thea Wilson has been appointed the new Ombudsperson for the large school  district in Maryland. She will reopen an office that has been dormant for several years. In the full-time position, Wilson will serve as a neutral intermediary for PGCPS and the broader community, including more than 130,000 students and their families. As the Ombuds, she reports to the District Superintendent's Chief of Staff.

Utah Valley University Selects Next Ombuds

In October 2025, Victoria Cruz began as the Assistant Director of Conflict Resolution & Ombuds for the large public university in Orem. She primarily serves a student population of about 37,000 and also works with faculty and staff. (UVU faculty with inter-faculty issues are also served by the Faculty Ombuds, Natalie Grecu.)

IOA Group Highlights Growth of K-12 Ombuds

The International Ombuds Association’s K–12 Ombuds Workgroup convened on January 15, 2026, to examine national trends in K–12 Ombuds services and their implications for public education. Monique Bookstein, Ombuds for Prince William County Public Schools, facilitated the meeting, which highlighted the continued expansion of K-12 Ombuds programs across the U.S. The workgroup noted that every state and territory now has at least one education Ombuds role, with rising case volume signaling increased reliance on Ombuds services. 

UVA Health Names Inaugural Ombuds

Henry Yampolsky has been selected as the first Ombuds for the University of Virginia Health System. Next week, Yampolsky joins University Ombuds, Amanda Monaco, and will provide services to about 13,000 faculty, staff, residents, postdocs, and students in the schools of medicine and nursing in Charlottesville and locations across the state. In addition, he is also also expected to be the primary facilitator and trainer for the UVA University Ombuds Office.

Job Posting: NOLA Public Schools

The public school district for Orleans Parish, Louisiana, is hiring an Ombuds to support families of students with disabilities across 68 district-run and charter schools. This is a full-time, on-site position reporting to the Executive Director of Diverse Learner Support. The Ombuds will serve as a neutral and independent resource for families, addressing concerns related to special education services, discipline, and enrollment, and assisting families in navigating district and charter school systems. 

Prince William County Public Schools Ombuds Posts 2024–25 Annual Report

PWCS in Virginia has issued the 2024–25 annual report from its Office of the Ombuds. Monique “Mo” Bookstein and Ombuds Specialist Rosamaria Manzines recorded 368 cases, a 15% increase from the prior year. The annual report uses IOA reporting categories and this year added a new case type, “Educational Partners,” to better classify school-related concerns.

Florida Institute of Technology Names Ombuds

The private research university in Melbourne, Florida, has appointed its first members of a Faculty Ombuds Committee: Albert Bleakley, Professor of Mechanical and Civil Engineering; Kenia Nunes, Associate Professor of Biomedical Engineering and Science; and Suzanne Kozaitis, Associate Librarian. All will serve an initial three-year term. In addition, Florida Tech also appointed Kristen Nelson as its next Student Ombuds in the summer of 2024. She follows Rebecca Crook in the part-time role. 

Bethune–Cookman University Appoints Collateral Duty Ombuds

The private, historically black university in Daytona Beach, Florida, has named Ashley Thomas as its first University Ombudsman and Title IX Compliance Officer. According to her website, as the Ombuds, she is a "confidential and impartial resource dedicated to serving the entire Bethune-Cookman University community—students, faculty, and staff." The university's Title IX policy includes Thomas's Ombuds title and identifies her at the Title IX Coordinator/Compliance Officer for the same constituents. 

UNC School of the Arts Adds an Ombuds

Elizabeth (“Liz”) Whiting is the new, part-time member of the Ombuds Team at UNCSA, the public arts conservatory in Winston-Salem, N.C. She joins University Ombuds, Jill Crainshaw, and will provide services to faculty, staff, and administrators.

IOA Announces 2025 September Symposium Speakers

The International Ombuds Association has announced the speaker lineup for its 2025 September Symposium, "Advocating for Your Office and the Ombuds Role." The virtual event will take place on September 30, 2025, from 11:00am to 7:00pm Eastern time.

Here are the scheduled speakers:

Colorado Ombuds Gather for Summer 2025 Picnic

Members of the Colorado Ombuds Group gathered for a fun end-of-summer picnic at Chautauqua Park in Boulder, Colorado on August 22, 2025. COG has had a long standing commitment to meet a minimum of three times a year for well over 33 years.

Job Posting: Federal Bureau of Investigation

The FBI is seeking a full-time, permanent Associate Organizational Ombuds — a rare exemption from the current federal hiring freeze. The position will join an office that provides services to Bureau employees with workplace issues and concerns, and follows IOA standards. 

Job Posting: City of Atlanta

The City of Atlanta is seeking an Ombudsman of Neighborhoods. The post explains that, "The Office of the Ombudsman of Neighborhoods is committed to providing an independent, neutral, impartial, and confidential (wherein requested) platform for informal grievance exploration, resource sharing, community engagement, and collaborative discussion. The position was established by Jodi Merriday in 2021. 

Podcast: Ombuds Building Trust in K-12 Education

Stacey Aliasso Rowcliffe was a guest on a recent episode of Brian Graham's podcast, "Achieving Joy and Mastery in Public Schools." Rowcliffe is the inaugural Ombuds for Erie 2-Chautauqua-Cattaraugus BOCES and she was joined by the District Superintendent and CEO, David O'Rourke. They explored "the quiet but transformative impact of Ombuds Services in education." 

Orange County Schools Ombuds Post First Annual Report

Franklin McCune, the inaugural Employee Ombuds for the the public school district in Hillsborough, North Carolina, published his first annual report last week. (He also serves as the district's Board Specialist.) McCune assisted 49 visitors as he rolled out the Ombuds Office in the 2024-25 school year. Three quarters of the visitors were certified employees and the remainder were classified staff. The report adopts the use of IOA's Uniform Reporting Categories. (OC Schools Ombuds 2025 Report.)