July, 2008, IOA
THE INDEPENDENT VOICE
News from the International Ombudsman Association
PRESIDENT’S LETTER
A Dynamic Balance
BY KEVIN JESSAR, IOA PRESIDENT
“Vitality,” F. Scott
Fitzgerald contends,
“shows in not only
the ability to persist
but the ability to start
over.” As IOA enters its
fourth year it is worth
reflecting that we
have retained the
best aspects of each
KEVIN JESSAR
parent association
and “started over.” We have shouldered the dual challenges of
articulating our identity as an
organization and continuing to
define our field and profession.
INSIDE
These simultaneous challenges can
be likened to what F. Scott Fitzgerald
characterized as the “test of a first
rate intelligence” — namely, the
“ability to hold two opposed ideas in
the mind at the same time, and still
retain the ability to function.” For IOA,
our efforts to nurture one another as
a community and develop as a
profession need not be construed as
“opposed ideas” but their simultaneous pursuit may occasionally more
closely resemble a sailboat tacking
to shore than a safeguard cutter
taking a sleek and speedy course to
an unambiguous destination.
In this next year we will grapple with
many issues, ranging from certification, to standards of practice and
membership, to what it means to be
“international.” Our success to this
point raises these issues as surely as
our continued progress depends on
how we navigate a host of opportunities and challenges that we cannot
ignore. The thread that runs through
the issues facing us is the need to
balance how we nurture our diverse
community within IOA with how we
develop relationships beyond IOA,
with other interests,
professions, and
associations. And
through this all, we
will be seeking to
retain, as F. Scott
Fitzgerald notes,
the “ability to
function.” I want,
then, to touch only
briefly on a few of the
challenges and
opportunities ahead.
Board Highlights
3
Workplace Mobbing
11
Certification
4
Ombudsman Journey
12
Strategic Planning
6
IOA Course Offerings
13
What Are you Going to Do?
7
Board Champions
14
Mission Statement
9
New Members
16
If IOA is to live up to its name and
potential, it must in the coming years
work diligently to establish an everincreasing international presence.
Our 2009 conference in Montreal will
be the first IOA conference to be
held outside of the continental
United States. This is an important
step for IOA and builds on the
successful workshops that IOA has
given in Montreal, Toronto, Tunis,
Rome, Paris and Geneva. At the
Boston conference, I was gratified to
hear expressions of interest in IOA by
members and visitors from eight
international organizations and 11
(continued on page 2)
THE INDEPENDENT VOICE
Volume III, Issue 2, July, 2008, IOA
(President’s Letter, continued from page 1)
countries, ranging from Brazil, to
Australia, Israel to England, Canada
to Kenya. IOA will attempt in the
years ahead to fulfill its international
mission with the “industry, wisdom,
sensitivity,” balance and recognition
of diversity to which plenary-speaker
Ambassador Thomas referred in
Boston.
IOA’s rich diversity is reflected as well
across our membership categories of
“Members,”“Associate Members,”
“Affiliate Members,” and “Retired
Members.” I had the pleasure in
Boston of sitting in the sector
discussion for consultants and
contractors. The need to serve all
categories of our membership is a
critical one. Remembering this is
consistent with recent IOA membership votes extending, in an inclusive
and functional approach, Member
status to those collateral duty and
contract Ombudsmen who are able
to practice according to the Standards of Practice. This functional
rather than categorical approach (in
both senses of the word) represents
a desire to be inclusive and it
imposes on us all a responsibility to
include.
Here, too, we find the need to
maintain a dynamic balance. IOA
must speak to the needs of “Associate Members” and “Affiliate Members” and yet must retain its identity
and focus as an association for
organizational Ombudsmen. This is
all the more true given the fact that
unlike doctors and attorneys we are
not state regulated but rather selfregulating and thus responsible for
maintaining our own Standards of
Practice and Code of Ethics for IOA
and the field of organizational
Ombudsmen. Finally, the border
between “Members” and “Associates”
and Affiliates” is permeable. Ombudsmen who have years of experience of practicing according to the
Standards of Practice have often
crossed and re-crossed the different
membership thresholds based on
the vagaries of organizational and
employment realities. Rich experience can be found in all categories
of our IOA membership.
Certification has the potential to
assist us in defining the organizational Ombudsman field. We seek an
extraordinary trust when as Ombudsmen we pursue a legislatively
mandated or court-recognized
privilege. It is a privilege greater than
that accorded to doctors and
lawyers, whose patients and clients,
respectively, control whether
information is disclosed or held
confidential. Yet, paradoxically we
cannot point to state regulation such
as state issued licenses or state
sanctioned licensing exams to
reassure legislators who might
consider conferring on us such a
privilege. Judges and legislators
rightly question our credentials.
Ultimately, a certification program
that is tied to accreditation by an
independent accrediting organization may hold some value for IOA in
our efforts to win court and legislative sanction of the confidential and
privileged nature of our work. This
could enable IOA to place the work
of our field on a sounder footing
with other professions and associations and the law than we can attain
simply by asserting our standards of
practice that have received to date
somewhat limited legal sanction.
Certification may hold value as well
as an important step in our continued professionalization. It represents (through the job analysis and
job survey) a good way to clarify the
essential knowledge, skills and
abilities that are integral to our
work. There is, however, much work
to be done to create a viable
certification program. Foremost
among these tasks is to engage
membership in a dialogue that
clarifies and attempts to meet the
concerns of people on all sides and
considers how such an initiative may
be pursued to maximize its value to
all IOA members and our profession.
In conclusion I would revise for our
purposes F. Scott Fitzgerald’s
assertion to say that for IOA vitality
consists not simply in persisting, and
not even in merely starting over. Our
vitality consists in functioning and,
indeed, in making substantive
progress by balancing dynamic
values and relationships, and by
finding ways to nurture one another
as a community and simultaneously
develop as a profession.
It is this work of nurturing our
diverse community while establishing a sounder footing for our field
and our relationships with other
interests, professions, and associations that we will pursue in the
coming year, and I suspect, well
beyond that. I hope that all of you
who give so generously of your time
and energy to strengthen IOA and
our profession will continue to do so
in this next year, and that those of
you who have not yet decided where
or how to contribute to IOA will
contact IOA, committee members
and leaders to see how you can
contribute to the profession of
organizational Ombudsmen.
2
Volume III, Issue 2, July, 2008, IOA
THE INDEPENDENT VOICE
Board of Directors Update
The Board has been working on various IOA matters and initiatives.
One particularly exciting initiative is our exploration of a possible
joint conference in Montreal in April 2009 with the Forum of Canadian Ombudsmen and the Association of Canadian College and
University Ombudsmen. We believe that a joint conference could be
a wonderful opportunity for our members and with the Conference
Oversight Committee and Conference Planning Committee we are
working, through the logistical and substantive issues to ensure the
value of this joint conference for our members.
The Board has put the finishing touches on a membership survey or
needs assessment that we anticipate will have been distributed to
you by the time this newsletter is published. We are seeking member
input on various IOA initiatives and issues and feedback on what you
feel is working well and what could be improved.
The Board has been exploring the next steps in a certification
process. The job analysis, developed by ten conference attendees
after our Boston conference, will provide the basis for a member
survey to determine to essential skills, knowledge and abilities for
Ombudsman work. We are also working with the newly created
Certification Taskforce to identify and develop the other elements of
a successful certification program.
The Board has discussed the legal, process, and historical issues
related to retaining or changing the name of IOA. Questions pertaining to the name will be included in the member survey that you may
have already received by the date of publication of this newsletter.
In other actions, the Board welcomes Sean Banks as the new cochair of the Legal and Legislative Affairs Committee. We are fortunate
to have Sean join Judy Bruner in directing the
activities of the committee. The vacancy
occurred when Kevin Jessar stepped down
as co-chair in order to fill his role as President.
Finally, the Board will seek to build on the
productivity of its 2007 mid-year Board
meeting by holding a similar meeting in
Houston in August, 2008.
— The Board
The Independent Voice is
published quarterly by The
International Ombudsman
Association to provide information on developments in
ombuds practice, Association
news, and other topics of
professional interest to members of IOA. Articles and
advertisements do not necessarily represent the position of IOA.
Copyright 2008, IOA. No
material may be photocopied or
distributed without express
written permission of IOA. This
newsletter is produced by
Professional Management
Associates, L.L.C., a full-service
association management
company.
Editorial Team:
Michael Eisner
[email protected]
Nicholas Diehl
[email protected]
Kathy Canul
[email protected]
Troy Morgan
[email protected]
Nicholas Theotocatos
[email protected]
International
Ombudsman Association
203 Towne Centre Drive
Hillsborough, NJ 08844-4693
USA
Phone: +1 (908) 359-0246
Fax: +1 (908) 842-0376
Email:
[email protected]
Website:
www.ombudsassociation.org
3
THE INDEPENDENT VOICE
Volume III, Issue 2, July, 2008, IOA
Post-Conference Thoughts on
Certification
BY SEAN BANKS, MARY CHAVEZ RUDOLPH, CAROLYN NOORBAKHSH AND JENNIFER WOLF
The plenary session on certification
at the April IOA conference, as well
as the feedback from the evaluations
of that session, have provided the
certification planning group additional food for thought. We have
taken the time to reflect on some of
the questions raised and hope to
address them in a thoughtful fashion
in this newsletter article. The following is a list of topics surfaced at the
conference in multiple venues, along
with the planning group’s responses:
1) What is the certification planning group’s philosophy regarding certification?
The philosophy of the certification
planning group regarding certification is in keeping with the mission of
IOA, which is:
The mission of IOA is to
advance the profession of
organizational ombudsmen
and ensure that practitioners
are able to work to the
highest professional standards.
We believe that certification will
indeed advance the organizational
ombudsmen profession by providing
a foundational measurement for the
basic Knowledge, Skills and Abilities
(KSAs) of ombudsman practice
based on IOA’s Code of Ethics and
Standards of Practice.
2) What is the relationship between IOA and the certification
program?
The final oversight structure of the
IOA certification program (also
referred to as the “certification
program” throughout this article) has
yet to be determined. However,
based on professional advice from
our certification consultant—SMT—
and legal counsel, the certification
program’s oversight structure will be
consistent with recognized models
for professional association certification programs and anti-trust law. At
least initially, this will call for IOA to
serve as the “parent association” for
the certification program, with a
functionally independent certification program board of directors, who
will provide direct oversight of the
program.
3) What happens if an ombudsman
attempts to become IOA certified,
but is not successful?
It is anticipated that there will be
more than one opportunity to
become certified. It will not be a one
shot chance. It is also expected that
the vast majority of ombudsmen
who practice according to standards
will indeed pass the evaluation on
the first round. Certification will be a
process to determine very basic KSAs
and a demonstration of practicing to
standards. If IOA certification
requires an exam, there will be an
opportunity to prepare for the exam
by seeing sample questions in
advance.
4) If an organization and/or an
ombudsman choose not to be
accredited or certified, what will
be the ramifications?
IOA is not a governmental entity
with authority to dictate if an
organization and/or an ombudsman
has to be IOA accredited or certified.
Therefore, IOA accreditation and
certification will be voluntary.
If an individual chooses not to be
certified and/or an organization
chooses not to be accredited
through IOA, the only consequences
are that the individual and organization will not be able to use that
professional designation.
5) Does my choice to pursue or not
to pursue certification impact my
standing as an IOA member?
IOA membership will not be impacted by whether an ombudsman is IOA
certified.
6) Will IOA training courses be
linked to certification?
IOA professional development
courses may help people prepare for
the certification evaluation, however
they will not be required. IOA
courses will also be among those
considered for credit for re-certification. (Re-certification will be required, probably every three to four
(continued on page 5)
4
Volume III, Issue 2, July, 2008, IOA
THE INDEPENDENT VOICE
(Certification, continued from page 4)
years.) However, there will be other
educational and professional
development opportunities that will
also count toward credit for recertifying.
7) Who is the financial beneficiary
of certification?
and Code of Ethics (COEs). This draft
is being transformed into a survey
that will go out to IOA members and
associate members in June to ensure
broader input and to obtain consensus regarding the KSAs required to
function as an ombudsman. Of
course, there are differences in
practice — but we believe there are
far more commonalities. The goal of
the certification planning group is to
identify KSAs that adequately make
up the body of basic knowledge (i.e.,
the commonalities) for ombuds
practice according to IOA SOPs and
COEs.
possible. Ultimately, the certification
process may evolve, and what is
required in 2012 may look different
from the initial process of 2008. The
initial process may be a stepping
stone for a more thorough and
rigorous vetting process down the
road.
other factors will be considered in
determining the best evaluation
process — including the important
consideration of affordability for IOA
to initially subsidize and participants
to eventually support. One guiding
principle is to have a program that is
economically feasible for as many
ombudsmen and programs as
IOA certification would be a credential that an ombudsman can provide
to a current or prospective employer
to demonstrate that s/he has
engaged in professional development activities (e.g., studying for an
exam and successfully passing an
It is anticipated that the certification
10) How might an exam (or other
program will be self-sustaining
evaluation process) be designed
within five years. Until then, the
to ensure cultural sensitivity?
Board of Directors of IOA has agreed
that IOA will subsidize the program.
There are several processes in place
IOA has accumulated reserves in
to attempt to ensure cultural
anticipation of several programmatic
sensitivity including the following: 1)
needs of the organization and
surveying IOA members to ensure
profession. Some
broad participaof these reserves
tion in the
have been
development of
allocated for
KSAs; 2) the
IOA certification would indicate that an Ombudscertification. The
participation of
man has the Knowledge, Skills and Abilities
certification
IOA members
planning group is
from countries
(KSAs) to practice in accordance with prevailing
trying to find a
outside of the
and recognized professional standards for
price-point for
US and North
the certification
America, as part
Organizational Ombudsmen.
and accreditation
of the process of
processes which
developing
balances cost to
certification; 3)
the individual with subsidy from IOA.
focusing the exam on the commonalities instead of the differences with
Any profits would not benefit any
9) Is an exam the most effective
which ombudsmen may practice;
individual ombudsman, including
way to measure knowledge, skills
and 4) all exam questions will be
instructors for the IOA courses; all
and abilities (KSAs)?
reviewed by psychometricians to
instructors are volunteers and do not
It
is
not
yet
clear
what
will
be
the
eliminate cultural bias.
realize any financial gain from
most
reliable
and
valid
method
to
teaching for IOA.
measure KSAs. The job analysis
11) What’s in it for me as an
process, which includes a subseombudsman to become certified,
quent
survey
to
IOA
members,
will
8) Is there a clear enough, and
and what’s in it for my organizahelp
determine
what
type
of
consistent enough, body of
tion to become accredited?
evaluation
is
most
appropriate.
Many
knowledge regarding ombudsman practice for a certification
program?
A job analysis process occurred in
meetings after the annual conference to compile a draft list of KSAs
required to function as an ombudsman that practices in accordance
with IOA Standards of Practice (SOPs)
(continued on page 6)
5
THE INDEPENDENT VOICE
Volume III, Issue 2, July, 2008, IOA
(Certification, continued from page 5)
exam). IOA certification would
indicate that an Ombudsman has the
KSAs to practice in accordance with
prevailing and recognized professional standards for Organizational
Ombudsmen (e.g., the IOA Standards
of Practice and Code of Ethics). Our
hope is that an employer will see
value in this professional development activity and in this credential
— as has been the case in other
professions. The certification will also
serve as a credential which an
Ombudsman can provide to potential employers in a competitive
process.
As stated above, The mission of IOA is
to advance the profession of organizational ombudsmen and ensure that
practitioners are able to work to the
highest professional standards. An
Ombudsman will likely benefit from
the advancement of our profession
— and we hope also that certification will assist in the recognition of
organizational ombudsman confidentiality privilege and attainment
of a shield law (as legislators have
asked those seeking a shield law
about the qualifications of an
ombudsman).
An organization would benefit from
accreditation because it would
demonstrate that the organization is
making every attempt to ensure that
the Ombudsman Office is practicing
in accordance with prevailing and
recognized professional standards.
Such a demonstration could be
helpful in encouraging organization
constituents to feel more confident
utilizing the Ombudsman program
(i.e. consumer protection).
12) Why will experienced ombudsman not be grandfathered?
The certification planning group was
advised that grandfathering could
be fraught with legal difficulties. For
example, grandfathering can be
challenged — i.e. “Why was s/he
grandfathered and not me”? It can
also present the question of whether
a “grandfathered” individual is
equally qualified in his or her
certification as someone who has
gone through the required process
to achieve certification. Not allowing grandfathering will level the
playing field by not giving preferential treatment to anyone. It is hoped
that the experienced ombudsmen
will want to lead the way and will be
eager to participate in the certification process. Incorporating grandfathering could also impact the
eligibility of the certification
program to become accredited in
the future.
If you have additional questions
about certification please e-mail
[email protected],
[email protected],
[email protected], or
[email protected].
Strategic Planning Committee Report:
BY RANDY WILLIAMS AND MIKE TURPENOFF, CO-CHAIRS
The International Ombudsman Association’s Board of Directors has approved the 2009 - 2014 IOA Strategic
Plan. The structure of the plan is revised from earlier efforts in that it includes both strategic and tactical
elements. The plan includes not only the Vision, Mission, Values and highest priorities for the Association, but
also the projects for which each Committee or Subcommittee is the “project owner,” as indicated on the
Strategic Plan. Committee Chairs and Officers need to examine all of the elements and sections of the
Plan. Once the respective Committees have extracted those projects for which their Committees are the
“project owner,” they must “describe” the extent, schedule and intent of the project as well as associated
costs. This information will be used to track (for the first time) progress on each Association project for both the
Committees and the Board. The Strategic Planning Committee will be contacting the respective committees to
follow up on the Tracking Reports. This “initiative definition” effort will enable the Board and the Committees to
readily identify what all of the Committees and Subcommittees are pursuing at any given point and to check
with them on status, direction, and progress. This is of vital importance to the Board and IOA.
6
Volume III, Issue 2, July, 2008, IOA
THE INDEPENDENT VOICE
What Are You Going To Do?
BY NICK DIEHL, ASSOCIATE OMBUDSMAN, NIH AND WITH COMMENTS FROM THE IOA STANDING
COMMITTEE ON PROFESSIONAL ETHICS, STANDARDS OF PRACTICE AND BEST PRACTICES
In the last issue of The Independent Voice, we asked
readers to consider and respond to a hypothetical
scenario that involved an ombudsman who planned to
move into a formal role within an organization:
• I would simply ask George and hear from him if he has
any concerns. Because of the reputation he has
created I’d like to believe that people would actually
trust him more and would still seek his assistance
(though this time as a person with authority).
SCENARIO:
GOING OVER TO THE FORMAL SIDE
• Nothing. George as an ombuds is bound by confidentiality.
You are the head of an ombudsman office in an organization of 20,000 employees and you have one associate
ombudsman, George. George has been working in your
office for the past two years and has earned a reputation
for being personable, fair, trustworthy and intelligent. All
of these talents have served your office and the organization well. So well, in fact, that the head of Employee
Relations has taken note and has approached George
about taking a fairly high-level position in that department. You know that George has ambitions to grow
professionally and that he would do well in the role, but
you are also concerned about how employees might
react knowing that George has a lot of information
about issues that have been raised to the ombudsman.
You would like to keep George in the office, but you
won’t be able to match the salary ER would be offering
him. What, if anything, would you do to help facilitate an
effective transition for George, the organization and your
Office?
• Debriefing for previous work and briefing for the
transition needs to be done. Make the transfer transparent in every way, including in writing, media
relations and such, and furthermore about the
responsibilities and duties for past job and new job.
Readers shared the following comments
on the situation:
• I would sit down with George and brainstorm about
questions he and I should expect, and how we will
answer them, to assure employees that any information George may have heard in his role as an Ombudsman will continue to be kept confidential and will not
bias his new role (to the best of his abilities).
• Make sure there is a “bright line” departure from the
office so that he does not handle any other calls. You
could also make appropriate announcements memorializing the confidentiality of any conversations with
him is still in existence.
• I would have an informal conversation with George
and share the concerns/perceptions issues regarding
his potential transition. Ask George to share his best
experience about his role as an ombudsman. Ask
George what could I or the organization do to support
his growth and development? What would he do if he
was in my place and to brainstorm effective ideas for
transitions if transition is appropriate after the support
and growth conversation.
• Have a discussion with George to ensure he understands that he would need to keep all information
while he was an Ombudsman in full confidentiality. I
would also follow up with George to see if there are
any pending issues that would need to follow up.
• If not already done, have George sign a confidentiality
agreement. Talk to the union reps about the move to
ensure they are understanding/supportive. Talk to
George about how he will handle his knowledge of
information when faced with decisions that might
compromise him. Have an announcement made about
the move that clarifies George’s position, the role of
the office, Ombudsman, etc.
We requested some additional comments about this
scenario from the IOA Standing Committee on Professional Ethics, Standards of Practice and Best Practices:
This change in position for George creates both a
challenge and opportunity to communicate effectively
(continued on page 8)
7
Volume III, Issue 2, July, 2008, IOA
THE INDEPENDENT VOICE
(What Would You Do?, continued from page 7)
with the entire organization. Effectively communicating
this change can help create the perception that George
will maintain confidentiality in his new role. Whether this
is done successfully will likely have an impact on the
trust employees have both in the Ombudsman Office
and the Employee Relations function.
Ideally, a confidentiality agreement has been signed by
George and all other Ombudsman Office staff. If not, this
may still be done prior to the transition. This agreement
should be part of the communication to employees.
Language may include something similar to this:
“All staff employed by the Ombudsman Office are
members of the International Ombudsman Association
and have agreed to work in compliance with the IOA
Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice, copies of which
are also attached to this Agreement. The obligation to
maintain confidentiality of all
communications
with inquirers
and to work in
conformity with
the IOA Code of
Ethics and
Standards of
Practice is equally
critical for all nonombudsman staff employed by the Ombudsman Office.
In practical terms, this means that information concerning the identity of the people who use the Ombudsman
Office, the subject matter of the issues raised, and the
contents of any communications or actions taken by any
ombudsman or staff of the office will not be disclosed to
persons outside the office. This obligation not to disclose
will continue even if you are no longer employed by the
Ombudsman Office.”
disclose information or identities. There may be situations when George should rescues himself because he
has confidential information gained as an Ombudsman
that is relevant to a particular Employee Relations
situation he is involved with.
An organization-wide announcement of George’s new
role (preferably from a high level executive) should
emphasize the confidentiality expectation as well as use
this transition as an opportunity to again define the
different roles of the Ombudsman Office and the
Employee Relations function (and possibly other
employee resources).
IOA SOP 3.2 states that “Communications between the
Ombudsman and others (made while the Ombudsman is
serving in that capacity) are considered privileged. The
privilege belongs to the Ombudsman and the Ombudsman Office, rather
than to any party
to an issue. Others
cannot waive this
privilege.”
It creates a sense that protecting
confidentiality is both a personal
promise to employees . . . as well as the
expectation of the organization. . .
It may also be helpful to include in the description of his
new Employee Relations duties and role as well as in the
terms of any employment contract the expectation and
requirement that George will protect confidential
communications with previous Ombudsman Office
visitors. This, combined with the Ombudsman Office
Confidentiality Agreement, strengthens the “perception”
of confidentiality. It creates a sense that protecting
confidentiality is both a personal promise to employees
by George as well as the expectation of the organization
and his superiors.
Former visitors to the Ombudsman Office may have a
concern about George’s potential use of confidential
information in his new position even if he does not
3.2 should be
highlighted to
mean that even as
George transitions
to his new role,
the Ombudsman
Office maintains the privilege and will resist any attempt
to require George to reveal confidential information
obtained while working in the Ombudsman Office. This
privilege and obligation to resist all requests to reveal
confidential information remains with the Ombudsman
Office rather than with George in his new role (although
it is expected he would exercise the privilege as well) or
employees who shared the confidential information.
This organization-wide communication should remind
employees of the Ombudsman process — particularly
the fact that no formal records are kept and that personal case notations are routinely destroyed upon case
completion (SOP 3.5,3.6,3.7). This may also solidify the
perception of confidentiality as George moves to his
new role — there will be nothing for him to physically
take with him that could be used to breach confidentiality.
The next edition of The Independent Voice will
provide a new scenario for your responses. If you
have a scenario you would like to contribute, please
send it via e-mail to any member of the editorial
team listed on page 3.
8
THE INDEPENDENT VOICE
Volume III, Issue 2, July, 2008, IOA
Creating a Mission Statement:
Down the Rabbit Hole for Advice from a Caterpillar
BY MAURICIO “REESE” RAMOS AND TERI WILLIAMS
Ever read Alice in Wonderland? At
first I used to think it was a
children’s story. Then one day
(after multiple readings over a
period of years) I came to the
conclusion that Lewis Carroll was
indeed a genius. Many of you may
be saying, there you go again,
trying to connect two unrelated
things, but bear with me. Each
time I read Alice I glean lessons
and similarities between Wonderland and our own personal
journeys in the “Ombuds World”
that I can’t help but at times
believe Lewis Carroll wrote the
very first Ombuds manual.
perceive those events, thus not by
the events themselves. This is why
the Caterpillar keeps asking Alice,
“Who are you?” That is the real
question. Not, what happened? Or
where have you been? Or even
where are you going? Yet instead
ask who are you?
So, like Alice, take a drink (you
have already taken the pill) and
escape with me for a lesson that a
certain character, the Caterpillar,
offers Alice and in turn, us as Ombuds. Do you dare go down the
rabbit hole? Your Ombuds practice
may never be the same again.
Mission statements are powerful
because they give a sense of
meaning and purpose to our
personal values and goals. Mission
statements are, in fact, a concise
statement of your life purpose.
Therefore, a mission statement
specifically directs our focus in order
to produce desirable results.
After Alice falls down the hole (while
chasing the white rabbit) she meets
all sorts of interesting characters,
which includes the fascinating
Caterpillar. When Alice meets the
Caterpillar he asks her, “Who are
you?” Alice tries to answer but finds
that because she has changed sizes
all day she does not quite know who
she is or even how to explain this
confusion to the Caterpillar. Alice
even attempts to let the Caterpillar
know that one day he will turn into a
chrysalis, and then after that into a
butterfly. Alice hopes that perhaps
As an Ombuds, the Caterpillar’s
question in turn becomes, “Who am
I as an Ombuds?” In other words,
“What is my purpose as an Ombuds?” By answering this question
we come up with an Ombuds
Mission Statement (OMS), which
can be a powerful tool in guiding
our practice.
the Caterpillar will understand her
confusion because some day he will
feel different too. However, the
Caterpillar disagrees with Alice and
says he won’t. And herein lies the
lesson.
For the Caterpillar his identity is not
tied to the dramatic transformation
and changes that happen to him.
This particular guide reminds us that
what happens in the external world
is not tied to who we are. It is our
beliefs about ourselves and how we
relate to these external events that
determine our experiences. Although you may already know this, I
believe it is a powerful reminder that
who we are is shaped by our perception of ourselves and the way we
Steven Covey, in his book First
Things First, refers to developing a
mission statement as “connecting
with your own unique purpose and
the profound satisfaction that comes
from fulfilling it.” Enthusiasm and
excitement will fill you when you get
a sense that you are achieving your
personal mission statement. Feelings
of being competent, helpful, and
effective are what most people strive
for and your mission statement will
be a constant reminder of what you
(continued on page 10)
9
THE INDEPENDENT VOICE
Volume III, Issue 2, July, 2008, IOA
(Mission Statement, continued from page 9)
want to attain day by day. Writing a
mission statement will provide the
focus you need to accomplish your
purpose as an Ombuds.
recurring themes that resonate for
you.
Here are some corresponding
questions we can ask ourselves in
order to identify the values that
empower us:
1) Your OMS should be one sentence
long because you want to be able to
recite it without having to think
about it too much. If you find
yourself writing more than two lines
you have too much (and off with
your head)! This is about the essence,
the core, of your practice.
• What principles, beliefs and values
guide my work?
• Why did I become an Ombuds to
begin with?
• What do I enjoy most about being
an Ombuds?
• What is the biggest need I am
trying to meet
for myself and
others?
• Are there needs
that exist in my
organization/
institution that
I want to
incorporate in
my OMS?
In order to assemble a statement,
keep in mind a couple of things:
2) Your OMS must truly guide,
motivate, and inspire you; this one
line is something you will embrace
experience that feels most genuine
for you? Recognizing which of those
small nuances strike a chord will help
you create your own personal OMS.
In essence, by adopting a specific
OMS you will be adopting a set of
rules, beliefs, and behaviors that go
along with whatever your statement
is. “Navigator” and “magician” are
words that might convey similarities
to you but aren’t there are also key
differences in those words for you?
Knowing that perhaps for you the
focus of your practice isn’t to
“transform” anyone or anything but
instead “to guide” will determine a
quality and
consistency in
your practice
quite different
from anyone
else’s practice.
Mere words they
may appear but
words make a
world of
difference, don’t
they? Eventually
Alice meets Humpty Dumpty and his
powerful lesson is about the power
of words and that the words he uses
mean just what he chooses them to
mean.
What words can you put together that
reflect a meaning for your practice
that you can live by?
• What is my institution’s mission
statement and how does my OMS
relate to it?
• Think of a peacemaker, Ombuds,
mediator, leader, or person you
admire (living or dead). What
about them inspires you? If this
person could give you one gift
(non-material) what would it be?
• Is there a metaphor that I can
adopt to help me symbolically
remember my role?
• One day, you will no longer be an
Ombuds (because you have
retired, pursued a new venture, or
have died). As an Ombuds, how
would you like to be remembered?
Of course these are just some of the
questions we can ask ourselves but
once you have answered these
questions you should be able to look
at the answers and pull some
unconditionally.
Here are some sample OMS’s I have
noted over the years:
“My OMS is to be a “humane” face
and “conscience” of the institution
we are a part of.”
“I am an Ambassador of Peace.”
What words can you put together
that reflect a meaning for your
practice that you can live by? This
does not mean you will be one
specific role all the time but generally, is there a specific focus that better
suits you? Choose your OMS wisely
because it will determine your
practice. For you may never know
when you will find yourself down a
deep, deep hole and happen to
stumble upon a Caterpillar who will
ask, “Who are you?”
Do any of these sample OMS’s (with
their fine distinctions and subtleties)
resonate for you by creating an
And now, we’re off to meet a very
special visitor who likes tea and has a
penchant for hats.
“I am a navigator that empowers
people to go from where they are to
where they want to be through the
sea of conflict.”
“I’m an Ombuds magician that can
transform people’s problems into
opportunities and lessons.”
“My purpose is to provide a place of
sanctuary.”
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Volume III, Issue 2, July, 2008, IOA
THE INDEPENDENT VOICE
Workplace Mobbing:
When Ganging Up Becomes a Team Sport
BY SAMANTHA LEVINE
Anyone who has struggled to relate
a difficult incident or find the right
words to explain a confusing
emotion knows there is power and
opportunity in the ability to concretely name and describe an
experience. This holds true for one of
the most recently defined, and
potentially disastrous, phenomena
of organizational conflict: workplace
mobbing. “The language has allowed
us to see it more and talk about it
more,” said Tom Sebok, director of
the Ombuds Office at the University
of Colorado at Boulder and associate
editor of the Journal of the International Ombudsman Association.
Armed with this concept, people
who experience mobbing can more
fully make sense of their experiences
while interveners, such as organizational ombudsmen, can help
proactively diagnose, defuse and
prevent the insidious behavior.
First used to describe the aggressive
behavior of birds that sense danger,
the term “mobbing” was applied to
the human realm in 1984 by a
German psychologist, Heinz Leymann, who practiced in Sweden. He
studied specific cases in which
groups of employees ganged up for
an extended period on a colleague,
engaging in a systematic campaign
of what he called “psychological
terror” that resulted in the victim’s
mental, psychosomatic and social
misery.1 Thanks to Leymann’s work,
the concept became familiar in
Europe, where several countries have
enacted laws banning workplace
victimization.
Over the last decade, the concept
has gained increasing attention in
North America. Leading mobbing
researcher Kenneth Westhues, a
sociologist at the University of
Waterloo in Ontario, Canada, says
that “simply having the word in
people’s vocabularies” has fueled
more research. Sebok analogizes
that the current level of awareness
about workplace mobbing is akin to
where the United States was about
20 years ago on the issue of sexual
harassment “when it was beginning
to be talked about, named, and
applied to the workplace.”
The term ‘mobbing’ is often used
synonymously with ‘bullying,’ but the
concepts are not interchangeable.
Bullying is typically hostile behavior
carried out by one person, often in a
position of relative power, against
another individual. Mobbing is a less
overt, more complex, group-based
activity that often occurs ‘horizontally’ among people at the same
professional level or from the
‘bottom up,’ with the targeted person
occupying a position of authority. It
may last for months and include
repeated verbal threats, rumormongering, social isolation of the
target, and efforts to undermine
the target’s self-confidence with
the goal of forcing the person out
of the organization. Though
anyone may be mobbed, research
has shown that “the employee most
vulnerable to workplace mobbing is
the personally invested high achiever who somehow threatens his or
her colleagues.”2 Whereas bullies
might seek out the ‘easy marks,’ those
who fall victim to mobbing are rarely
quiet or submissive employees — at
least at the beginning of the assault.
Mobbing may occur in any type of
organization, but an inordinate
number of cases have been reported
in academia. Sebok notes several
characteristics of university environments that make them susceptible
to mobbing: the lack of authority,
willingness and training on the part
of departmental chairs and other
campus leaders to address interpersonal conflict among faculty and
staff; the extension of the concept of
‘academic freedom’ to cover all types
of behavior and communication,
even destructive forms; and the
existence of tenure, the ultimate in
job protection. Across organizations,
other structural and interpersonal
problems, including a lack of
effective leadership, the absence of
alternative avenues to conflict
resolution, and inadequate communication can cultivate climates that
inadvertently support mobbing.
While the incidence of mobbing is
fairly low — some researchers have
estimated that between 4 and 8
percent of employees have experienced this victimization during their
careers – that still equals millions of
individual cases worldwide. In
addition to the devastating effects of
mobbing on the victims, from job
loss to illness and even suicide, it can
also result in multiple negative
impacts on organizations, including
high turnover, low productivity and
poor morale.3
(continued on page 12)
11
Volume III, Issue 2, July, 2008, IOA
THE INDEPENDENT VOICE
(Mobbing, continued from page 11)
Ombudsmen are in a strong position
to help address and prevent workplace mobbing. Sebok, who has cotaught a new IOA course on workplace bullying, recommends that
ombuds consider using climate
surveys to surface potential cases of
mobbing, develop training to build
an organizational culture that
encourages bystanders to flag
evidence of mobbing, and employ
exit interviews and upward evaluation feedback to ensure that organizational leaders are aware of possible dysfunction. Ombuds also can
assist people who say they have
been victims of mobbing, interact
with those who are accused of
mobbing and coach administrators
who supervise individuals who may
be engaging in these behaviors.
There is a great need for such work,
says Westhues, who says “mobbing is
like a tornado in a storm — there are
storms all the time and tornadoes do
not occur in all of them. But when
they do, the results are disastrous.”
FOOTNOTES
1
Leymann, H. (1996) The Content
and Development of Mobbing at
Work. European Journal of Work and
Organizational Psychology, 1996. 5(2),
pp. 165-184.
2
Bultena, C., and Whatcott, R. (2008)
Bushwhacked at Work: A Comparative Analysis of Mobbing and
Bullying at Work. Proceedings of the
American Society of Business and
Behavioral Sciences. 15(1), pp. 652666.
3
Davenport, et al. (1999) Mobbing:
Emotional Abuse in the American
Workplace. Ames, Iowa: Civil Society
Publishing
A Journey into
the Ombudsman World
BY LISA CHUDA WITZLER
After my first semester at college, I eagerly told my parents that I was not
going to be an Economics major as intended, but rather a Peace Studies
major. When they realized this was not simply a freshman phase, they began
seeking “legitimate jobs” for their “professional hippie”. My mother, who
worked for the Carter and Regan Administrations, was very familiar with the
ombudsman role in the government and suggested the position to me. I
foolishly discounted the idea because I could hardly pronounce the word let
alone understand what an ombudsman did. This was before “googling” was
prominent and there was very little information I could find about the job.
A few years went by and I received my bachelor’s degree and set out to
change the world. This did not last long as I soon discovered that changing
the world required 80-hour work weeks and very little salary. With student
loans piling up and rent increasing, I decided to climb the non-profit ladder a
few rungs and go work for a university.
The transition to a “regular” 9 to 5 job found me with an abundance of free
time. Not one to sit around and do nothing, I decided to go back to school
part-time and work on my Master’s degree. I took a class in negotiation and
fell in love with being a student again. Throughout the program, I took
numerous courses in organizational conflict and I began hearing a vaguely
familiar term: ombudsman. An ombudsman visited one of my classes and I
couldn’t help but think, “They do exist!” Until then, ombudsmen were just
another one of the many careers my mother had suggested.
As I was learning more and more about organizational conflict, more and
more of my colleagues were coming to me for advice with their conflicts at
work. I wanted to help them as best as I could without interfering with my job
responsibilities. I decided that I would focus my master’s project on organizational conflict and enter the dispute resolution field as an ombudsman. I
contacted Mary Rowe, the ombudsman at MIT, where I work, and she suggested I become a member of IOA and attend the upcoming IOA conference
in Boston.
I arrived at the pre-conference courses eager to learn as much as I could
about ombudsing. I attended the “IOA Standards of Practice and Code of
Ethics: Understanding the Core Principles or an Organizational Ombudsmen
Practice” and the “Current Legal Issues for Ombudsmen Programs.” The first
course provided me with some valuable background and vocabulary and was
a very good place to start. I had gained some confidence and was eager to
hear about the legal issues that ombudsmen face. I had read the assigned
readings and naively soaked them up as gospel. When I realized that much of
what ombudsmen do could have major legal ramifications, I began to
(continued on page 13)
12
Volume III, Issue 2, July, 2008, IOA
THE INDEPENDENT VOICE
(Journey, continued from page 12)
wonder, “What had I gotten myself into? Was I really willing to go to jail for my
job?” I quickly learned that I had overreacted because these were the extreme
cases to be aware of, not the norm. Ombudsmen did not go to jail on a
regular basis for their job. The Peace Studies/grassroots organizer in me was a
teensy bit disappointed.
The next few days were a blur of acronyms and new vocabulary. I was
pleasantly surprised by how friendly everyone was to me and felt very
welcomed in an incredibly awkward situation. I was not quite sure how to
introduce myself because I am a student, and an administrative assistant and
an aspiring ombudsman. For some reason, this was very difficult to articulate
in a ten second introduction at the beginning of the sessions. I continued to
absorb as much as I could during the sessions.
As an aspiring ombudsman, I was curious about how everyone found his or
her way to the ombudsman role. The academic in me could not help myself
but perform a mini research project throughout the conference on how
people started as an ombudsman. I discovered many came by way of social
work and others through faculty positions and others from a legal background or a communications or publicist background. Very few held a degree
in conflict management or some related field. What did this mean for a recent
graduate with a degree in conflict management? I think it is the sign of a
rapidly growing and changing field where many different perspectives,
experiences and qualities are valued.
When I think back on my experience at the conference, I am not surprised
that I was always welcomed into a conversation or escorted by new-found
friends to be introduced to as many new people as possible. The conference
was an incredible networking experience for me. I began to feel very comfortable with this tremendous group of people and was eager to put my
talents to work. Having organized a number of conferences
while wearing my administrative assistant hat, I couldn’t
help but pinch-hit as a moderator for some of the
sessions. I enjoyed the experience so much that I
have joined the committee for next year’s conference! I have also joined the communications
committee and am eager to start work on
projects with them. I have never been so
excited about an organization and a field
before. Thanks to the wonderful people I met at
the conference, I have found my niche and finally
feel a sense of belonging that is rare for someone
so young.
IOA COURSE
OFFERINGS
FALL 2008
Monday - Friday
October 27-31, 2008
Vancouver, BC, Canada
4TH ANNUAL CONFERENCE
April 15-18, 2009
The Fairmont Hotel
The Queen Elizabeth
Montreal QC, Canada
5TH ANNUAL CONFERENCE
April 7-10, 2010
The Marriott New Orleans
New Orleans, LA
For details on all IOA Course
Offerings, log on to
www.ombudsassociation.org/
After the conference I have a very rosy picture in
my mind about what it will be like to be an
Ombudsman. The reality and the challenges
seem far away, but they have not escaped me. I
realize that I am entering a field that is challenging yet very rewarding.
13
Volume III, Issue 2, July, 2008, IOA
THE INDEPENDENT VOICE
This article is reprinted from Directors Monthly with permission of the publisher.
© 2008 National Association of Corporate Directors (NACD)
1133 21st Street, NW, Suite 700, Washington, D.C. 20036, 202-775-0509, www.nacdonline.org
Board Champions for the Ombudsman
BY JONATHAN E. MCBRIDE AND JAMES S. HOSTETLER
Grievances cannot be redressed unless they are known,
and they cannot be known but through complaints. . . If
these are deemed affronts and the messengers punished as offenders, who will henceforth send petitions?
. . . Where complaining is a crime, hope becomes despair.
— Ben Franklin
In the December 2007 issue of Directors Monthly (DM),
Gary Edwards issued “A Call to Action for Board Leadership” to strengthen and enhance the compliance, ethics,
and corporate culture of an organization. After noting
problems with the structure and function of most
current corporate ethics and compliance programs, Mr.
Edwards offered an action plan for boards of directors to
improve their ethics programs. We applaud and support
his analysis and conclusion that “understanding why and
how boards must reengage on the critical topic of
corporate ethical culture is essential to their success.”
In this article, we offer a significant additional building
block, perhaps one of the most powerful governance
tools available to corporate boards today if they are to
effectively promote best practices in governance, risk
management, and compliance. This tool is the “organizational ombudsman” (ombuds). Providing a safe space for
employees, free from intimidation or retaliation, to
surface issues of concern, particularly those that expose
the organization to risk, is precisely what an organizational ombudsman does.
Director Summary: Recent studies have
shown that though corporate ethics compliance
programs are on the rise, reporting violations are on
the decline. One way to remedy this is by establishing an ombudsman office and providing employees
with an informal channel for reporting unethical
activities that may be putting your company at risk.
BACKGROUND
Employees need to be able to let the board of directors
know when they see something that threatens performance or exposes the company to risk. Only when
corporate boards know what’s really going on in their
organizations can they protect the company’s financial
assets, and an equally important asset—its reputation.
Corporate directors are acutely aware that they expose
themselves to liability if they fail to keep abreast of
emerging best practices in governance, risk management, and compliance. Responsible boards, increasingly
concerned about what they don’t know, are expending
significant time and resources in identifying, quantifying,
and mitigating risks.
Sarbanes-Oxley, the NYSE, and NASDAQ mandate that
companies provide channels of communication through
which employees can act as “whistleblowers” free from
fear of retribution. The U.S. Sentencing Guidelines
stipulate the same thing. In response, many boards have
instructed operating management to provide mechanisms through which employees can disclose their
concerns in a manner in which they feel safe. The result
often has been the establishment of formal internal
functions, such as ethics, compliance, internal audit,
legal, and human resources, or hotlines, among others.
FORMAL VS. INFORMAL CHANNELS
Mentally draw a line under that list of internal functions.
Everything above the line represents a “formal” channel
of communication where agents of management make
policy, enforce policy, and keep official records, as well
they should. When appropriate, they also conduct formal
investigations. If an employee reveals wrongdoing to
any of these formal channels, the organization is “on
notice”; that is to say, the company “knows” and, depending on the nature of the issue, is obligated to initiate an
investigation.
Now drop down below the line. That is where the
organizational ombudsman lives. The office of the
organizational ombudsman offers an “informal” channel
(continued on page 15)
14
Volume III, Issue 2, July, 2008, IOA
THE INDEPENDENT VOICE
(Ombudsman, continued from page 14)
Our employees are often in the
best position to raise issues, but
they won’t unless there is both
the perception and the reality
that they will be supported.
of communication, independent of management’s
formal chain of command. The ombuds is an independent, neutral, and confidential resource. The ombuds is
neither the company’s advocate nor the employee’s
advocate; rather, it is an advocate for fair process.
As the ombuds is not an agent of management, it does
not make or enforce policy, does not perform formal
investigations, and does not keep records. The ombuds’
function is to listen, help analyze options, and coach
concerned employees. Based on sensitive information
that flows to the ombuds and establishes statistical
trends, the ombuds is in a unique position to identify
areas of weakness and provide the board with periodic
recommendations concerning systemic changes that
can benefit the entire organization.
Companies that focus only on the formal programs,
which “protect” the company by satisfying criteria
mandated by Sarbanes-Oxley and other legislative and
regulatory requirements, often don’t get access to the
very information they need. Ironically, in many cases, the
stronger and more “effective” management makes the
formal channels, the higher the intimidation factor and
the less employees use them.
In the 2007 National Business Ethics Survey (NBES)
conducted by the Ethics Resource Center, it is noted that
in recent years the number of formal programs such as
hotlines has increased, as has the percentage of employees who have observed unethical behavior—e.g.,
conflicts of interest, abusive behavior, and lying. At the
same time, the percentage of employees willing to
report the unethical behavior has decreased. The survey
also found that most employees who do report misconduct prefer to reveal it “to a person… rather than to a
company ‘hotline.’” Ombuds utilization rates are generally three to ten times higher than those of a hotline.
Companies that provide an ombuds office actually gain
more timely access to needed information. According to
Edwards, “Employees are less likely to report misconduct
if they fear that doing so will result in being deposed and
exposed.” Because an ombuds office provides a safe
haven for individuals to discuss issues of concern,
employees are more likely to surface issues that expose
the corporation to risk. They know their identities will
not be revealed.
So why is the ombuds function, which can quench the
board’s thirst for independent knowledge of potential
risks, not on the radar screen of most directors and
management executives? It has been our experience
that many board members feel that when they have one
or more formal channels in place, they have covered
their bases. They also perceive that an ombuds function
would duplicate, or compete with, the formal channels.
THE CRITICAL ROLE OF THE OMBUDSMAN
Why bother establishing an ombuds function?
One reason is that because of the “informal” nature of
the office, communications made through an ombuds
function do not constitute formal “notice” to the company, thereby requiring an investigation where none may
be warranted. In the event of litigation, courts normally
uphold the ombudsman’s privilege and issue protective
orders to shield the ombudsman from testifying. As a
consequence, the ombuds function represents a safe
place for individuals to take problems or concerns to
better understand the issues and assess options for
resolving the matter.
Stephen P. Norman, corporate governance officer of
American Express, has observed: “One of the surest ways
to prevent brand damage is to identify problematic
behavior at its earliest stage. Our employees are often in
the best position to raise issues, but they won’t unless
there is both the perception and the reality that they will
be supported. An active ombuds office does that for us,
as one of our key channels for helping surface issues.”
Second, the ombudsman provides early warning to the
board by identifying “hot spots” or areas needing
managerial intervention. Statistics provided by the
ombuds function can result in periodic recommendations concerning organizational change that might
benefit the enterprise as a whole. This can resolve
contentious issues early, and can prevent their recurrence.
Herb Allison, former chief executive of financial services
company TIAA-CREF, notes that an ombudsman can tie
together a company’s directors and employees and help
assure that when problems do arise, directors can know
(continued on page 16)
15
THE INDEPENDENT VOICE
Volume III, Issue 2, July, 2008, IOA
(Ombudsman, continued from page 15)
about them and take steps to address them. “An ombudsman provides another avenue for a company to
surface and address concerns so they reach the board
sooner rather than later.”
Third, statistics indicate that when there are multiple
reporting channels in place, including an ombuds
function, the formal channels can be more efficient. Not
only does the informal ombuds function not compete
with the formal channels, but by coaching and directing
employees to use them, the ombuds complements the
formal channels. When employees speak with the
ombudsman first, sometimes their concern is resolved
simply by being “heard.” If, after initial consultation with
the ombuds, they elect to approach a formal channel,
they will better know what they want to say and what
outcome they seek. This saves the formal channels
valuable time from addressing or investigating issues
that belong elsewhere.
is before savings from legal fees that would otherwise be
spent on employee-initiated litigation are taken into
account. While the ombuds function is sometimes
dismissed as a “cost” center, we challenge boards to
show comparable ROI results from more conventional
“profit” centers.
WHAT BOARDS OF DIRECTORS SHOULD DO
Edwards has issued a strong call for leadership by boards
to promote an organizational culture that encourages
ethical conduct. We urge boards to take ownership of
the organizational ombudsman concept as an important
tool in meeting not only this responsibility but also in
resolving conflicts which, if left to fester, undermine
morale and erode performance.
Dennis Muse, CEO of Global Compliance, a leading
provider of integrated ethics and compliance solutions,
states, “As a best practice, Global Compliance counsels
our clients to implement multiple vehicles and channels
for the reporting of business misconduct or noncompliance.”
Indeed, this emerging best practice in governance must
be directed and led by the board, not delegated to one
of the formal channels which plays a complementary
role to the ombuds. To practice governance and risk
management powerfully and effectively, CEOs, boards,
and audit committee chairs must integrate effective
ombuds programs into the DNA of twenty-first century
corporations. Ultimately, directors should become
“champions” for the critical role organizational ombudsmen can play in corporate America.
Fourth, from a return-on-investment (ROI) perspective,
an ombuds function makes demonstrable good sense.
Statistics generated by John Zinsser of Pacifica Human
Communications, LLC, a leading expert on ombuds
program performance metrics, show on average a
fourteen dollar return per one dollar invested—and this
Jonathan E. McBride is president, and James S.
Hostetler is managing director, of McBride Associates,
Inc., a governance consulting firm in Washington, DC.
Welcome New Members
The International Ombudsman Association welcomes its newest members:
MEMBER
Rob Anson
Faculty Ombuds
Boise State University
Boise, ID
Marit Bessesen
Interim Ombudsman
San Diego State University
San Diego, CA
Minerva Collazo
Student Ombuds
University of Puerto Rico at Bayamon
Bayamon, PR
Valerie Craigwell White
Ombudsperson
Lewis & Clark College
Portland, OR
Evelyne Girard
Ombudsman
Public Service Commission
Ottawa, ON, Canada
William Howard
Ombudsman
State of Maryland Judiciary
Annapolis, MD
(continued on page 17)
16
THE INDEPENDENT VOICE
Volume III, Issue 2, July, 2008, IOA
(New Members continued from page 16)
Laura La Vita
Employee Ombudsman
TD Bank Financial Group
Toronto, ON, Canada
Nancy Milton
Conflict Management Solutions
Elk Grove, CA
Gustavo Partida
Assistant Ombudsman
Dept. of the Ombudsman for LA
Los Angeles, CA
Charmaine Tomczyk
Assoc. Director of Library Services
Coastal Carolina University
Conway, SC
AFFILIATE MEMBER
Katrina Agard
Protestant Chaplain
Bentley College
Waltham, MA
Jenny Besch, Director
Westchester Mediation Center
New York, NY
Barry Boss
Office Managing Partner
Cozen/O’Connor Attorneys
Washington, DC
John Breletic
Graduate Student
Kennesaw State University
Kennesaw, GA
ASSOCIATE MEMBER
Stella Johnson
Mediation Renaissance
Windsor, ON, Canada
Bryan Collins
Graduate Student
Kennesaw State University
Canton, GA
Eleanora Layman
Ombudsperson
IKON Office Solutions
Downingtown, PA
Stan Conyer
Graduate Student
Kennesaw State University
Bradenton, GA
Phoebe Morgan
Faculty Ombudsman Program
Coordinator
Northern Arizona University
Flagstaff, AZ
Andrea Fishbach
Aspiring Ombudsman
Seattle, WA
Juan Manuel Thompson
Agency Ombudsman, Charles
County Dept. of Social Services
La Plata, MD
Ricky Gayadin
Brampton, Ontario, Canada
Nicki Green
Graduate Student
Kennesaw State University
Canton, GA
Patricia Hawkins
Ombudsman
American InterContinental
University— Online Division
Atlanta, GA
Rivka Horowitz
East Lyme, CT
Kenneth Newberger
Conflict Resolution Specialist
Win Win Conflict Solutions
Damascus, MD
Michael Paris
President/CEO
Better Business Bureau
Canton, OH
Thomas Pollard
Commissioner
FMCS
Syracuse, NY
D.B. Reiff
Director Client Services
FCMS Dispute Resolution
Boston, MA
James Rowell
Graduate Student
Kennesaw State University
Marietta, GA
Marc Schwartz
North Caldwell, NJ
Daisy Seebach
Plano, TX
Richard Steer
Partner
Tarter Krinsky & Drogin LLP
New York, NY
Teri Williams
Ombuds Office Management
Assistant
Sandia Nat’l Laboratories
Livermore, CA
Loretta Young
Internal Auditing Analyst
California State University,
Long Beach
Compton, CA
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