Dear In Practice,

I’ve been an organizational ombuds for several years and demonstrating fidelity to the code of ethics is important to me. I am especially conscious of my duty to convey a sense of fairness and impartiality in the way I enact the role. At the same time, I have strong opinions and preferences about local and national political issues, and I care very much about upcoming elections. I believe I also have a duty to be civically engaged.

After an extraordinary 10 years of service to the Journal of the International Ombuds Association (JIOA), Shannon Lynn Burton, Ph.D has decided to step down as Editor to focus on other work shaping the field. The Board of Directors is seeking Letters of Interest from those members who would like to apply. The position description includes the following experience and skills, and will be finalized by 12 March:

Experience:

• Familiarity with JIOA or other journal practice

• Need to be comfortable educating people on the writing and research process

AI can be a wonderful resource for ombuds when used properly and appropriately. Many find it to be a helpful editor or as a starting place when schedules are otherwise jammed, as long as no distinguishable or confidential information is uploaded in a query. To demonstrate this point, I asked an AI tool to help us articulate why ombuds are specifically unique in role and function compared to other functions.  Responses have been reviewed for accuracy and also slightly edited, but the majority of the language is AI generated. The exciting news is the extent the AI tool understands the role. 

Query 1: What makes an Organizational Ombuds unique from other organizational support like HR, or EAP: 

An Organizational Ombuds plays a very specific and distinct role inside an organization. While they may seem similar to HR or an EAP at first glance, their function, authority, and approach are fundamentally different. An Organizational Ombuds is an independent, neutral, confidential, and informal resource for employees (or members of an organization) to discuss concerns, conflicts, or ethical questions. They typically follow the standards of practice set by the International Ombuds Association, which emphasize Independence, Impartiality, Confidentiality and Informality. 

How an Organizational Ombuds Is Different from HR: 

Dear In Practice,

I spent the past year working with two members of a functional team who, with my assistance, have gone from being avowed enemies to collaborating colleagues. They landed in my office after their supervisor suggested the ombuds office as a resource for their escalating relational tensions.

Dear In Practice,

I have been on Facebook and LinkedIn for years. I’m new to Instagram and I’m having a great time curating my profile and feed. I appreciate how these platforms provide news, information, and easy connections - but participating in social media these days seems increasingly fraught.

By Tracey Brant COOP, PCC
Organizational Ombuds - Dartmouth College

She had been reassigned from a committee. That was the issue, at least on paper. But fifteen minutes into our conversation, I could feel something larger moving beneath her words.

The organizational impact seemed modest - someone else would step into her role and the committee’s work would continue. Yet her voice was sharp, her sentences quick. She kept returning to the same details, circling back to moments I thought we already explored. I clarified the issue. We talked through possible responses. Still, the conversation looped.

Thank you for participating in the brief survey on well-being that we circulated in November 2025. We appreciate your perspective! The results are shared below. To better understand the interests of our community on this topic, we will be taking additional steps to gather members’ input. First, please join an informal Community Connections group discussion on ombuds well-being on April 28 and/or April 29. Registration information for members is available here. Please contact Julie Muroff, IOA’s lead contact for this initiative, with any questions:  [email protected]

Results from November 2025 Well-being Survey 

(1) Overall, based on your definition of burnout, how would you rate your level of burnout?  Select only 1 answer from the 5 choices below:**
i. I enjoy my work. I have no symptoms of burnout.   56 ( >22%)
ii. Occasionally I am under stress, and I don’t always have as much energy as I once did, but I don’t feel burned out.   128 ( >51%)
iii. I am definitely burning out and have one or more symptoms of burnout, such as physical and emotional exhaustion.   53 (21%)
iv. The symptoms of burnout that I’m experiencing won’t go away. I think about frustration at work a lot.   7 ( <3%)
v. I feel completely burned out and often wonder if I can go on. I am at a point where I may need some changes or may need to seek some sort of help.   5 (2%)

JIOA reviewers play a critical role in advancing the quality, rigor, and relevance of ombuds-related scholarship. Reviewers are asked to provide thoughtful, constructive, and confidential feedback to authors, supporting both scholarly integrity and the development of the field.

Prospective reviewers should be familiar with research method, professional writing, or applied scholarship relevant to ombuds work. Prior reviewing or publishing experience is welcome but not required.

Those interested in being considered for the reviewer pool are encouraged to review the JIOA Review Procedures and complete the reviewer application form at this link: https://forms.gle/Q8Q2W4LYWRDU1AEZ7.

Greetings Higher Education Colleagues,

My name is Laura Zuppo, and I am a Doctoral Candidate and Student-serving Ombuds at the University of South Florida. I am conducting a qualitative research study exploring the experiences of collateral or dual-role student-serving ombuds in higher education.

For the purposes of this study, a collateral or dual-role student ombuds is an individual who is directly employed by their institution and who serves students while also holding one or more additional roles or responsibilities on campus. Ombuds who also serve faculty, staff, and other constituents are invited to participate.

Organizational Ombuds offices are increasingly shaped by a range of structural and operational models that reflect shifting institutional needs, resource constraints, legal environments, and cultural contexts. From traditional in-house roles to embedded, collateral, outsourced, hybrid, regional, and shared-service approaches, the model through which organizational ombuds services are delivered carries significant implications for independence, accessibility, credibility, and ethical practice.

This special issue seeks to explore the evolving landscape of ombuds models and their impact on the theory and practice of the profession. We invite submissions that critically examine how different structural arrangements shape the work of ombuds and influence organizational trust, conflict engagement, and systems change.

We welcome manuscripts that address topics such as:

By Nadia Ferrara, PhD,
Ombuds - Indigenous Services Canada

It is a real honor for me as Ombuds to share these truths by Indigenous Elders from British Columbia, Canada. I met with them recently and they have created these videos to share with others their lived experiences, to ensure we listen and learn from our history. I think it is so critical as space creators and space holders to engage with humility and be open to learning. These videos speak to the principles of restorative justice and most importantly, speak to creating spaces that can nurture a sense of belongingness by feeling heard.

Kwasun Cultural Education Society was founded in 2024 on the initiative of 10 Coast Salish Elders and Knowledge Keepers intent on educating anyone interested in learning about Coast Salish cultural values and ways of being. The goal of the Elders was to encourage reconciliation: to create relationships between Indigenous and non-Indigenous learners for the betterment of Canadian society. Kwasun has hosted numerous workshops because, as the Elders say, "if we are going to turn this around, we have to go back to the teachings." They have presented to BC's Legislative Assembly staff, instructors and students at post-secondary institutions including University of Victoria, Vancouver Island University, Stz'uminus Native College, Pearson United World College, the RCMP, health care organizations including Parent Support Services of British Columbia and First Nations Health Authority among others. Unlike so many Reconciliation programs, Kwasun offers teachings and cultural lessons to youth and adults alike which are grounded in the language (Hul'q'umi'num'), land and ceremony. Kwasun is rooted in the notion that "important work is never done alone". Elders work together to represent and model their cultural knowledge, enacting their lessons in ways that learners can join in the work.

My name is Misha Teixido. I am a graduate student studying conflict resolution at the Heller School for Social Policy and Management of Brandeis University. In the final year of my master’s program, I am currently working on my master’s capstone, which is about ombuds attitudes toward field practices and impressions in the United States.

Those who engage with the field of ombuds work, whether as aspiring ombuds or with the intent to hire a conflict resolution expert, seek clarity for the expectations of the role they look to fill, such as understanding specialization or conduct to follow. The need for such clarity is a situation that, while initially presented as surface level—many professions have specializations within their respective fields—is more ambiguous in the ombuds world. The position of an official advocate for complaints and conflicts has existed for thousands of years, each holding a variety of responsibilities in numerous contexts, some of which are more formal than others. Many of these positions use the term ombuds, ombudsperson, or ombudsman to describe their role, fairly satisfying the etymology of the word that roughly translates to “representative” from Swedish. It must be noted, however, that each implementation of ombuds varies greatly, as the position fluctuates in scope and responsibility from organization to organization, government to government, and country to country, culminating in the diverse application of ombuds practices that most who work in the field of ombuds work are familiar with (e.g. advocate ombuds, classical, organizational, etc.).

With a position that contextually varies as much as an ombuds, it is critical to engage with the field to ensure that the understanding of the role progresses both internally and externally in a relatively uniform manner. The purpose of this research is to understand how ombuds assess their own personal practices as well as how they view the practices of the ombuds field in the United States as a whole, so as to better understand how the field of ombuds work is perceived internally in the United States. Questions about how the ombuds office one works is modeled and functions, as well as inquiries into how ombuds became introduced to the field of ombuds work are at the core of understanding current perceptions and practices of ombuds work in the United States. Scholarship reporting the history of the ombuds role, discerning types of ombuds offices and models from one another, and exploring implementation of ombuds design exists, but limited research has been done that analyzes the current view of ombuds practices in the United States as understood by ombuds themselves (Tompkins Byer 2017). The core benefit of this research is that it provides an opportunity for practicing ombuds to share their understanding of ombuds work in the American context. The information shared in this survey may provide benefits to public understanding of ombuds nationwide, and may contribute to the continued evolution and evaluation of ombuds work in the United States. Responses may lead to improved efficacy of ombuds offices, as well as overall strengthening of ombuds office functions. Additionally, information shared may contribute to making the ombuds field more accessible, both for aspiring ombuds as well as for organizations considering the implementation or use of an ombuds service. An aspiring ombuds myself, hearing from ombudspersons in the field will provide me with a stronger understanding of how the role of the ombuds varies in numerous contexts.

by Reese R(ai)mos
Director - University Ombuds Office, Virginia Tech

To understand where we’re heading, it helps to look back. Two decades ago, I read Ray Kurzweil’s The Singularity Is Near, where he predicted an exponential rise in technology that would culminate in artificial and human intelligence merging around 2045. Some called him unrealistic; others, like Bill Gates, praised his foresight. Whether you see him as a visionary or a dreamer, there’s no denying that AI is rapidly reshaping our world, and, for Ombuds, our profession.

Rather than debate the timing of the “singularity,” it’s more pressing to examine what AI is already doing to our practice. Across fields, technology is transforming how information is created, managed, and used. In July 2025, for example, a robot trained solely on surgical videos autonomously performed a major phase of a gallbladder removal at Johns Hopkins. That’s no longer science fiction, it’s our present.

As Ombuds, we often find ourselves supporting individuals and groups working in high-stakes, cross-functional, and/or interdisciplinary environments. These spaces can offer tremendous opportunities for innovation. These environments also frequently bring the interpersonal and structural challenges that lead people to our doors. Researchers, in particular, often work within complex collaborations that span departments, institutions, cultures, and differing funding expectations. When roles, expectations, or communication norms are unclear, relational strain can quickly appear. Today's complex research challenges demand effective teams, yet researchers rarely receive training in teamwork skills crucial for collaborative success. How to Succeed at Collaborative Research: A Practical Guide for Teams (L. Michelle Bennett, Howard Gadlin, and Sawsan Khuri (2025)) is a resource for us as Ombuds to help us understand and support those researchers that may come to our office.

Specifically, this book provides guidance that may help us support researchers with tools to build and sustain effective teams. Drawing on organizational psychology, team science and the authors’ own experience, it offers concrete practices for fostering collaborative innovation, managing diverse perspectives and achieving high-impact outcomes. The book is intended for researchers, administrators and facilitators seeking to build high-performing teams. with a special focus on enabling researchers to work effectively across different disciplines, organizations, and sectors to meet the evolving demands of complex research projects.

Dear In Practice,

I’m confused about what to do when visitors copy or blind copy me on emails without warning or explanation. I respect visitor self-determination, and I typically avoid intervening absent an explicit agreement with the visitor about why and how I would do so.

By Tuba Bilecik
EOM Group Co-chair

The European Ombuds and Mediator (EOM) Group recently held its annual in-
person meeting in Copenhagen hosted by our colleagues from Maersk Ombuds
Office. As always, it was a real pleasure to reconnect with colleagues, both familiar
and new. After months of connecting virtually, there is something uniquely energizing
about being in the same room, sharing ideas and remembering the sense of
community that fuels our work.

There is a growing momentum in the ombuds field across Europe. In just the past
couple of years, we have seen more and more organizations explore how ombuds
programs can strengthen healthier, more inclusive workplaces. Notably, several
institutions including the European Central Bank, European Investment Bank and
European Space Agency have launched their first ombuds offices. At the same time,
professionals from diverse disciplines are becoming increasingly curious about the
ombuds role and what it offers as a career path.

The IOA is teaming up with the ABA Section of Dispute Resolution to produce two applied learning tracks that will take place on Wednesday, 15 April 2026, from 1:00 to 4:00 PM ET. These sessions will close out IOA’s Annual Conference and launch the ABA Section of Dispute Resolution’s Spring Conference.  

Led by IOA President Jenn Mahony and ABA Section of Dispute Resolution Chair Liz Hill, this virtual event brings together experienced professionals from across the dispute resolution landscape.  

IOA is looking for members who have specific skills in the following areas to co-facilitate these sessions. We will select two facilitators/instructors - one for each track to work with the facilitator/instructor selected by the ABA Section of Dispute Resolution. For those interested, please email [email protected] by Wednesday, 12 November. Please attach your CV/resume and detail your experience training in either area. Details about these sessions are below.  

Update from the Asia Pacific Regional Advancement Committee (RAC) Conference:‘The Ombuds Role in a Complex, Challenging and Rapidly Changing World’. Ōtautahi Christchurch, New Zealand. October 8-10

by Fred Wright, Chair of the International Outreach Committee and Former AP RAC Co-Chair 

Message from IOA President Jenn Mahony 

Our hearts continue to be with our US federal ombuds colleagues at this time of tremendous uncertainty as we enter the fourth week of the US government shutdown. We hope that an effective and positive end is in sight.

We recognize too that our UN and other NGO ombuds colleagues are navigating uncertainty as their agencies grapple with the impact of decreased  US aid. We hope that certainty is on the horizon.