Outsourced Organizational Ombuds
MWI’s Outsourced Organizational Ombuds service provides companies with independent, informal, impartial, and confidential services that help raise and resolve issues within the workplace. An ombuds:
- Is available to all employees to surface, address, and resolve a variety of problems and issues.
- Connects employees to resources to resolve issues and better understand company policies, guidelines and organizational structure.
- Acts as a confidential and informal contact to resolve concerns
- Maintains strict confidentiality (except where there is an imminent threat of harm).
- Does not keep records on individuals but does keep and provide anonymized feedback to leadership.
Meet the Ombuds Team
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Bina Patel
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Dina Eisenberg
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Angela Dash
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Charmhee Kim
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Bathabile Mthombeni
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Anna Cybulko
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Keiko Suzuki
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Ellen Reardon
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Nnena Odim
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Allison Monyei Whaley
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LaCrisia Gilbert
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Alnoor Maherali
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Wendy Friede
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Chuck Doran
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Rita Callahan
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Michael Stephens
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Josh Hoch
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Jai Calloway
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Willem Kweens
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Caitlan Hendrickson
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Roy Baroff
Outsourced Ombuds
bina-ombuds@mwi.org
Bina Patel is a highly skilled ombuds, facilitator, and conflict resolution practitioner with MWI. She earned her Doctorate in Conflict Resolution and Peacekeeping Analysis from Nova Southeastern University. Bina is a member of the International Ombuds Association (IOA) and completed IOA’s Foundations of Organizational Ombuds Practice Course. She serves on IOA’s Board of Directors and actively participates as a co-chair/volunteer for the IOA Annual Conference. Bina serves as an instructor for IOA’s core course on Cultural Understanding. Bina has served as an Organizational Ombuds at the Department of Defense, the US Army, and other federal/private/non-profit entities, specifically in emergency response, conflict zones, and governmental and non-profits. Bina’s experience and interests in conflict resolution extend to providing diversity, equity, inclusion, and multiculturalism trainings. Bina enjoys working with large complex systems offering ombuds consultations, services, and conflict coaching opportunities. Bina is a speaker, researcher, and publisher. Bina holds a Master’s in International Business and B.A. in Business Administration.
Outsourced Ombuds
dina-ombuds@mwi.org
Dina Lynch Eisenberg, JD, MBA is an outsourced ombuds with MWI and is on a mission to introduce the benefits of Ombuds work to more tech companies. Former lawyer, she served as an Organizational Ombuds in a variety of settings, including tech companies, manufacturing, banking as well as colleges and universities. Dina most recently was the Global Head of Ombuds Services for Twitter, designed their program and served as inaugural Organizational Ombuds. With almost a quarter century of experience, Dina founded Ombudsology.com, an Ombuds Advisory firm that offers outsourced ombuds services to mid-sized companies and ombuds career counseling to aspiring ombuds. Her upcoming book, Fixable Culture, is an action guide to transform companies from toxic to trusting through Ombuds programs. Dina is a sought-after speaker and podcast guest. Her ombuds work appears in Entrepreneur and Inc magazines.
Outsourced Ombuds
Angela Dash is an experienced ombuds, mediator, and consultant. In 2014, Angela chartered the Office of the Ombuds at Northeast Ohio Medical University, where she continues to serve students, faculty, and staff as a contract organizational ombudsperson through her private practice. Additionally, she serves as an on-call Alternative Dispute Resolution Advisor for the U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and supports the capacity building of FEMA’s disaster-field workforce by providing workplace conflict management services. Before entering the field of ombuds work, Angela served as a court management professional in the state of Georgia, including as the Director of the Office of Alternative Dispute Resolution for the Atlanta Judicial Circuit. She has been a registered mediator in the state of Georgia since 2002. Angela is also a certified professional coach through the International Coach Federation and an adjunct faculty of Coaching Engagements at New York University’s School of Professional Studies. She has managed successful coaching engagements with individual contributors and leaders from diverse geographical locations and industries and integrates coaching in her ombuds practice – supporting visitors in developing the clarity, competence, and confidence to work through challenging situations. A lifelong learner, Angela has a Ph.D. in Conflict Analysis and Resolution from Nova Southeastern University, a Graduate Certificate in Executive and Professional Coaching from the University of Texas at Dallas, an MPA in Public Personnel/HR Management from Troy State University, and a Bachelor of Arts from Spelman College.
Outsourced Ombuds
charmhee-ombuds@mwi.org
Charmhee Kim is an experienced ombuds and cross-cultural trainer with MWI. She was an ombuds for 15 years at McKinsey & Company, a global management consultancy, addressing workplace conflicts, career development concerns and other challenges. She has been an active member of the International Ombuds Association (IOA) since 2007 and was trained in its Foundations of Organizational Ombudsman Practice Course which she later taught as faculty. Charmhee served on the IOA Board of Directors and co-chaired its Global Marketing Task Force. Prior to entering the ombuds profession, Charmhee worked as a management consultant, investment banker and public affairs specialist with the United Nations. She holds an MBA from University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School and an MA from Johns Hopkins University’s School of Advanced International Studies. Charmhee is trilingual in English, Korean and Mandarin Chinese.
Outsourced Ombuds
bathabile-ombuds@mwi.org
Bathabile K.S. Mthombeni is an experienced ombuds, mediator, consultant, and coach. She discovered the thrill of Alternative Dispute Resolution as a law student in 2004. In 2006 she accepted her first ombuds position and has been the University Ombudsman for Binghamton University since 2015. Bathabile provides DEIB policy development and implementation services to schools and other organizations. She also provides leadership coaching, facilitation, and racial intelligence and racial mindset coaching, training, and dialogue facilitation services to leadership teams and DEIB committees. In addition to her ombuds and other work, Bathabile is a skilled teacher and workshop facilitator. She has taught classes in negotiation, ombuds practice, and conflict management and dispute resolution at Binghamton University, Columbia University, and John Jay College. Bathabile earned her A.B. in Sociology, cum laude from Princeton University, her J.D. from Columbia Law School, and her coaching certificate and M.S. in Leadership and Organizational Development from the Naveen Jindal School of Management at the University of Texas at Dallas. She takes great joy in her work and finds her greatest satisfaction when she is helping her ombuds visitors and clients learn how to communicate better, resolve their differences, and find the highest expression of their best selves.
Outsourced Ombuds
anna-ombuds@mwi.org
Anna Cybulko is an outsourced organizational ombuds with MWI. She was appointed to serve as an ombuds at the University of Warsaw in 2011. She holds two M.A. diplomas: in law, and in psychology, as well as PhD in social studies. Her area of expertise encompasses conflict management and alternative dispute resolution, interpersonal communication, discrimination, bullying and harassment. As an ombuds she supports the academic community in conflict management, intervenes when there is a breach of law or ethics, helps dealing with discrimination and harassment cases. Besides her work as an ombudsman, she is a mediator, moderator, academic teacher and social skills coach. She mediates and facilitates agreements in civil, family, commercial, and labor disputes. She also conducts mediations in social and organizational disputes. Her expertise includes facilitating discussions and debates and dealing with multiparty community conflicts. In this area she cooperates with local governments, including that of the City of Warsaw. Since 2006 she collaborates on permanent basis with Center for Disputes and Conflicts Resolution at the Faculty of Law and Administration, of the University of Warsaw (Centrum Rozwiązywania Sporów i Konfliktow przy Wydziale Prawa i Administracji Uniwersytetu Warszawskiego). She is a member and former vice-president of the Family Mediators’ Association (Stowarzyszenie Mediatorów Rodzinnych – SMR), a board member of European Network of Ombuds in Higher Education (ENOHE) and EU expert for gender equality. Anna is fluent in Polish and English and is based in Warsaw.
Outsourced Ombuds
keiko-ombuds@mwi.org
Keiko Suzuki is an Outsourced Organizational Ombuds with MWI. She has extensive experience in human resource management, executive coaching, mediation, training, and consulting throughout her twenty-year career with JPMorgan, General Electric, and Estee Lauder Group of Companies in Tokyo and New York City. As a consultant, Keiko has experience with a broad spectrum of clients including major Japanese and foreign finance, consumer goods, telecommunication, recruiting, and pharmaceutical companies. Keiko specializes in a range of organizational and management development solutions including assessment, change strategy formation, leadership development, offsite meeting facilitation, performance management, and career development. Keiko works directly with senior managers in a coaching capacity, as well as engages in other training and development methods for improving communication, coaching skills, feedback, change management, and diversity & inclusion. Keiko completed the Ombuds Foundations Course with the International Ombuds Association in 2016. Since 2020, she has taught mediation at Kumamoto University and conflict coaching at the Hitotsubashi University Business School (ICS). Keiko is a trained and certified coach (ICF, GTCI Team Coach, NLP & Processwork), EAP counselor, and mediator. She is a practitioner of psychometric assessment instruments including Situational Leadership, Team Management Profile, Strength Development Inventory, Lumina Spark, and Personnel Decisions International Assessment.
Outsourced Ombuds
ellen-ombuds@mwi.org
Ellen Reardon is a skilled Organizational Ombuds, consultant, facilitator and workshop presenter in the areas of Communication skills, Conflict resolution, Mentoring in the Workplace and Developing resilience in the Workplace. She earned her Masters in Psychiatric Nursing from Case Western Reserve University. Ellen is a member of the International Ombuds Association (IOA) and is Certified Organizational Ombuds Practitioner (CO-OP). Her career as an Ombuds began in 2007. She has served as an Organizational Ombuds at Salk Research Institute where she provided services to all employees; including Faculty, Post Docs, graduate students, staff and administrators. Prior to this she was employed as Ombuds/mediator at Kaiser Permanente in San Diego from 2009-2013. She has over 25 years experience in healthcare as a manager and clinician, as well as over 10 years of teaching experience as Adjunct Professor at National University and UCSD Extension Program.
Outsourced Ombuds
nnena-ombuds@mwi.org
Nnena Odim is a mediator, ombuds, attorney, trainer, and consultant. She has been mediating since 1997, and has mediated disputes involving issues such as employment, housing, business, consumer, academic/higher education, and the full range of family/domestic relations (divorce, unmarried parents, elder care, adoption, etc.). Nnena has also designed and/or led conflict management trainings for several local and national businesses and agencies, including the Boston Public Schools, Massachusetts Housing Authority, Neighborhood Works, Coca-Cola, and Netflix. In addition to her mediation and conflict resolution training background, Nnena is trained by the International Ombuds Association and has served as an ombuds for CVS, American Planning Association, and several local construction companies. After 25 years, Nnena has recently retired from Harvard Law School, where she was the Director and Senior Clinical Instructor of the Family/Domestic Violence Law Clinic at Harvard’s Legal Services Center. In addition to being an active practicing attorney in Massachusetts Family and Probate Courts, she provided experiential training to law students and taught them how to become effective and ethical attorneys.
Nnena has worked with the Harvard Mediation Program (HMP) and Harvard Program on Negotiation to provide trainings for students and community members, and to supervise Harvard Law School students in their mediation and negotiation studies. She served as a faculty and coach of mediation skills for trainings at Suffolk and Boston College Law Schools, MIT, and New England School of Law. Nnena has also served on numerous panels and speaking rosters for a variety of topics, including those on self-care and mental health for students and faculty, establishing boundaries in a professional setting, race and gender, and LGBTQ+ rights.
Nnena is a member of the HMP Advisory Board. In 2019, Nnena was honored by the Harvard Women’s Law Association International Committee. In 2015, she received the Harvard Law School Dean’s Award for Excellence, and in 2013, Nnena was a Top Women in the Law award recipient from Mass. Lawyers Weekly.
Outsourced Ombuds
allison-ombuds@mwi.org
Allison Monyei Whaley is a skilled ombuds, mediator, and dispute resolution trainer. She earned her Juris Doctorate from Mercer University School of Law. Allison is a member of the International Ombudsman Association (IOA) and completed IOA’s Foundations of Organizational Ombudsman Practice Course. She is also a Certified Organizational Ombudsman Practitioner (CO-OP) and serves on IOA’s CO-OP Board of Directors. Allison has served as an Organizational Ombuds at Clemson University and at Montgomery College, where she provides services to all employees, including faculty, staff and administrators. Prior to ombudsing in higher education, Allison was an external-facing ombuds for the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, where she provided confidential ombuds services to businesses and corporations that were collaborating with the government as regulated entities. Before entering the ombuds profession, she worked as a nonprofit attorney, advocating on behalf of our nation’s veterans and their families. Several times in her career, Allison has been recognized as a leader having been selected for the President’s Leadership Institute at Clemson University, the FDA’s Leading for Results Leadership Development Program, and the FDA’s Leading at All Levels Aspiring Leaders Program. She is co-chair of the American Bar Association Dispute Resolution Section Ombuds Committee and a member of and the administrator for the Black Ombuds Network.
Outsourced Ombuds
cris-ombuds@mwi.org
LaCrisia “Cris” Gilbert, MDR, is a member of MWI’s ombuds panel and has served as both an organizational and advocate ombuds. Her ombuds career started in 2012 as an advocate ombuds in the State of Texas where she advocated for residents in long-term care and assisted living facilities, working closely with regulatory and individual facilities and their administrations. Utilizing over 30 years in the ADR field as a mediator, facilitator (specializing in Faith-based organizations), professor and trainer, Cris was instrumental in resolving conflicts at all levels from family, civil court cases to facility issues. Cris has served as an organizational ombudsman with a university, assisting faculty, staff, and students as well as training compliance investigators in mediation, conflict resolution, and DEI initiatives for the organization. She has also worked as a facilitator, assisting HR and Compliance with informal resolutions. She serves in Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) on two campus initiatives (the President’s DEI Council and Social Justice, Equity and Inclusion Council).
Outsourced Ombuds
alnoor-ombuds@mwi.org
Alnoor Maherali is a highly skilled diplomat, ombuds, facilitator and SIMI-accredited mediator. He offers 18 years of experience working in conflict zones, in the not-for-profit sector, and as a practitioner in the fields of diplomacy, mediation, conflict management, human rights, and crisis management. His personal and professional travel have taken him to over 50 different countries, making him especially adept at navigating cultural, ethnic, and racial conflict and differences. Alnoor resides in New York City and mediates for MWI, Venn Mediation, the New York Peace Institute (NYPI) and New York Small Claims Court. He coaches and mentors the next generation of mediators at Harvard, Yale, and The Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy. Alnoor also provides training and coaching on negotiation and difficult conversations through MWI and Vantage Partners. His professional accomplishments include the negotiation of resolutions at the United Nations in Geneva and New York, sharing of best practices in disaster response and civil-military coordination with the Government of Brazil, and important roles in the resolution of two high-profile kidnapping cases in Afghanistan. Additionally, he has demonstrated a strong commitment to the community, volunteering with Hospice Care Ottawa for 12 years and serving on their Board of Directors for four. Alnoor has a Bachelor of Science (Honors) in Mathematics from Queen’s University in Canada and a Master’s in Public Administration from the Harvard Kennedy School in the US. He was trained by the International Ombuds Association in the Foundations of Organizational Ombuds Practice course.
Click here for more informationOutsourced Ombuds
wendy-ombuds@mwi.org
Wendy Friede is an outsourced ombuds with MWI. She holds the distinction of Certified Organizational Ombuds Practitioner® (CO-OP®) from the International Ombudsman Association (IOA) and she has a coaching certificate from Coaches Training Institute (CTI). She has been a dispute resolution professional since 1995. Her ombuds work includes serving as the internal ombuds at American Express from 1995-2007 and as an outsourced ombuds with academic institutions, state and federal government, franchise organizations, non-profits, and corporate clients. In addition, she served on the IOA Board of Directors, served as President of the CO-OP Board, and chaired the Professional Development Committee for 7 years.
Chuck Doran
Ombuds and Mediator | Certified Organizational Ombuds Practitioner (CO-OP)
617-895-4026 | chuck-ombuds@mwi.org
Chuck Doran is an experienced ombuds, mediator, and dispute resolution trainer. Chuck is a Certified Organizational Ombuds Practitioner (CO-OP) and a member of the International Ombudsman Association who completed ombuds training with the IOA in 1995. Chuck has served as an outsourced organizational ombuds for companies, universities, and other organizations since 1997. A mediator since 1992, he is a member of the CPR Dispute Resolution Panel of Distinguished Neutrals, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination (MCAD), MWI, the Harvard Mediation Program, and the United States Postal Service REDRESS I and REDRESS II Mediation Panels. In addition to his mediation work, Chuck works nationally and internationally as a dispute resolution trainer and consultant with corporate, governmental, and non-profit clients including Coca-Cola Enterprises, General Motors, Bose Corporation, and the Harvard Negotiation Project at Harvard Law School. Chuck has served as a teaching assistant on multiple occasions with Professor Roger Fisher at Harvard Law School’s Program of Instruction for Lawyers Negotiation Workshop. In 1993, Chuck completed a Specialization in Negotiation and Dispute Resolution at the Program on Negotiation and chaired two regional ADR Conferences in 1997 and 1999. Chuck served as a member of the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court Standing Committee on Dispute Resolution and was Chair of the Qualifications Subcommittee. He is a member of the Massachusetts Bar Association’s Dispute Resolution Advisory Group and is a past president of the Association for Conflict Resolution, New England Chapter. Chuck is also a Distinguished Fellow with the International Academy of Mediators (IAM) and a past president of IAM’s Board of Governors.
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Outsourced Ombuds
rita-ombuds@mwi.org
Rita Callahan is an ombuds with MWI. She has over 20 years’ experience as an organizational ombuds and conflict management consultant offering conflict resolution and collaboration services as a neutral 3rd party in diverse organizations in different industries. Over 5 years’ experience as an organizational ombuds in 3 academic institutions and 2 federal agencies. Adheres to the standards of practice of the International Ombudsman Association and designated as Certified Organizational Ombuds Practitioner (CO-OP®) since 2015. In addition, over 7 years providing ombuds services (without the “Ombuds” title) including the full range of conflict resolution services, climate assessments, process design, team development, collaborative meetings, and designing organizational strategies to address systemic organizational issues in a complex, multicultural, unionized company of 15,000 employees. Provides impartial, informal, independent and confidential conflict management services to constituencies including staff, faculty, students, trainees, and federal and industry employees. Thirteen years’ experience providing conflict management and collaboration services as an external consultant and professional neutral to diverse organizations in different industries. Extensive practical experience addressing and preventing potential formal complaints and escalating conflicts, and delivering a range of conflict management and collaboration services at all organizational levels while developing trusted relationships with senior leaders in varied organizations and industries to provide feedback, make recommendations, and open communication to address systemic problems and issues.
Outsourced Ombuds
michael-ombuds@mwi.org
Michael Stephens is an experienced ombuds, mediator and coach with the goal of helping foster good working relations and a more positive culture in the organizations he serves. Michael is a member of the International Ombudsman Association, and has significant experience as an ombuds in both both corporate and academic settings. Michael has a certification in Mediation from the Mediation Training Institute. Michael worked for many years as an Ombuds, as well as the manager of other Ombuds, at Merck, a multi-national pharmaceutical company. Prior to that he had many years of experience in Human Resources roles at Merck and several other companies. After retiring from Merck, he has served as ombuds for Amherst College as well as Smith College. Michael is also an experienced facilitator and workshop leader, specializing in communications skills, conflict resolution and change management. He has a bachelor’s degree in English from the University of Colorado and a Masters in Business Administration from New York University.
Ombuds, Mediator, Director
617-895-4028 | jhoch@mwi.org
Click here for availability, rates, and more information.
Josh Hoch is an ombuds, mediator, and instructor and is the Director of Ombuds & Mediation Services at MWI. As Director of Ombuds & Mediation Services, Josh manages MWI’s Outsourced Ombuds Panel and has worked as an outsourced organizational ombuds for clients including CVS Health and John Moriarty & Associates. He works with companies interested in starting an ombuds program or hiring conference ombuds. Josh also travels to MWI’s ombuds client sites to meet with senior leadership to educate employees about the role of the ombuds and how to access ombuds. Josh is a mediator for various case types and is MWI’s Employee Assistance Program (EAP) liaison, triaging employment and higher education referrals for MWI’s mediators and trainers. Josh is also a mediation trainer who leads advanced mediation training programs for clients, including the Executive Office of the Massachusetts Trial Court and Community Mediation Programs. Josh is a member of the International Ombuds Association (IOA).
Click here to schedule time with Josh.
Focus Areas
- Organizational Ombuds
- Conference Ombuds
- Workplace and Employment Mediation
- Mediation Training
- Advanced Mediation Training
Honors, Memberships, and Professional Activities
- Ombuds, John Moriarty & Associates (March 2022 – present)
- Board of Directors, North and South Rivers Watershed Association (October 2022 – Present)
- Director of Ombuds at MWI (September 2021 – present)
- Ombuds, CVS Health Ombuds Team Member (March 2022 – December 2022)
- Member of the International Ombudsman Association (IOA) (September 2021 – present)
- Workplace & Employment Mediator, CLC Inc., Granite Bay, CA, (June 2022 – Present)
- World Mediators Alliance on Climate Change Green Pledge (July 2021 – present)
- Designed and administered a court-approved Parent Education Program for the Massachusetts Probate and Family Court Department (2016 – 2021)
- Speaker, New England Association of Conflict Resolution (April 2021)
- Designed and supervised a mediation program at the Norfolk Probate and Family Court (September 2013 – 2020)
- Served on the Assistant Judicial Case Manager (AJCM) Transition Working Group for the Chief Justice of the Probate and Family Court in 2019
- Served on the ADR Education Subcommittee for the Massachusetts Trial Court in 2019
- Received recognition for outstanding performance and lasting contributions to the MA AFCC Chapter
- Served for six years – Board of Directors, Massachusetts Oyster Project
- Served for seven years – Board of Directors of the Massachusetts Chapter of AFCC
- Past Member of the Association of Family and Conciliation Courts
- Past Member of the Massachusetts Chapter of the Association of Family and Conciliation Courts
- Past Member of the Massachusetts Council on Family Mediation
- Organizational Member of the New England Chapter of the Association for Conflict Resolution
- Served as Treasurer for an annual fundraiser for Jimmy Fund Clinic patients and their families helping to raise over $500,000
Lectures and ADR Trainings Conducted
- Presenter, Organizational Ombuds as a Profession, Things a Mediator Might Want to Know About This Unique Role, Rhode Island Mediators Association (April 2023)
- Presenter, Tools for Becoming a More Effective Mediator, Community Dispute Settlement Center (March 2023)
- Understanding the Ombuds Resource, On-site at MWI client locations (October 2021 – present)
- Mediation Training Program for Staff of the Boston Municipal Court Department, Executive Office of the Massachusetts Trial Court (June 2022 – present)
- Harassment Prevention Mediation Training Program for Mediation Programs in the Juvenile Court Department, Executive Office of the Massachusetts Trial Court (June 2022 – present)
- Dispute Resolution Training Program for Probate and Family Court Staff, Executive Office of the Massachusetts Trial Court (June 2022 – present)
- Advanced Divorce Mediation Training Instructor (April 2005 – June 2022)
- Provided individual mentoring to mediators looking to increase their effectiveness as mediators (2003 – June 2022)
- Advanced Mediation Skill Building Trainer for a Community Mediation Program (January 2022)
- Facilitator, Implicit Bias Workshop (May 2021)
- Trainer, Basic Mediation Training Program for the Housing Court Department of the Massachusetts Trial Court (October 2021)
- Trainer, Advanced Dispute Resolution Training for Probation Officers of the Probate and Family Court (March & June 2021)
- Trainer, Juvenile Mediation Training, 2-day Advanced Mediation Training Program (March 2021)
- Presenter, Bringing Mediation Online: Lessons Learned So Far, Massachusetts Council for Family Mediation (February 2021)
- Trainer, Housing, and Eviction Mediation Training for five Massachusetts Community Mediation Centers (December 2020 – January 2021)
- Presenter, Mediating Cases Remotely (Online), Roundtable Event (November 2020)
- Designed and serves as an instructor for an Advanced Dispute Resolution Training Program for Probation Officers of the Probate and Family Court. (May 2019 – June 2021)
- Norfolk Probate and Family Court Department, mediation program mentor and supervisor (2013 – 2020)
- AFCC’s 54th Annual Conference: Turning the Kaleidoscope of Family Conflict into a Prism of Harmony, Conference Presenter (May 2017)
- Community Dispute Settlement Center (CDSC), Housing Mediation Trainer (February 2017)
- International Academic Institute of Mediation, Conference Presenter, Divorce Mediation in the Courts, (September 2015)
- Advanced Refresher Mediation Skills Training Program, Presenter (2015 – 2016)
- New England Chapter of the Association for Conflict Resolution Biennial Regional Conference, Presenter, “I’m a Trained Mediator, Now What do I Do?” (June 2015)
- Massachusetts Council on Family Mediation, Presenter, On-site mediation project in the Norfolk Probate and Family Court Department, (2014)
- Emerson College, Guest Speaker (2014 – 2016)
- New England Law | Boston, Ethical Standards, Presenter, (2005 – 2013)
- Liaison for Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy Mediation Practicum (2001 – 2011)
- A Child’s Voice in Court: How to Get It, How to Interpret It and How to Use It, Panel Speaker, (2008)
- Coca-Cola Enterprise Inc., Trainer. Trained over 950 employees in dispute resolution and communication skills and educated over 1700 employees through briefings (Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Texas, New York, Vermont) (2004 – 2006)
- Harvard Law School, Intern Fair, Cambridge, MA, Presenter, (2005)
- Simmons College Graduate School of Social Work, Guest Lecturer, Parent-Teen Mediation (2004)
- Boston University Law School, Court Connected ADR, Guest Speaker, (2003 – 2008)
- Hale and Dorr Legal Services Center, Divorce Mediation Presenter, (2003 – 2004)
- Newton and Lexington Community Education, Presenter: Divorce Information You Want to Know, (2003 – 2005)
- Germaine Lawrence, Family Communication Workshop, Facilitator, (2001 – 2005)
- Southern New England School of Law, Mediation Trainer and Coach (2001 – 2004)
- Northeastern University, undergraduate class, Guest Speaker (2001 – 2002)
Background and Education
- Director of Ombuds Services, MWI (September 2021 – Present)
- Director of Mediation Services, MWI, Boston, MA, (June 2001 – Present)
- Organizational Ombuds Training, IOA, (October 2021)
- Divorce Mediator, MWI, Boston, MA, (2001 – June 2022)
- Divorce Mediator, CLC Inc., Granite Bay, CA, (2004 – June 2022)
- Court & Divorce Mediator, Cambridge, MA, (2001 – 2012)
- Boston Municipal Court Mediator, Boston, MA, (2004 – 2007)
- Prisoner Disputes Mediator, Middlesex Multi-Door Courthouse, Cambridge, MA, (2003 – 2005)
- District Court Mediator, Middlesex Mediation Program, Lowell, MA, (2000 – 2001)
- Staff Member, Academy of Family Mediators, 2000
- B.A. University of Massachusetts at Amherst, 1998
- Mediation Training, L. Wing Mediation Consulting, 1996
Outsourced Ombuds
jai-ombuds@mwi.org
Jai Calloway is an experienced, people‐focused ombudsperson with a mission to redefine the way people understand and work together by harnessing the power of difference. Jai has spent over ten years working and studying conflict resolution methodology and its intersection with diversity and inclusion within organizational settings. Jai previously served as Corporate Ombuds for Halliburton Oil Services and serves as an external organizational ombuds for small businesses cross‐industry. She is an alumnus of the Pepperdine Caruso School of Law – Straus Institute of Dispute Resolution. Jai was Vice‐Chair of the American Bar Association Dispute Resolution Section and was Chair of the International Ombuds Association Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging (DEIB) Task Force. In addition to her work as an ombuds, Jai works as an organizational development consultant where her focuses are conflict resolution, employee engagement and diversity & inclusion.
Outsourced Ombuds
willem-ombuds@mwi.org
Willem Kweens is an experienced ombuds, mediator and coach with the goal of helping foster good working relations, facilitating a more positive culture and being the early warning for the organizations he serves.
Willem is an emeritus member of the International Ombuds Association of which he is a member since 2009 and where he also served a 4-year elected term to the International Ombuds Association (IOA) Board of Directors and the Executive and Finance Committee (2018–2022). When he completed the initial organizational ombuds training he obtained the Certified Organizational Ombuds Practitioner (CO-OP®) designation in 2011. Willem has almost 13-years’ experience as a corporate ombuds in Europe (East, Central and West Europe).
Before becoming an Ombuds he worked more than 25 years in Finance, Human Resources and as a Pension Fund Director at Mars Incorporated based in The Netherlands.
Outsourced Ombuds
caitlan-ombuds@mwi.org
Caitlan Hendrickson is a Certified Organizational Ombuds Practitioner (CO-OP) with over eighteen years of experience in Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) and over a decade of experience leading ADR offices in large multicultural organizations. With extensive experience working in a wide variety of settings – including in higher education, healthcare, court, government, and non-profit organizations – she enjoys tailoring her extensive experience and training in conflict engagement practices and human relations to the unique needs of the individuals, groups, and organizations she serves, whether they are small non-profits or large, complex institutions. Caitlan has been a member of the International Ombuds Association since 2011 and brings a background in Ombuds work that is truly multidisciplinary, bridging countless academic disciplines, healthcare, research and innovation, emergency response, and social service. She entered the Ombuds profession as a mediator and restorative justice practitioner with extensive experience working with disadvantaged and marginalized communities in the social service sector, where she specialized in multicultural inclusion and trauma-informed work. Caitlan sees conflict and other challenges as potent opportunities for learning, growth, and transformation on individual, group, and organizational/systemic levels, and enjoys the process of facilitating evolution on each level. She holds a M.Ed. in Human Relations and graduate certificate in Educational Technology – Adult Learning & Training, and is currently completing a doctorate in leadership. As a fluent Spanish speaker, she provides Ombuds services in both English and Spanish.
Outsourced Ombuds
roy-ombuds@mwi.org
Roy Baroff is an experienced conflict resolution professional who brings extensive understanding and practical tools to his work along with an openness to keep learning. Roy most recently completed 7+ years of service as the faculty and staff ombuds for NC State University in Raleigh, NC. Roy also served a 4-year elected term to the International Ombuds Association (IOA) Board of Directors (2018 – 22). Roy joined the IOA in 2007 when he completed initial organizational ombuds training and obtained the Certified Organizational Ombuds Practitioner (COOP) designation in 2017 (renewed in 2021). In February 2022 Roy served as a trainer for the IOA Foundations course that teaches the ombuds role. He became a Certified Mediator in 1992 for the NC Dispute Resolution Commission Superior Court Mediation program and has retained this certification since then. Roy is a mediation and group facilitation educator and trainer including programs for lawyers, judges, undergraduate and graduate students, and university faculty. He taught conflict resolution courses at UNC Greensboro, UNC Chapel Hill School of Government, and Elon School of law where he currently serves as extended faculty teaching a Negotiations class each year. Roy has a bachelors (BA) degree in Anthropology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, a masters (MA) degree in Anthropology from the University of South Florida, and a law degree (JD) from UNC Chapel Hill School of Law.
MWI Ombuds Practitioners adhere to the Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice of The International Ombuds Association (IOA). More information about the IOA can be found at: www.ombudsassociation.org
Download MWI’s Free Article: What to Consider When Selecting an Ombuds
The Role of the Ombuds
Ombuds provide individuals with a forum to raise concerns of abuse, bias, unfairness, and other improper treatment. The ombuds is neither an advocate for any individual or the company. Rather, the ombuds is an advocate for a fair outcome who connects visitors to information and assists in the resolution of concerns and conflicts. The ombuds supplements, but does not replace, the company’s existing resources such as HR, employee relations, and management. Click here to learn more about MWI’s Outsourced Ombuds Services.
Benefits of an Outsourced (External) Ombuds
- True Independence: Due to the fact that they are not employees of the organization, outsourced ombuds are more likely to be perceived as being truly independent. This increases the chance that employees will reach out to a member of the ombuds team with their concerns.
- Choice and Diversity: MWI provides organizations with at least two ombuds for employees to choose from. Giving visitors a choice of who to contact leverages the benefits of diversity by offering two ombuds of different genders, races, professional experiences, etc…
- Cost Efficient: An outsourced ombuds provider offers the organization a choice of two or more ombuds to serve the population at a cost that is less expensive than hiring a full-time in-house ombuds since the organization does not pay employee benefits to members of the ombuds team.
- Consistent Coverage: MWI’s team approach also provides our clients with consistent coverage when one ombuds is not available (e.g., when meeting with another visitor, leading a training, facilitating a meeting, or out of the office). Also, MWI’s deep bench of experienced ombuds provides uninterrupted coverage for clients if a member of the ombuds team is unable to serve during the contract period.
For More Information
For more information about MWI’s outsourced organizational ombuds services for your company or academic institution, please contact Chuck Doran, Ombuds and Executive Director, at cdoran@mwi.org or book a time to talk at https://www.calendly.com/chuckdoran/30min