The MacArthur Foundation Ombuds Resource

In a confidential, off-the-record meeting, we will listen, explore different options for addressing your concerns, help you navigate relevant organizational resources, and coach you through how to effectively communicate your concerns to others should you choose to do so. We can also help facilitate informal discussions between two or more people when appropriate or work with groups experiencing conflict.

What is an ombuds? The term “ombuds” (pronounced “ahm–buhds”) comes from a Swedish term meaning “a person who has an ear to the people.” The ombuds team is an independent, impartial, informal, and confidential resource for MacArthur employees. The ombuds team has two ombuds (Ralph Johnson and Jacqueline Villafañe, see bios below) available to work with employees to effectively manage, address, and surface work-related issues. The ombuds team supplements and does not replace formal administrative channels.

FAQs

For answers to frequently asked questions about the ombuds resource, please see this page: Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs).

Visitor Resources

Here’s a bank of resources for articles, videos, tip sheets that can help you strategize and develop skills to help you overcome communication and conflict challenges.

About the ombuds team:

Contact one of the ombuds below to discuss your concerns and explore options to move forward.

Jacqueline Villafañe, Psy. D. (jacqueline-ombuds@mwi.org and 916-417-9761) is an organizational ombuds with MWI and brings 20+ years of experience supporting leaders, teams, and organizations through complex conflict and change. She provides ombuds services grounded in neutrality, confidentiality, and practical options-building, helping visitors navigate concerns and identify constructive pathways forward. Jacqueline is a certified executive coach who partners with leaders to generate the insights that strengthen leadership effectiveness, sharpen communication, and reinforce accountability—driving meaningful impact in high-stakes environments. She designs and facilitates conversations and learning experiences for groups—from team reset sessions to cross-functional alignment and culture-building workshops. As a trained mediator and conflict resolution practitioner, she helps parties move from positions to interests and toward durable agreements when appropriate. She also brings deep organizational development expertise, including an organizational design certification that supports role clarity, operating model refinement, and healthier ways of working. Jacqueline is change management certified and applies structured approaches to improve adoption, reduce resistance, and sustain implementation. She administers and debriefs psychometric assessments to accelerate self-awareness, team effectiveness, and leadership development. Her work spans corporate, nonprofit, health, academic and government sectors, partnering across hierarchies and global boundaries to deliver measurable improvements in performance, engagement, and trust. Schedule a time to talk with Jacqueline by sending an email to jacqueline-ombuds@mwi.org or by calling 916-417-9761.

Ralph Johnson (ralph-ombuds@mwi.org and 216-780-9056) is an experienced ombuds and trainer with MWI. He served as the America Ombuds for 10 years at McKinsey & Company, a global management consultancy, where he helped colleagues address workplace conflicts, including claims of harassment and/or discrimination, career advancement, and personal challenges. He was an active member of the International Ombuds Association and served as a core faculty member for the Foundations of Organizational Ombuds Practice course. Ralph began his career at General Motors where he worked as an engineer, manufacturing foreman, and general foreman. He managed several machining and final assembly departments with 44 hourly (UAW) employees under his supervision. He spent most of his career at McKinsey where he was a management consultant, left the firm for three years to head the Cuyahoga (Cleveland) County Welfare Reform Department, then returned to be people leader for McKinsey’s Operations Practice and people/administrative leader for McKinsey’s Social Sector Office, executive coach in McKinsey’s Black Executive Leadership Program, and senior member of the global McKinsey Black Network. After a 26-year career at McKinsey, he recently served two years as CEO of Breakthrough Public Schools, a network of public charter schools educating over 3,000 elementary students in Cleveland. He holds an MBA from the University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business, a BS in Industrial Engineering from Kettering University, and a BS in Business Administration from Aquinas College. Schedule a time to talk with Ralph by sending an email to ralph-ombuds@mwi.org or by calling 216-780-9056.

Contact

• Email: Email an ombuds team member at the email addresses provided here – Ralph at ralph-ombuds@mwi.org or Jacqueline at jacqueline-ombuds@mwi.org.
  • Please use email for scheduling only. Email and voicemail cannot be guaranteed to be confidential, so do not include any details about your questions, situation, or concerns. If you share the best way to reach you, an ombuds will follow up to schedule an appointment.
• Phone: Contact Jacqueline at 916-417-9761 or Ralph at 216-780-9056 (direct and confidential phone and voicemail).
• Confidential web form:  If you have a concern at work and would like to raise it anonymously, or if you would like to make an appointment with the first available ombuds, please fill out the web form below.
  • If you would like to schedule an appointment with an ombuds team member, please include your preferred contact information and indicate which ombuds you would like to work with or whether you prefer to speak with the first available one. To share a concern anonymously, please do not include personally identifiable information. An anonymized summary of your comments may be shared with the organization unless you indicate otherwise on this form.

An ombuds team member will get back to you within one business day.