CIC Ombuds Resource
Confidential, impartial support for employees and leaders navigating workplace concerns and conflict. A trusted place to talk through challenges, explore options, and find constructive ways forward.
Meet Your Global Ombuds Team
CIC employees are welcome to contact any ombuds they feel most comfortable working with. While each ombuds supports specific CIC locations worldwide, you are not limited to contacting only your assigned regional ombuds.
Jamel Harling
Ombuds Team Member
Experienced ombuds, executive coach, and former senior federal executive who helps organizations navigate conflict, leadership challenges, and organizational change.
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Chuck Doran
Ombuds Team Member
Certified Organizational Ombuds Practitioner, mediator, and dispute resolution trainer with decades of experience supporting organizations and universities.
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Willem Kweens
Ombuds Team Member
Former Mars ombuds leader with extensive international experience supporting employees across Europe and global operations.
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Keiko Suzuki
Ombuds Team Member
Executive coach, mediator, and organizational consultant with deep experience supporting multinational workplaces.
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Jan Gałkowski
Ombuds Team Member
Ombuds, mediator, and workplace fairness specialist focused on inclusion, ethics, and employee concerns.
View full profile →What Is the Ombuds Resource?
The ombuds is an independent, informal resource for discussing workplace concerns, exploring options, and navigating difficult situations. You can bring questions, challenges, or conflicts of any kind and work through them in a thoughtful, low-risk way.
Ways We Can Support Individuals, Teams, and the Organization
In addition to one-on-one support, the ombuds offers a range of services to help individuals, teams, and the organization navigate conflict and work more effectively.
One-on-One Conversations
A confidential space to talk through concerns, clarify options, and prepare for next steps.
Facilitated Conversations
Support for constructive, forward-looking conversations between individuals.
Team and Group Support
Facilitation and support for teams working through challenges, communication issues, or conflict.
Workshops and Training
Practical sessions on communication, feedback, conflict management, and workplace skills.
Organizational Insight
Identifying patterns and trends to inform improvements in systems, practices, and workplace culture.
What Makes Us Different
The ombuds operates according to four core principles that help create a safe, fair, and trusted experience.
Confidential
The ombuds will not share what you discuss, or even that you met, without your permission, except in rare situations involving imminent risk of serious harm.
Impartial
The ombuds does not take sides for any individual or the organization.
Informal
The ombuds works outside of, and does not participate in, formal processes.
Independent
The ombuds operates outside management structures and is not part of formal reporting channels.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Still have a question? Contact the ombuds team.
Connect with an Ombuds Team Member
Whether you have a question, want to think through a situation, or need help preparing for a conversation, the ombuds team is here to support you.
What People Are Saying
Feedback from individuals who have worked with an ombuds.
“Most valuable was being able to share freely without fear of retaliation or harming working relationships, with the assurance of confidentiality.”
“Having a neutral party facilitate a conversation with my supervisor helped us better understand each other and slow things down so we didn’t make assumptions.”
“Having a sounding board to talk things through. As a manager without direct peers, I don’t always have a place to process without escalating to my manager.”
Contact an Ombuds Team Member
Submit a confidential request to connect with an ombuds team member. You may request a specific ombuds or ask to speak with the first available team member. An ombuds will typically respond within one business day.
Your submission will be handled privately and shared only with the ombuds team.
The CIC Ombuds Team was established under a charter approved by CIC’s CEO. The charter incorporates by reference the Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice of the International Ombuds Association (IOA) and requires that the CIC Ombuds Team adhere to those standards.
The charter, along with the IOA Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice, contains important information about how the CIC Ombuds Team operates.
Due to the independent, impartial, informal, and confidential nature of the ombuds function, communication with the ombuds does not constitute formal notice to CIC.