The WashU Ombuds Resource

Independent. Impartial. Informal. Confidential.

If you experience any kind of workplace issue and you are not sure what to do or who to talk to, the ombuds team is here for you!

We can help with any workplace issue, including:

Communication challenges
Abrasive behavior
Unethical behavior
Microaggressions
Perceived unfair treatment
Perceived harassment/discrimination

Challenging group dynamics
Accusations against you
Fear of speaking up
Confusing/concerning processes or procedures
Any other concern, big or small

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 WashU staff, postdocs, and graduate students. The ombuds team has two ombuds (LaCrisia “Cris” Gilbert and Scott Deyo, see bios below) available to work with staff, postdocs and graduate students to effectively manage, address, and surface university- 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).

About the Ombuds Team at WashU:

WashU staff, postdocs and graduate students should contact one of the ombuds below to discuss concerns and options for resolution.

cris gilbert ombuds LaCrisia “Cris” Gilbert (cris-ombuds@mwi.org) 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 with 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). Book a time to talk with Cris by sending an email to (cris-ombuds@mwi.org).

Scott Deyo, (scott-ombuds@mwi.org and 703-887-2687) has nearly three decades of experience in academia, non-profit, and federal sectors as an ombuds, mediator, and trainer. He is an expert at helping organizations build and sustain community-centered cultures that focus on people, their interconnected journey together, and their ability to accomplish great things through collaboration and dialogue. For a decade, Scott was a certified mediator and mentor through the Virginia Supreme Court, and has retained his Certified Organizational Ombuds Practitioner (CO-OP)® credential since March 2010.

Scott has mediated over 250 employment-related disputes, and has been an ombuds in six organizations, including the University of North Carolina at Charlotte (serving faculty, staff, and graduate students), U.S. Green Building Council, U.S. Department of Energy, National Park Service, National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, and Department of Defense Office of Inspector General. Within these organizations, Scott helped 4,500 people explore resolution options for 18,000 workplace issues. Within academia, Scott’s interventions helped enable productive dialogue and problem-solving on complex issues, including academic freedom, curriculum change processes, lab operations, faculty workloads, authorship, and other unique challenges faced by staff and senior administrators.

As a champion for advancing the ombuds field, Scott is the former Chair, Coalition of Federal Ombuds, and is currently involved with the UNC system Ombuds group, the broader NC ombuds community, and the East Coast Ombuds Group. He also serves as Chair of the CO-OP® Board’s Professional Practices Committee, which upholds the highest levels of professional standards of certified ombuds. Scott has a master’s degree from George Mason University’s Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution (2001) and a bachelor’s in psychology (major) and music (minor) from James Madison University (1997). Contact Scott at scott-ombuds@mwi.org or 703-887-2687.

Contact

Email: Cris at cris-ombuds@mwi.org or Scott at scott-ombuds@mwi.org.
Confidential web form: If you have a university-related concern and would like to raise it in confidence, please feel free to fill out the web form below.
Phone: Please contact Cris at 214-802-3339 and Scott at 703-887-2687.

The WashU Ombuds Team was established under a charter approved by the Executive Vice Chancellor. A copy of that charter is available here. The charter incorporates by reference the Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice of the International Ombuds Association (IOA) and requires that the WashU Ombuds Team adhere to the IOA Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice. The charter, as well as the IOA Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice, contain important information about the WashU Ombuds Team and the manner in which it functions.

Due to the independent, impartial, informal, and confidential nature of the ombuds function, communication with the ombuds does not constitute formal notice to the Washington University in St. Louis.