Roy Baroff, CO-OP®
Ombuds of North Caroline University

Roy Baroff (he/him) is an experienced conflict engagement / management professional. He is an ombuds, mediator, educator and attorney. In the past, he represented clients in a range of settings, mediated litigated and other workplace cases and served as an adjunct professor (he knows what its like to be in the classroom). His current focus is serving as the NC State Faculty and Staff ombuds along with some additional mediations outside NC State and education (Roy teaches a Negotiation course once each year at Elon Law School).

D.A Graham
University Ombuds, University of Kansas

Dr. D. A. Graham is The University of Kansas Ombudsperson. Dr. Graham is the former Vice President, Global Integrity Leader at Nielsen in NYC; University Ombudsperson for Princeton University, San Diego State University and Former Director of Human Resources at The University of the Sciences in Philadelphia. 

Dr. Graham has more than 20 years of experience as a Master Facilitator and Mediator in the resolution of complaints, appeals and internal grievance processes for employee/employer issues. He has worked to resolve issues between parties through various types of mediation and communication processes. He has designed and taught numerous courses and workshops on communication, conflict engagement skills, diversity, and accountability at multiple universities, corporate and nonprofit organizations. Dr. Graham is a Certified Trainer, a Lecturer, and Conflict Coach.

Kristine Paranica
Ombudsperson, North Dakota State University

Kristine Paranica, JD, is the first and solo ombudsman for North Dakota State University since 2014. Prior to that, she was the Director of the Conflict Resolution Center at the University of North Dakota for 17 years, where she supervised staff and volunteers in community mediation practice. She is a Certified Transformative Mediator and continues to train mediators regularly. She is a conflict coach and has extensive experience presenting and training in the conflict resolution field locally, nationally, and internationally. She has published several articles and a book chapter as well. Kristine was an adjunct at the UND School of Law for 17 years, teaching Alternative Dispute Resolution, and continues to teach on online course in Leadership and Conflict Resolution at UND. Currently, Kristine serves on the IOA Conference committee and also the Professional Development Committee, and is an IOA Mentor.

Natalie Sharp

Natalie Sharpe (B.A. Hon, M.A. Anthropology) has professional certificates in negotiation, mediation, arbitration,  and the “Essentials for Ombuds” Certificate in Canadian Ombudsing (Osgoode Hall/Forum of Canadian Ombudsman). She became President of the Association of Canadian College and University Ombudspersons in 2016.  She has worked at the University of Alberta in Edmonton for 35 years as an ombudsperson. Natalie is the Director of Office of the Student Ombuds, with a team of 6 ombudspersons, including a Graduate Ombudsperson and Undergraduate Ombudsperson, and three ombuds interns.

Natalie has presented at national and international ombuds conferences. She also teaches part-time at university in alternative dispute resolution, gender roles, women and work and unions. She previously worked as an indigenous land claims research director and encyclopedia editor. 

HOST

Jenn Mahony

Jenn is an Associate Ombudsman for NIH. Prior to coming to NIH, Jenn lived and worked in New Zealand for almost 10 years, most recently working for FairWay Resolution as the Director for Workplace Conflict services, which included designing complaint and dispute resolution systems and processes and establishing and overseeing ombuds programs for several New Zealand government agencies. Jenn has 20 years’ experience as a dispute resolution practitioner, presenter, trainer, and lawyer. She uses a wide variety of skills in her practice, including restorative justice principles, restorative circles, facilitating group change initiatives, conflict coaching and solution-focused coaching principles, and integrative bargaining techniques. Special areas of focus include cultural empathy, and developing conflict resiliency.  Jenn speaks frequently at international conferences on the nature of workplace conflict and the importance of ombuds work; she is a Fellow in Arbitration of the Arbitrators’ and Mediators’ Institute of New Zealand (AMINZ) as well as on the AMINZ mediator panel; and has a Juris Doctor from Emory University School of Law. She serves on the IOA’s International Outreach committee.