(ANNAPOLIS, Md. – Jan. 11, 2010) The Maryland Mediation and Conflict Resolution Office (MACRO) will hold a free telephone conference, “More than a Mediator: The Role of the Ombudsman,” on Thursday, Jan. 28, noon-1 p.m.

Many organizations have ombudsmen but their role often remains unclear. What does an ombudsman do? How does an ombudsman stay neutral and function independently from management? How can an ombudsman build trust among employees?

The teleconference will be led by Howard Gadlin, Ph.D., ombudsman and director of the Center for Cooperative Resolution at the National Institutes of Health (NIH). An experienced mediator, trainer, and consultant, Gadlin works with conflicts related to race, ethnicity and gender, including sexual harassment, and is often called in as a consultant-mediator in intractable disputes. He has designed and conducted training programs internationally in dispute resolution, sexual harassment and multicultural conflict, and is the author of several books.

This free teleconference is designed for people who work in organizations that have ombudsmen and who want to know more about their roles, and for people who have conflicts in their workplace. The teleconference is also designed for ombudsmen and people who work with mediation or alternative dispute resolution. Members of the public are also invited to join the conversation.

For more information or to arrange to join the teleconference, go to MACRO’s Web site, www.mdcourts.gov/macro.

# # # # #