MEETING MINUTES

Meeting Date/Time: February 10, 2016, 1:30pm – 3:00pm

Location: Federal Communications Commission, 445 12th St SW, Room 7-B516

Agenda:

1. Update on the election of Executive Officers

2. Discussion of case tracking system

3. CHI Resolutions and ACUS study

Highlights:

1. Update on the election of Executive Officers

Election committee members, Kakeisla Qaasim and Stephanie Luckam announced the 

new 2016 – 2018 COFO Executive Officers: Scott Deyo (Chair), William Maurer (ViceChair), Paul Sotoudeh (Vice-Chair), Riley Barrar (Co-Secretary), Sara Roberts (CoSecretary), Tyler Smith (Co-Coordinator), Guy Weber (Co-Coordinator).

COFO extends a special thank you to the election committee and a welcome to the new 

executive committee members. The exec committee will meet in the near future. 

2. Discussion on Case Tracking Systems: Feedback and Insights

A few externally facing ombuds programs noted two key programs, ZenDesk and VU 

Apps. ZenDesk is used in a high volume, consumer help center. It is a web-based, multiuser application. A user can email directly into this system and the consumer/complainant 

can track his/her own complaint. The internal users can see all cases. The system is date 

based. VU Apps is another web-based application but is ombuds entry and view, rather 

than customer facing. 

Another outward facing program that is helpful for document heavy cases is through 

Active Network and is called Citizen Request. The entire log is available to the public. 

ISight, through the Customer Expressions Corporation, is utilized by a couple of 

organizational ombuds programs. This application is ombuds entry and view. The 

ombuds office can customize the program to meet the data needs of their office. You can 

also run reports. There is a multi-user login and there is a web-hosting cost. 

Other methodologies mentioned by organizational ombuds are excel spreadsheets, Access 

databases, and the organizations web-hosting platforms. 

3. Questions about the ACUS Survey

Carole Houk, Mary Rowe, and Lauren Marx from CHI Resolutions were available to 

answer questions regarding the U.S. (ACUS) Study.

a. What data and findings will be reported to ACUS?
After running raw data through a database, aggregated and non-attributable data will 

be provided in a report form to ACUS. CHI will not attribute to any specific agency 

without the permission of that agency. At this time, the length is unknown. The data 

is meant to be descriptive of the industry and profession and not a comparison or 

judgment. 

b. Can an agency only answer parts of the survey?

Answer all that you possibly can. Do not answer if you are not comfortable. In 

relation to questions regarding frequency data, CHI sited that even if you are not 

comfortable providing that information, yes/no responses are still helpful to the study. 

c. What confidentiality protections are in place with regard to the interviews?

The interview is an opt-in, not opt-out option. No office will be identified unless 

permission is specifically granted. An interview may be done by the CHI team or 

graduate students at Kenessaw University. “Off the record,” anonymous interviews 

are allowed. Anyone can request an interview. 

d. Will this information be used beyond the ACUS study?

Possibly. IRB requires that the data be retained and protected for three years, then 

destroyed. There may be other publications that come out utilizing the aggregate data 

that was found to discuss ombuds systems. Two hypothetical examples that were 

given were: Ombuds systems in relation/comparison to Integrated Conflict 

Management Systems (ICMS), or, How ombuds accomplishments and successes 

illuminate the value of ombuds programs.

e. Can I submit a partially completed study?

This is not ideal but yes, CHI prefers a partial submission to none at all. 

f. Dates and deadlines?

Interviews with agency heads are in completion in February. For those who are not 

agency heads, but who requests an interview, please request and complete by the end 

of March. Specific case study submission is open until May/June 2016. CHI will 

provide an initial draft to ACUS in July. The study will go to full conference in 

December. Anyone hired within an agency can request to speak to a team member.

g. Can one designee fill out two surveys? (The agency head runs two programs.)

Yes

Meeting adjourned. 

Attendees in person:

Riley Barrar, Department of State

Dawn Bedlivy, Department of Defense (DoD)

Mollie Berg, DoD, National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency

Karen Dean, Department of Commerce, US Patent and Trademark Office

Scott Deyo, DoD, National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency

William Doyle, Department of Homeland Security (DHS), United States Secret Service
Claire Heffernan, DHS, Transportation Security Administration

Michael Janson, Federal Communication Commission

Stephanie Luckam, DHS, Transportation Security Administration

Sherry Tross, Organization of American States

Lauren Marx, chiResolutions

Attendees by phone:

Sharon Asar, Consumer Financial Protection Bureau

Virginia Behr, Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Food and Drug Administration

Brian Bloch, Department of the Interior, Special Trustee for American Indians

Kathy Breeden, Department of Transportation, Federal Transit Administration

Felicia Bunns, Department of Energy

Kimberley Day-Lewis, DHS, US Coast Guard

Ayanna Epps, Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation

Tasha Fleming, Department of Justice, Bureau of Prisons

Jennifer Gartlan, Federal Maritime Commission

Lula Mae Gray, HHS, Food and Drug Administration

Kimberly Guay, Department of Justice, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives

Robert D. Harris, Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation

Patrick Holman, Department of Energy

Carole Houk, chiResolutions

Clint Janes, Department of Commerce, US Patent and Trademark Office

Wendy Kamenshine, Consumer Financial Protection Bureau

Andy Kirkpatrick , General Services Administration

Sarah Kith, DHS, Transportation Security Administration

Becky Kurtz, HHS, Administration for Community Living

Robin McCullough, Federal Commmunications Commision

Carrie McGuire, National Archives and Records Administration, Office of Government Information Services

Katie Manderson, Department of State

William Maurer, Department of Energy

Celeste Merrix, DHS, Federal Law Enforcement Training Center

Allison Monyei, HHS, Food and Drug Administration, Center for Tobacco Products

Kakeisla Qaasim, Consumer Financial Protection Bureau

Sara Roberts, DHS, Transportation Security Administration

Mary Rowe, chiResolutions

Melissa Sage, HHS, Center for Devices and Radiological Health

Tonya Sibley, DHS, Transportation Security Administration

Tyler Smith, HHS, National Institutes of Health

Paul Sotoudeh, Consumer Financial Protection Bureau

Roberta Valdez, Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation

Dale Vergott, DoD, Defense Intelligence Agency

Guy Weber, DoD, National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency

Frederick Whittington, Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General

Tom Zrubek, DoD, Inspector General