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MEETING MINUTES 

Meeting Date and Time: February 10, 2020, 1:30 pm – 3:00 pm (EDT) 

Location: Teleconference 

Agenda:

1. Mentoring Committee Update 

2. Social Media Committee (SMC) 

3. Next OSO Meeting – 02/24/2021 

4. Announcements – Training opportunities, job postings, or really any office and 

ombudsman happenings you’d like to tell the world about 

5. General Questions - Space for newer ombuds and programs (and people looking to set 

up programs) to ask questions and get feedback. No issue is too big or small so ask 

away! 

6. Discussion Topics: 

a. Use of home/personal devices during the pandemic – There are many different 

platforms for virtual communication, and some are compatible with our “work” 

devices and some are not. What rules does your agency information technology 

department have in place? Do they permit you to use your “personal” device in 

this situation? If not, what are the ethical implications of using your “personal” 

device on “work” time? Would this make your device subject to a government 

search? (This does not include if you log on to your “work” VPN through your 

“personal” device.) 

b. Dealing with persistent inquirers raising issues where the ombudsman’s office 

can no longer assist and where the inquirer is also adversely affecting the 

operations of the ombuds resource 

c. Security of electronic records, methods by which ombuds are protecting their 

electronic records

Highlights: 

1. Mentoring Committee Update 

a. Guest speaker for next OSO meeting will be Erin Gaudreault. 

2. Social Media Committee (SMC) Update 

a. SMC just had second meeting and still not too late for any others who want to join 
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b. Discuss and developed a listing of pros and cons of different social media platforms 

and if they met the stated goals of COFO 

c. It appears LinkedIn may be the best fit and SMC will continue to seek information to 

determine next best steps 

3. Next OSO Meeting – 02/24/21 

a. No set agenda for the call and any reflections, whether personal or professional, are 

welcomed 

b. Next Ombuds Supporting Ombuds (OSO) call on Wednesday, February 24, 2022, 

from 2 – 3 pm EDT. 

4. Announcements 

a. No announcements

5. General Questions 

a. How to approach senior leadership about the tone of emails? 

b. Emails do not have a tone by itself and are usually determined by the reader based 

on past experiences with the sender 

c. When tone is in question then this is a good opportunity to ask about past 

experiences between the sender/reader 

d. Typically, when there is missing information in an email the reader fills gaps with 

emotions 

e. It would be good to have the visitor read the email in different tones. 

6. Discussion Topics 

a. Use of home/personal devices during the pandemic

i. Topic of discussion is the use of home devices during the pandemic 

ii. Zoom is the typical example of a platform that is of common use for virtual 

meetings 

iii. Zoom is not allowed in some agencies/departments in the government 

iv. Has anyone used their personal device to communicate virtually during the 

pandemic and why? 

v. Yes, some have used their personal devices due to COVID-19, especially cell 

phones 

vi. Cell phones were used due to the haste in which the government went to 

virtual without appropriate equipment for virtual communications 

vii. Some agencies do not have laptops, cellphones, or other portal equipment 

for communications 

viii. For off the record conversations, some ombuds have used personal cell 

phone 

ix. Personal email is problematic and has risks due to FOIA and other applicable 

laws for disclosure when creating government records 
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x. Ombuds discussed that the Zoom platform could be considered the same as 

a telephone conversation if the transcript feature is not used or the meeting 

is not recorded 

xi. Personal cell phone calls may not be as problematic as personal text which 

could be considered as creating a government record 

xii. Some ombuds do not use personal equipment at all to separate work from 

personal completely 

xiii. Connecting personal devices to government networks could also be a big 

problem due to security issues 

xiv. For professional organization meetings like IOA some ombuds use personal 

devices to connect to those meetings 

xv. Some agencies use WebEx exclusively for external meetings and to use other 

platforms a request is made to IT to ensure security measures are in place 

xvi. One ombuds stated Zoom does not create a record and that it was 

specifically designed not to created one if not selected by the user 

xvii. Zoom for Gov is rolling out at several agencies 

xviii. The differences of Zoom and Zoom Gov would be an interesting discussion 

when roll out is complete 

xix. How are ombuds handling callers who incessantly call or call at off-duty 

hours on personal devices 

xx. Ombuds state they have blocked calls, screen calls, or have not had any 

specific difficulties 

xxi. One ombuds stated Zoom Gov is the same application as Zoom and 

acceptance to meetings does not appear to be different 

xxii. One ombuds stated they think use of personal devices for any government 

business opens the individual to a FOIA search 

xxiii. Another concern with use of a personal device is if your agency has stated 

not to use a platform like Zoom and you use it on your personal device then 

it appears you in conflict (doing something you been told not to do) with an 

agency directive 

xxiv. One difference noted was the use of personal computers with VPN 

xxv. VPN is entering the agency network and you have the protection of 

government controls 

xxvi. Using your personal device without the protection of government controls is 

the issue being discussed and not the use of VPN 

xxvii. The search for potential is also a concern as when a request is made a search 

is conducted for records and you may open yourself to search even without 

creating a record 
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Attendance 02/10/2020 

Last First Agency Call-In 

Adams Joanne USDA 1 

Arbid Michelle FEMA 1 

Balick Howard FDA 1 

Behr Virginia FDA 1 

Bloch Brian DOI 1 

Bookstein Monique FBI 1 

Brown Andrea United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) 1 

Cameron Bob CFPB 1 

Carmouche Colette TSA 1 

Chavez Rudolph Mary DOI 1 

Davenport 

Dayes 

Nathelia 

(Nicky) 

FEMA 1 

Deyo Scott DOE 1 

Doyle Bill US Secret Service 1 

Ekwuabu Ogochukwu VA 1 

Epps Ayanna FDIC 1 

Feliciano Ramon DOD / DIA 1 

Footman Aaron USPTO 1 

Fox Angela FDA 1 

Garmon Felisa CFPB 1 

Gnatt Sheldon NSA 1 

Gordon Laurel DOJ / U. S. Marshals Service (USMS) 1 

Green Veronica State OIG 1 

Harris Robert D. FDIC 1 

Hartman Jessie NARA/ Office of Government Information Services 

(OGIS) 

1 

Heffernan Claire TSA 1 

Hobson Shirley VA 1 

Hopkins Emilee NGA 1 

Jarrett Syreeta DIA 1 

Kamenshine Wendy CFPB 1 

Katherine Erica FDA 1 
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Last First Agency Call-In 

Kinnavy Noreen Broadcasting Board of Governors 1 

Lenkel Laurie FDA 1 

Leone Joe NSA 1 

Lloyd Brenda FLETC 1 

Levine Lisa DOJ / Executive Office of Immigration Review (EOIR) 1 

Lewis Mark D. FDA 1 

MacKinnon Kathryn DOD / Defense Office of Hearings and Appeals (DOHA) 1 

Malone Marcus DOJ / USMS 1 

Manderson Katie VA 1 

Maurer Bill Census 1 

McNeil Tracey SEC 1 

Michael David NIH 1 

Miller Carla DOJ / ATF 1 

Milner Heather CFPB 1 

Moore Sandi NRO 1 

Morey Chauncenette FBI 1 

Patno Arielle FDA / Center for Tobacco Products 1 

Piziali Jamie EPA 1 

Porch Susanne Commerce / National Institute of Standards and 

Technology (NIST) 

1 

Reed Janay DOD / DIA 1 

Reilly Kevin NASA 1 

Richards Amber 1 

Robinson Belinda FBI 1 

Rojas Nick DOD / DIA 1 

Rowe Mary Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) 1 

Skodacek Ken FDA 1 

Sotoudeh Paul USPTO 1 

Stergio Marcus Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs / DOL 1 

Stevenson Christina Navy / Marine Corps Systems Command 1 

Taylor Lelar VA 1 

Trujillo Sarah USDA 1 

Varner Tahirih NPS 1 

Vermillion Chris TSA 1 
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Last First Agency Call-In 

Voloshin Victor NIH 1 

Yuille Banford Deanna DOD / Defense Human Resources Activity 1 

Weber Guy DOD / NGA 1 

Wolfe Lexi DOE 1 

Wright Donald USDA 1 

 Total 68