Marcus Stergio will be joining the MIT Ombuds Office on Aug. 25, bringing with him more than ten years of experience as a mediator and conflict-resolution expert. Having previously served as an ombuds at the U.S. Department of Labor, Stergio will be a part of MIT’s ombuds team, collaborating with Judi Segall.
The MIT Ombuds Office offers a private, independent resource for all members of the MIT community to effectively address concerns and disputes related to their experiences at MIT.
Founded in 1980, the office has played a significant role in the initial development of the profession, aiding in the creation and establishment of practice standards for organizational ombuds offices. The ombudspersons assist MIT community members in assessing concerns, clarifying policies and protocols, and pinpointing options for managing conflicts constructively.
“There’s an energy and mythology surrounding MIT’s Ombuds Office that is truly thrilling,” Stergio remarks.
Stergio notes that, among various methods of conflict resolution, the role of an ombuds is particularly attractive due to its adaptability. “We have the ability to be inventive and flexible in determining which processes work best for those seeking assistance, whether that’s holding one-on-one, informal, private discussions or investigating more proactive and engaged methods to address their concerns,” he explains.
Before joining MIT, Stergio spent six years at the Department of Labor, where he established a new publicly accessible ombuds office for the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP). In that role, he adhered to the International Ombuds Association’s standards of practice, offering ombuds services to both external stakeholders and OFCCP personnel.
He has also fulfilled the role of ombudsperson or held other conflict-management positions in a range of organizations across various sectors. These included the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the United Nations Population Fund, General Motors, BMW of North America, and the U.S. Department of Treasury, among others. From 2013 to 2019, Stergio served as a mediator and presided over commercial and corporate programs at the Boston-based dispute resolution firm MWI.
Stergio has instructed conflict resolution classes and conducted mediation and negotiation workshops at numerous universities, including MIT, where he noted that the interest in his topics was unmistakable. “There was something special about the MIT community, whether it was the students, staff, or faculty. They seemed genuinely enthusiastic about the conflict management skills I was sharing,” he reminisces. “There was a fervor for improvement that was inspiring and infectious.”
“I’m privileged to be joining such an esteemed institution, especially one with such a profound legacy in the ombuds field,” Stergio adds. “I eagerly anticipate building upon that heritage and collaborating with the MIT community to tackle challenges collectively.”
Stergio obtained his bachelor’s degree from Northeastern University in 2008 and his master’s in conflict resolution from the University of Massachusetts at Boston in 2012. He has been a member of the executive committee of the Coalition of Federal Ombuds since 2022, served as co-chair of the American Bar Association’s ombuds day subcommittee, and acted as an editor for the newsletter of the ABA’s Dispute Resolution Section. He is also affiliated with the International Ombuds Association.