John Zinsser

John Zinsser, change catalyst and organizational alchemist, works with the intentions, frustrations and realities of those in organizations. His unique skill is in aligning results with needs, thus creating more vibrant, enduring, and successful groups.


As a theorist, researcher, and assessor, Zinsser drives the design and execution of efforts to determine value return of conflict management systems, especially ombuds programs. Having conducted the five largest external assessments of ombuds programs, he has called on all to advance the understanding, expand the validity, and increase the execution of measurement and evaluation activities, as this is essential to professionalizing the ombuds field.


Zinsser is also a practitioner, having won the Office of Personnel Management’s President’s Award for Outstanding Federal ADR Program for the Ombuds Program he designed and managed as sole practitioner on behalf of the Agency for Healthcare Quality and Research.