About the Ombudsman and Staff

Joanne C. MacDonnell - Acting Ombudsman as of July 2011. Joanne joined the office as Deputy Ombudsman in 2005 after serving nearly eight years as the Arizona Corporation Commission Director of Corporations. Joanne was an active member of the International Association of Commercial Administrators (IACA) and a director of its Business Sections Committee. Joanne has experience in management, human resources, problem resolution, investigations, customer service, strategic planning and process analysis. Joanne has Bachelor of Science degrees in Business Administration and in Real Estate from the University of Arizona. She is an investigator certified by the Council on Licensure, Enforcement & Regulation (CLEAR) and completed mediation training through South Mountain Community College. She has additional training including the Executive Course, Project & Investment Justification Training, various risk management, procurement and ethics courses through Arizona Government University (AZGU); the Leadership Module through Rio Salado College and AZGU; and ombudsman training prescribed by the US Ombudsman Association (USOA). She is active in the U.S. Ombudsman Association, serving as a Board Member and in leadership roles on the Outreach, Children and Family and Conference Committees. She is also a member of the Association for Conflict Resolution (ACR) and qualified in the “Practitioner” category. Prior to working in government, Joanne worked in the private sector at FCC Investors, Inc, serving on the Board of Directors and as an accountant. She also worked in real estate as a licensed Realtor associate and real estate appraiser.

Kate Otting, Acting Deputy Ombudsman. Kate is the former Director of Conflict Resolution Programs for the Arizona Attorney General. She founded Interaction Management Associates and has led seminars on mediation, negotiation and conflict management for businesses and public agencies throughout the U.S. She has mediated employment, housing discrimination, family, ADA, EEOC, US Postal Service and public policy cases. She received her initial mediation training in 1994 through the Iowa Peace Institute, an agency created by the Iowa legislature. She later became the agency’s Director of Conflict Resolution and was featured for her work with school mediation programs in a PBS documentary. She previously served as Vice President for International Services with the International Center for Community Journalism, introducing former Soviet journalists to free press concepts. She holds a master’s degree in international management, with a concentration on alternative dispute resolution. She is fluent in French and has worked in Africa, Asia and Europe. She is an investigator certified by the Council on Licensure, Enforcement & Regulation (CLEAR).

Stephanie Willis - Assistant Ombudsman for Child Protective Services. Stephanie joined the office in 2011 after working as a Child and Family Therapist for EMPACT- SPC. Prior to her employment as a psychotherapist, Stephanie worked for nearly three years with the Department of Economic Security as a Child Welfare Licensing Specialist. In licensing, Stephanie investigated complaints concerning the care of children in licensed group homes and shelter. Stephanie has served in a various of systems of care for children and families including: behavioral health, developmental disabilities, education, foster care, juvenile probation and family assistance. Stephanie has a bachelor’s degree in Deaf Studies and Human Services from California State University, Northridge and a master’s degree in Social Work from Arizona State University.

Carmen Salas, Assistant Ombudsman. Carmen joined the Ombudsman’s office in 2005. She previously worked at the Arizona Corporation Commission for nine years. For three of those years she was the Supervisor in the Corporations Division’s Annual Reports Section. For the last two years she was the Management Analyst for the division. Carmen has experience in customer service, process analysis and problem resolution. She received her Bachelor of Science degree in Business Management from the University of Phoenix. She has completed additional training including ethics and various risk management courses through Arizona Government University. She has also completed the Leadership Module through AZGU. Carmen is fluent in Spanish.

Kathryn Marquoit, Assistant Ombudsman for Public Access. Kathryn joined the office in 2011, after managing the Phoenix branch of Genex Services, Inc. At Genex, Kathryn worked primarily in a program that provided Social Security Disability representation to disabled clients nationally. Prior to her work litigating before the Social Security Administration, Kathryn served as legal staff for the Governor's Regulatory Review Council during Governor Janet Napolitano's and Governor Jan Brewer's administrations. She has bachelor's degree from Syracuse University, a law degree from Villanova Law School and is licensed to practice law in Arizona.

Satarah Worthy, Assistant Ombudsman. Satarah joined the office in 2011, after working at the Arizona Department of Economic Security for nearly four years. As a Licensing Specialist, Satarah licensed, monitored and investigated residential group care facilities, adoption agencies and child placing agencies throughout the state. She also served as a Contract Administrator where she was responsible for the administration and management of child care provider contracts. Prior to her work at DES, Satarah investigated allegations of abuse and neglect in mental health/mental retardation facilities for the State of Texas and served as a law clerk at the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction. Satarah has experience in policy analysis, investigations, program monitoring and compliance auditing. She has a bachelor's degree in Journalism and Political Science from The Ohio State University and a law degree from Capital University Law School.