Staff and Advisors
The Office of the Ombudsman consists of a dedicated staff of professionals responsible for fulfilling the daily obligations for the office. In addition, the office has access to a team of expert advisors in correctional health care, infection prevention, and business intelligence/analytics.
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Staff – Office of the Ombudsman
Lauren M. Andersen, MM, RN, CEN, CCRN
Director – Office of the Ombudsman
Lauren M. “Laurie” Andersen, MM, RN, CEN, CCRN, is a registered nurse with extensive experience in education, critical care, and emergency nursing. Most recently and throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, she has been serving as a healthcare operations consultant on UMass Chan Medical School’s work with the Executive Office of Health and Human Services to support Department of Public Health hospitals and inpatient facilities managed by the Department of Mental Health in improving their readiness for a second and subsequent COVID-19 surges. In this role, Ms. Andersen has provided consulting and supported the education and infection control policies while also serving as the COVID-19 vaccine coordinator for both staff and patients.
Robert Charpentier, MA, CAGS
Regional Clinical Administrator
Robert Charpentier, MA, CAGS, is one of the Regional Clinical Administrators for the Office of the Ombudsman. Mr. Charpentier is a dedicated and enthusiastic professional with extensive experience in mental health and ombudsman-related services. Previously, Mr. Charpentier both managed the concerns of members of a large healthcare corporation and worked as an ombudsman for that same corporation which uniquely positions him for his role within the Office. Mr. Charpentier is dedicated to working for those in need, including innovating new and creative ways to support evidence-based satisfaction for individuals and groups. Mr. Charpentier will work directly with DOC staff, inmates, and their families to ensure that all are best protected from the impacts of COVID-19 while monitoring DOC’s compliance with Office-established guidelines at the DOC facilities in which he is assigned. Mr. Charpentier has an advanced degree and a certificate in psychology.
Jennifer Vars
Regional Clinical Administrator
Jennifer Vars, is one of the Regional Clinical Administrators for the Office of the Ombudsman. Ms. Vars is a dynamic professional with extensive experience in healthcare. Ms. Vars has been an emergency nurse and critical care nurse for many years with experience in many settings. Ms. Vars has also worked as a professor of nursing. Ms. Vars is dedicated to advocating for those in need, including innovating new and creative ways to support evidence-based satisfaction for individuals and groups. Ms. Vars will work directly with DOC staff, inmates, and their families to ensure that all are best protected and supported with their health and wellness needs, with an increased focus on mental health care.
Tim Belliveau
Business Intelligence Analyst
Tim Belliveau serves as Business Intelligence Analyst for the Office of the Ombudsman. Mr. Belliveau most recently served as a Data Analyst at Alkermes, where his responsibilities included creating visualizations with Tableau to provide actionable insights and improving existing excel reports by automating the data and moving the reports to Tableau.
Lynne Dionne
Administrative Coordinator
Lynne Dionne has worked at UMass Chan Medical School since 2012 and joins the Office of the Ombudsman as Administrative Coordinator. A key member of the Office team, Ms. Dionne contributes valuable experience (working with justice-involved populations, institutional knowledge, and organizational skills) to this essential role. Ms. Dionne is passionate about her work and enjoys working on a team. Her diverse skill set includes team management as well as the ability to work independently, and she thrives in a fast-paced, challenging atmosphere – all of which enhances the mission of the Office of the Ombudsman.
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Advisors – UMass Chan Medical School
The Office of the Ombudsman works with experts from ForHealth Consulting and UMass Chan Medical School who serve as advisors to support the Ombudsman. Advisors include professionals with expertise in correctional health care, infection prevention, and business intelligence/analytics.
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Contacting the Office
There are two (2) ways to contact the Office of the Ombudsman.
Submit an inquiry/concern through this website (anonymously, if desired), please click here and follow the instructions to fill out the Inquiry/Concern Submission Form and submit it directly to the Office of the Ombudsman.
The Office of the Ombudsman can also be reached via free call (including from within DOC facilities) at 833-662-8410. Voicemails may be left anonymously, however, we will be unable to follow up with you without contact information. Regardless, please leave as detailed information (including the facility you are calling about and your relation to the DOC) as possible so we may look into your inquiry.
Alternatively, for general matters, please email the Office of the Ombudsman directly at ombudsman@umassmed.edu.