Johnston Barkat

Johnston Barkat currently serves as United Nations Ombudsman. He was appointed to the position by United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon in March 2008.

Barkat has served as president of the International Ombudsman Association and subsequently as chair of its International Committee. He was also an instructor of business management for Nyack College and the Lubin Graduate School of Business. He worked with the United Nations as a negotiations instructor, as a consultant on ombudsman programmes, and adviser on reforms to the Administration of Justice.

Barkat is an expert in conflict resolution. He was an Ombudsman at Pace University and an instructor of conflict resolution and mediation at Columbia University's International Center for Cooperation and Conflict Resolution. He has served on the board of the Westchester Mediation Center and worked as a mediator using alternative dispute resolution in New York State courts. He has served as chair of the Ombudsman committees for both the American Bar Association and the Association for Conflict Resolution.

He obtained a Doctor of Philosophy from Columbia University, focusing on exploring strategies to create negotiation ripeness in seemingly intractable conflicts. He also held a Master of Public Administration in government from Pace University and a Bachelor of Arts in psychology from The King’s College. He is a senior fellow with the Institute for Collaborative Engagement and a fellow of the American Bar Foundation.