About Us

Anu Rao, Ph.D.*

*Dr. Anu Rao is the sole owner and founder of ROI SOLUTIONS, LL.C.

EXPERIENCE AND WORKPLACES

Ms. Anu Rao received her Ph.D. degree in 1996 from the University of Pennsylvania, a Joint degree in City and Regional Planning and Wharton School, but she did most of her graduate course work in Management at the Wharton School. Her academic preparation is in Organizational Behavior, Systems Theory, Culture and Public Policy, and her Ph.D. Dissertation research focused on the organizational culture of academic science, with a focus on men and women scientists in academic and scientific organizations.

Dr. Rao is a seasoned practitioner whose experience spans various settings and industries. As an Organizational Ombudsman, she has used her knowledge of systems thinking, neutrality, conflict resolution, and organizational behavior to develop integrated solutions. She has worked with stakeholders and leaders to lead strategic planning meetings and provided interventions for groups and teams that want turnaround, change management and team building. She has coached executives and managers in self-management, managing anger, impulsivity and other emotions and managing conflicts. She has coached leaders, academics and employees at all levels to enhance productivity and team performance.

Dr. Rao is an optimistic and forward looking professional who leverages relationships to effect positive individual and organizational change. She uses a strengths based approach to team building, ombudsmanry, leadership and executive coaching. She has the ability to resolve local and specific issues while enabling and supporting change in the total system, to help organizations to move toward their full potential.

Dr. Rao is an expert in gender staffing and gender balance, and she provided consulting services in strategic gender and leadership development for the World Bank Ecosystems centers from 1990 to 1996.

KEY ASSIGNMENTS AND CONSULTANCIES

OMV Petrom, Bucharest, Romania, an oil and Gas Company with 20, 000 employees– As International Expert Ombudsman Consultant to establish a conflict resolution Ombuds Office. Collaborated with C-Suite, Management and Union leaders to design and establish a successful Ombuds office, trained and coached Ombudspersons, launched the program, conducted outreach and served as the ‘Face of the Ombuds Office’ till staff gained expertise. I helped to establish an Advisory Committee, and set up an electronic data gathering system to gather metrics and analyze utilization and trending information. Company expanded the program to serve retail petrol stations.

OMV Petrom retained my services for a second year of consultation and training in the face of downturn in the price of oil barrel: development of Ombuds office and staff development, coaching and subject focused training on topics including conflict management, emotional Intelligence, sexual harassment, coaching and case management. I provided systems level observations and recommendations to the Board of Directors.

Asian Development Bank, Manila, Philippines, A multilateral International Development Bank serving 36 + Countries in Asia and Australia. Established a full service Ombuds Office per International Ombudsman Association standards with confidentiality, impartiality, Independence and Informality as the founding Ombudsman and resolved long standing disputes using mediation and other problem solving approaches. I reported to the President and launched the program with outreach to Directors General and staff groups. I conducted missions to member countries, listening sessions, outreach programs, organizational interventions and mediations. I collaborated with organizational members around concerns of gender staffing and multiculturism and published an annual report based on metrics developed and gathered via electronic data system. Provided systems level recommendations.

M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, USA. A cancer treatment and cancer research facility with about 20,000 employees. Served as founding Director of the Organizational Ombudsman Office for faculty and staff. Provided confidential services per IOA standards, and facilitated innumerable mediations and departmental level interventions. Developed and delivered training on conflict resolution to hundreds of faculty and staff. Coached executives and resolved tough problems and disputes. The Ombuds Office was wholly integrated into a dynamic and complex institution. Conducted organizational development program as a confidential and trusted organizational resource. Provided training for CME credits for Physicians and coaching to departmental Heads and Managers.

Coca-Cola Enterprises, Atlanta GA. 75,000 employees in the USA. Served as one of five corporate Ombudsman for several geographic regions and worked with colleagues to respond to problems and queries. Worked at corporate office, traveled to assigned regions in the USA, and also worked remotely as needed. Provided intake, case services, system level feedback to management. Facilitated mediations and organizational interventions. Collected data and provided electronic metrics. Worked with Ombuds Team to support Office.

Princeton University, New Jersey, 7,000 students and 12,000 faculty and staff. Established an Ombuds Office that provided confidential case services, mediation, conflict resolution, organizational development and training. Had responsibility for the oversight and management of HR grievance and dispute resolution system called Fairness Review Process. Coordinated campus wide Racial Harassment System, and handled concerns of sexual harassment, race relations and complex faculty and staff Issues. Provided Systemic recommendations to Executives.

University of Pennsylvania Health System with 20,000 employees, Group Practices and Hospitals, Philadelphia, USA. Director of Human Resources Development - Staffing, Training and Organizational Development. Oversight of Executive Search, staffing, system-wide training, and organizational development. Supported Nurse-Recruitment, multi culturalism and other institutional programs. Provided Organizational services for downsizing, and redesign of new services.

Princeton University Human Resources Director or Organizational Development and Training: provided training and organizational development services for workforce of 12,000 employees. Managed Apprenticeship programs for Building Trades, and established a Mentorship Program

University Of Pennsylvania EAP, Faculty and Staff Assistance Program for 20,000 employees: Provided EAP services, Counseling and intervention for faculty and staff. Conducted organizational interventions and organizational development programs as a trusted resource.

University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine and Graduate School of Social Work: Joint appointment to set up social Intervention in dental care, taught behavioral approaches to dentistry. Project coordination to develop a network of services to serve children in public care in Philadelphia.

Consultant to the Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania, Conducted a major change initiative for the Deans’ Office, called the Wharton Initiative

Consultant for ISNAR and CGIAR at the World Bank at The Hague and In Washington DC, on Gender Staffing and Training for Directors-General on Leadership and Gender.

Consultant and Trainer: Multiculturism ad Race Relations with Elsie Cross and Company, Philadelphia.

Consultant - Harvard University Development Department, Reddy Labs in India, Animal Lab Programs at SmithKline in Philadelphia.

Presentations: Workplace Equity, Organizational Culture, Human Resources Re-Engineering, Asian Americans, Gender Balance, Conflict Resolution, Race Relations Immigrants and Immigrant women and men.