The Oral History Project

A Small Start: Stanley V. Anderson and Don Hartsock

I thought it important to begin preserving voices of those who were contributing to the field in powerful ways, and discussed this with Geoff Wallace, and he suggested Stanley V. Anderson. The project flowed forward. Sadly, I do not have a copy of Donʻs video archive, and set the intention for that to somehow surface. I am in the process of having the video archive transferred and uploaded for wider sharing. I note, at this phase in my development, I am using hierarchical institutional type language, which is something I evolved out of. Celebrating indigenous ingenuity in partnership with all of my ancestors and all of their beauty!

The Taste of Conversation: A Dialogue Between Stanley V. Anderson and Geoffrey Wallace (2005)

Facilitated and Edited by Misa Kelly

This rare and illuminating conversation brings together two influential voices in the evolution of academic ombudsing: Stanley V. Anderson, foundational theorist and global scholar, and Geoffrey Wallace, University of California, Santa Barbara ombuds and practitioner.

Facilitated by Misa Kelly at the 2005 California Caucus of College and University Ombuds, this dialogue offers more than historical recounting—it is a window into the ethical lineage, personal philosophies, and intellectual tensions that shaped the ombuds field in North America.

In their exchange, Anderson and Wallace reflect on:

• The early days of the ombuds movement in higher education,

• The evolution of professional standards,

• Mentorship, influence, and legacy,

• The need for continuing reflection on power, independence, and institutional resistance.

Why It Matters

The Taste of Conversation is not just a historical artifact—it is a living transmission. The piece honors the oral tradition of wisdom-sharing that underpins ombudsing as a practice of listening, truth-telling, and ethical inquiry. Misa Kelly’s facilitation bridges scholarship and relationship, ensuring the conversation becomes part of the field’s collective memory.

“The real work of ombudsing happens in the space between what is said and what is meant. In conversation, that space becomes sacred.”
— Misa Kelly