Our Staff
Sarah Klaper, University Ombudsperson
Sarah Klaper was named Northwestern University’s first university ombudsperson in August 2021. Sarah comes to Northwestern from Northern Illinois University in DeKalb, Ill., where she served for nine years as the University Ombudsperson. Prior to her time at NIU, Sarah was an instructor of Legal Analysis, Research, and Communication at DePaul University College of Law in Chicago. She also taught Education Law, as well as State and Local Government. Sarah’s background is in law, and she practiced mainly public interest work for many years. Sarah started her legal career at Southeastern Ohio Legal Services in Portsmouth, Ohio. She last practiced at the Citizen Advocacy Center in Elmhurst, Illinois, where she focused on open government work and community organizing around issues such as the First Amendment, the Open Meetings Act, and the Freedom of Information Act. The principles of fairness and equity have guided Sarah throughout her career.
Carrie Thomas, Program Coordinator
Carrie Thomas serves as the primary point of contact for visitors of the Office of the Ombudsperson. In addition to scheduling, she manages outreach and communications for the office. Carrie comes to Northwestern University with years of experience in higher education administration and marketing. She earned a bachelor’s degree in Political Science from DePaul University. Carrie is an active member of the International Ombuds Association (IOA) and has completed Mental Health First Aid, Mediation, and Bystander Intervention trainings.