Ramapo College of New Jersey Ombudsman John Woods Jr. was appointed by President Joe Biden to the International Centre for the Settlement of Investment Disputes Panel of Arbitrators and Conciliators. Woods will serve a six-year term through 2030 on the panel.
The ICSID is the premier global institution specializing in resolving disputes between investors and states through international arbitration.
“I am humbled that I was selected by President Biden to serve in this capacity,” Woods said. “From the quest to sustain industrial peace to formulating equitable solutions in addressing international investment disputes, the world is increasingly leaning in and leveraging Alternative Dispute Resolution to resolve both domestic and cross-border conflict. I am excited to serve and contribute to advancing this effort.”
In his capacity as Ramapo College ombudsman, Woods serves as a confidential resource to assist in resolving disputes such as interpersonal and workplace conflict through ADR processes such as mediation. He identifies systemic organizational issues and trends as well as provides recommendations that contribute to organizational development and training to address such issues, which positions him well for the work he will perform on the ICSID panel.
“Conflict is inevitable. Therefore, forward-looking and successful organizations, industries, as well as countries, develop systems to adequately process conflict,” he said.
With his appointment to the World Bank-ICSID panel, Woods also will apply ADR processes to assist in resolving international investment disputes.
Woods is also the founder of the Garvey-Nkrumah Development Incubator, for which he was awarded the Fulbright Scholars award in 2024. The GNDI is a training, capacity building and technical assistance program designed to train students and future leaders from Historically Black Colleges and Universities, as well as African and Caribbean institutions.
