Registration Open

Foundations Course (pre-registration is required)

Registration Open

 Foundations Course (pre-registration is required)

Registration Open

Foundations Course (pre-registration is required)

5:00 PM – 10:00 PM

Ombuds Lounge Open

Early Morning Activities

Run | Meet in Ombuds Lounge

Pilates | Soprano

Choir Practice | Concerto A

Research Cafe Coffee and Snacks | Overture Foyer I

Please join members of the Research and Assessment Committee for IOA’s second Research Café! A research café brings the ombuds community together to create space to exchange research ideas, get peer feedback for an idea that they may have, and build potential research collaborations in a friendly and low-stake setting.  Not only does this allow ombuds to connect with others interested in research, but also allows them to share their research journey – whether they have done research before or are just beginning.

Opening Keynote: Adar Cohen | Symphony 1-3

Break | Overture Foyer I

CS 1A: Lions, Tigers and Bears, Oh My! Addressing External and Internal Policy Changes that Impact Ombuds Offices

Ellen M Miller, Sarah Klaper, and Jessica Kutcha-Miller

CS 1B: Ombudsing While Trans: Leveraging Queer Theory in Conflict Resolution Practice

Finn Schneider and Markku Makinen

CS 1C: Organizational Ombuds: Deliver on Your Promise of Confidentiality 

Megan Willoughby and Bruce MacAllister

CS 1D: Why Good Charters are Important for Ombuds and their Organizations and How to Respond and Address Challenges to Adopting a Good Charter 

Chuck Doran, Chuck Howard, and Allison Monyei Whaley

CS 1E: Effective Coaching in Ombuds Practice: The EASE Model

Brent Epperson and Laura Armstrong

CS 2A: Demystifying and Destigmatizing the Reality of Ombuds Litigation Involvement: Insights and Learnings for When It Happens to You

 Sean Banks

CS 2B: Practical Skill-Building for Ombuds Practice: Issue Identification

 Linda Brothers

CS 2C: Unraveling Stories: An Examination for the Narrative Curious Practitioner 

Nicholas Theotocatos

CS 2D: A Winning Combination: A Reciprocal Relationship with Student Interns/Workers in Ombuds Practice

Donna Buehler, Jivanto Van Hemert and Lana Smith-Hale

 CS 2E: Compelling Insights and Important Implications from IOA Surveys of Practice and Compensation

Jennifer Schneider, Mary Rowe, Timothy Hedeen, and Hector Escalante

Break | Overture Foyer I

Mary Rowe Keynote | Symphony 1-3

The Mary Rowe Honorary Keynote Address critiques an area in the ombuds profession that warrants discussion, debate, and exploration. This keynote embodies the spirit of the significant contributions that Mary Rowe graciously and selflessly provided the organizational ombuds profession and associations throughout her career.

Break 

Afternoon Mini Sessions | Symphony 1-3

Mini sessions will each last 15 minutes with a 5-minute break between the start of each session. Participants will have the chance to join three sessions during this time.

Updates from IOA's Artificial Intelligence (AI) Working Group: A Discussion of How AI is Affecting Our Practices and Field, Including Possible Uses, Benefits, Concerns, and Resources

Julie Muroff, Steen Erik Larsen, A.P., and Lisa M. PytlikZillig, PhD

Passive-Aggressiveness: How to Help Visitors Navigate this Dysfunctional Conflict Management Style

Laura Umphrey

A Pound of Prevention: Unlocking an Underused Ombuds Competence

James Claxton

Fostering Organizational Connections Through the 4 P's

Julia Farmer

The Light-Hearted Ombuds for the Heavy-Hearted Organization

Dr. Clare Elan Fowler

Ombudsing from Afar: Serving Effectively as a Multi-Site Ombuds

Catherine Briley

Establishing an Office: 4 Marketing Techniques on Little to No Budget

Michelle Kibby

Behind the Scenes of Year One: Honest Reflections for Emerging Ombuds

Bridgette Taylor

Common Reading

Please join members of the Journal of the International Ombuds Association (JIOA) to discuss one of the recently published articles.  This is an opportunity to connect with colleagues about the knowledge base for the field, debate ideas and ask questions about writing for the JIOA. There will also be summaries & copies of the article available at the conference for those who would like to participate in the conversation but did not get the opportunity to read ahead of time.

Dine-Arounds | Offsite

Join a group of 4-6 people and discuss a particular topic of interest together. The group will depart from the Ombuds Lounge at 6:00 PM unless otherwise noted. All participants are responsible for their dining expenses.

Registration Desk Hours 

Early Morning Activities

6:00 AM | Run | Meet in Ombuds Lounge

6:30 AM | Pilates | Soprano

6:30 AM | Choir Practice | Concerto A

Keynote | Symphony 1-3

Break | Overture Foyer I

Concurrent Session Block 3 

CS 3A: Cultural Humility: A Lifelong Journey 

Nadia Ferrara

 CS 3B: Beyond Words: Gestures as Tools for Communication and Belonging

 Ashley Meyer

CS 3C: Navigating the Landscape of Ombuds: Embedded vs. External Ombuds Services - Theory, Practice, and Real-World Challenges

Shannon Lynn Burton and Kira Nurieli

CS 3D: From Conflict to Clarity: Ombuds ROI in Times of Change

Sana Manjeshwar, Sue Diviney, Carolyn Esposito, and Dana Hafeed

CS 3E: Empathy at the Core: Advancing User-Centric Innovation in Ombuds Services

Alexandre Saint-Jean, Evariste Salndjouk

Break | Overture Foyer I

Concurrent Session Block 4 

CS 4A: Clarifying Session Focus: Enhancing Visitor Autonomy Before Exploring Solutions 

Angela Dash

CS 4B: Restoring, Transforming, and Healing - High Emotions, Trauma, and Mindfulness in Ombuds/ADR Practice 

Henry Yampolsky

CS 4C: Strange Bedfellows and Powerful Partners: The Ombuds, The Compliance Officer, Value, and Risk

Jennifer Mahony and Timothy Hogan

CS 4D: Integrating Ignatian Pedagogy, Empathy, Multipartiality, and Restorative Justice in Ombuds Work

Roy J. J. Pereira and Emelyn Peeana

CS 4E: Research Update (RNA) 

Lunch Buffet | Overture Foyer I

Break

Concurrent Session Block 5 

CS 5A: Lobbying for Ombuds: European Insights for Global Action

Wiktoria Maslowska, Alexandre Bloxs

CS 5B: The RESOLVE Framework: An Effective Approach to Conflict Management

Diane Holland

CS 5C: Navigating Mental Health Challenges During Workplace Mediations

Mushegh Manukyan

CS 5D: Talkin' 'Bout My Generation: Managing Multi-Generational Workspaces

Israela Adah Brill-Cass and Don Greenstein

CS 5E: Harnessing AI for Impactful Data Management and Presentation

Teresa Ralicki

Break | Overture Foyer I

Ombuds Stories | Symphony 1-3

Break | Overture Foyer I

Affinity Meetings

Academic Sector Meeting 

US Government/Federal Sector Meeting 

BON

Canadian Federal Public Service

Corporate Sector Meeting

K-12 Sector Meeting 

Mentoring Event: What Would You Do? Ethical Dilemmas for New Ombuds    | Symphony 4

This is a session for any practicing ombuds with less than two years of experience. Experienced ombuds will work with small groups and discuss a variety of realistic scenarios for the new ombuds to practice according to the IOA standards. This is an interactive session where all new ombuds get to participate and engage with each other and explore best practices.

Experience on Display

Late Night with IOA: 20th Anniversary Party | Sound Garden

9:00 AM – 2:30 PM 

8:00 AM – 9:00 AM 

Early Morning Activities 

Run | Meet in Ombuds Lounge

Choir Practice | Concerto A

9:45 AM – 10:45 AM 

Practice Edge/Undebate | Symphony 1-3

The Practice Edge/Undebate is the next generation of the Howard Gadlin Undebate that began in 2016. The intent of this plenary remains the same: To raise for discussion critical questions related to the practice of organizational ombuds. This session continues Howard’s encouragement to "push the envelope” in a way that challenges us to openly discuss difficult practice issues in a critically supportive manner.

The debate is a time to rethink the settled foundations of ombuds practice so that we can better understand our commitment to those foundations or begin the process of re-examining them?

10:45 AM – 12:15 PM 

Brunch and Ombsemble Performance | Symphony 1-3

12:15 PM – 12:45 PM

CO-OP Panel Session | Symphony 1-3

12:45 PM – 1:00 PM 

Break | Overture Foyer I

1:00 PM – 2:00 PM 

Concurrent Session Block 6 

CS 6A: Enhancing Accountability in the Ombuds Field: Best Practices and Strategies 

Diana Trillos

CS 6B: Culture Clash: Understanding and Resolving Conflict in International Teams 

Dona Yarbrough

CS 6C: We're Human Too: How to Tackle Conflict Among Ombuds 

Ernestine A.W. Duncan and Tessa Byer

CS 6D: Playing Well with Others: Improvisation Activities to Help Ombuds Meet the Moment

Adam Barak Kleinberger

2:00 PM – 2:10 PM

Break 

2:10 PM – 3:00 PM

Case Scenarios by Experience Level | Concerto A-D

3:00 PM - 3:30 PM 

Traveling Snacks | Overture Foyer I