International Ombuds Association
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SOLD OUT | Virtual Foundations Course | February 2021
Monday, February 01, 2021 8:00 AM PDT to Friday, February 05, 2021
Category: Foundations Courses

Virtual Foundations of Organizational Ombudsman Practice Course

5-Day Course

The course will run from 8:00 AM – 12:30 PM Pacific Time each day of the course. What time is that for me?

Please ensure that you are available to attend all sessions prior to registering for this course. Sessions are highly interactive and not recorded or able to be made up. Times are subject to change based on facilitator availability and participants will be notified well in advance if there are any changes.

Registration & Fees | Course Description | Faculty


Registration

Registration Rates:

  • Members: $1,695
  • Non Members: $1,995

This course is sold out.

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Course Description 

“Foundations of Organizational Ombudsman Practice” is offered multiple times each year in various locations, and now, online! The course covers the fundamentals of the organizational ombuds role based on the principles of confidentiality, impartiality, independence, and informality. Learn how to work with visitors to an office as well as how to act as a change agent within your organization. Practice key ombuds skills of listening, asking questions, clarifying, generating options, and moving to actions throughout the ombuds process. In addition, an experienced and highly committed faculty of ombuds will share best practices around setting up an office and evaluating and communicating the effectiveness of the office.

Learn more about the Foundations course.

Who should attend:

The course is designed for recently appointed ombuds. Its objectives are to help new practitioners: 

  • Recognize the dimensions and parameters of the organizational ombuds role
  • Reflect on their own personal relationship to the role
  • Develop basic skills to perform the role effectively
  • Learn best practices
  • Identify resources to learn more
  • Build a community of practice


It is also beneficial for anyone desiring to enter the profession or establish an ombuds function in industry, government, education, and public or private social services agencies. This course applies to ombuds programs in organizational settings. It does not address some features unique to other models of ombuds practice, such as classical, advocate, or legislative.

Course Limit

24 participants

Prerequisites

None

Professional Development Hours (PDH)

This course has been approved for 15 Professional Development Hours towards the Candidate for CO-OP® and CO-OP® credentials.

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Faculty

Angela DashAngela Dash
Founder and President, The Pace Institute, LLC

In 2014, Angela chartered the Office of the Ombuds at Northeast Ohio Medical University, where she continues to serve students, faculty and staff as a contract organizational ombudsperson through her private practice. Additionally, she serves as an on-call Alternative Dispute Resolution Advisor for the U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and supports the capacity building of FEMA’s disaster-field workforce through the provision of workplace conflict management services. Prior to entering the field of ombuds work, Angela served as a court management professional in the state of Georgia, including as the Director of the Office of Alternative Dispute Resolution for the Atlanta Judicial Circuit. She has been a registered mediator in the state of Georgia since 2002.

Angela is also a professional certified coach through the International Coach Federation and an adjunct faculty of Coaching Engagements at New York University’s School of Professional Studies. She has managed successful coaching engagements with individual contributors and leaders from diverse geographical locations and industries and integrates coaching in her ombuds practice – supporting visitors in developing the clarity, competence, and confidence to work through tough situations.

A lifelong learner, Angela has a Ph.D. in Conflict Analysis and Resolution from Nova Southeastern University, a Graduate Certificate in Executive and Professional Coaching from the University of Texas at Dallas, an MPA in Public Personnel/HR Management from Troy State University, and a Bachelor of Arts from Spelman College.

Donna LoudenDonna Louden

Donna Louden is the ombuds for the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) and has been an organizational ombudsman since 2000. Prior to NREL, Donna was the associate director of the Ombuds Office at the University of Colorado, Boulder and also served as an ombuds at the University of California at Irvine. Donna is a member of IOA’s Professional Development Committee and one of the coordinators for the Foundations of Organizational Ombudsman Practice course. An accomplished trainer, Donna has offered workshops in the areas of advanced skills for ombudsmen, cross-cultural conflict management, and public dialogue. She has extensive experience in conflict management, coaching, and cross-cultural conflict. Additionally, she has instructed numerous students, visiting faculty, and business executives in cross-cultural awareness/competence prior to living or conducting business abroad. Donna holds a BA from Loyola Marymount University and an MA from California State University, Fullerton.​

Thomas ZgamboThomas Zgambo
Ombudsman, International Monetary Fund

Thomas joined the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in January 2017 after ten years as an Ombudsman at the World Bank. He spent six years as the Corporate Ombudsman at Coca-Cola Enterprises.  Before joining Coca-Cola Enterprises, Thomas spent three years as an Ombudsman and Training Specialist at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology where he was also a Senior Lecturer at the MIT Sloan School of Management, teaching Negotiation and Conflict Management.  Prior to MIT Thomas was an Ombudsman at Polaroid Corporation. Thomas Zgambo is a past President of The Ombudsman Association, now the International Ombudsman Association.

Thomas served as a mediator at the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination (MCAD), and has mediated Disability, public accommodation, sexual harassment, and racial discrimination cases. He also served as a member of the Human Rights Commission for the City of New Bedford, Massachusetts, USA and a member of the Governor’s Advisory Council on African-American Affairs for the State of Massachusetts, USA.

Thomas has a Ph.D. in Analytical Chemistry and Materials Science from the University of North Texas and an MBA in Management of Technology from Worcester Polytechnic Institute.

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 Questions?

Contact the IOA office at [email protected].