2025 September Symposium

Advocating for Your Office and the Ombuds Role

About | Schedule


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Date and Time

  • 30 September: 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM ET

Registration Rates

Live Attendance and Access to Recordings

  • Members: $275 USD
  • Student & Retired Members: $150 USD
  • Non-Members: $475 USD

Recordings Only

  • Members: $175 USD
  • Non-Members: $375 USD

Schedule

Meet Our Presenters

 

Tuesday, 30 September Session
9:00 AM - 9:15 AM ET

Welcome

Jenn Mahony (Boston Children's Hospital) and Ellen Miller (IOA Executive Director)

 

9:15 AM - 10:00 AM ET

Coffee Keynote: ROI of Ombuds Programs - Examples from the Corporate Sector

Sana Manjeshwar (Chevron), Adam Learman Pfizer), Thomas Hamton (MARS), and Carolyn Esposito (AllianceBernstein)

10:15 AM - 11:00 AM ET

Developing Relationships and Allies

Donna Douglass Williams (Pinterest), Arllon Souza Viçoso (IBM), and Monique A. Bookstein (Prince William, VA County Schools)

11:00 AM - 11:45 AM ET

Navigating Relationships and Outreach in Light of the SOPs

Hector Escalante (University of California, Merced) and Mijanoux Beauchamp (Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre of Canada)

This session features the perspectives of two seasoned ombuds, before moving into small groups. The overarching goal is to help attendees feel more comfortable with the idea that relationship-building and outreach is not in conflict with the Standards of Practice—in fact, it’s often essential.

12:00 PM - 12:45 PM ET

Lunch Keynote: Why Is It So Hard to Advocate for Our Roles? Imposter Syndrome and Ombuds

Dr. Valerie Young (Co-Founder, Imposter Syndrome Institute)

We are pleased to present the co-founder of the Impostor Syndrome Institute, Dr. Valerie Young, widely recognized as the foremost expert on impostor syndrome to deliver this keynote.

12:45 PM - 1:15 PM ET

Social/Small Group Conversations

This session will allow time for self-reflection as we review questions provided by Keynote Valarie Young on Rethinking Impostor Syndrome.™

1:15 PM - 1:45 PM ET

Ready, Set, Go! Getting Your Advocacy Toolbox Set

Mark Patterson (Cal Poly Pomona) and Jen Scheider (University of South Florida)

2:00 PM - 2:45 PM ET

Keynote: General Counsel/Human Resources Roundtable

The General Counsel/HR Roundtable will be a highlight of the event—an opportunity for ombuds to hear directly from senior HR and legal leaders. The session will explore what’s top of mind for these leaders, the challenges they face, and how ombuds can be most effective in supporting their roles and the organization as a whole.

2:45 PM - 3:30 PM ET

Surviving Organizational Change

Nicholas Diehl (Inter-American Development Bank) and Melissa Broderick

3:45 PM - 4:45 PM ET

Using Data from the Practice Survey and Your Survey to Support Your Advocacy

Tim Hedeen, PhD (Kennesaw State University) and Mary Rowe (MIT)

Data collection and analysis are critical tools to help explain our impact and value and to help defend our offices. What should we focus on? And how could we use data to effectively describe our role? How could we use data to help advocate for our offices if we are under threat? How can storytelling and using data about our most significant cases help? There are no two better ombuds to deliver our closing plenary. Learn from their years of expertise using data to effectively advocate for ombuds offices.
4:45 PM - 5:00 PM ET

Closing

 

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Past September Symposiums: 

2024 IOA September Symposium: Organization as Visitor

2023 IOA September Symposium: Ombuds as Change Agents: Ombuds Intersections in the Modern World