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

  • Members: $275.00
  • Student & Retired Members: $150.00
  • Non-Members: $475.00

Schedule

Tuesday, 30 September Session
9:15 AM - 10:00 AM ET

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

10:15 AM - 11:00 AM ET

Developing Relationships and Allies

11:00 AM - 11:45 AM ET

Navigating Relationships and Outreach in Light of the SOPs

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

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
1:15 PM - 1:45 PM ET

Ready, Set, Go! Getting Your Advocacy Toolbox Set

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

3:45 PM - 4:45 PM ET

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

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.

 

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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