2022 Session Block C

• Session C1
• Session C2
• Session C3
• Session C4
• Session C5

Academic Writing for the Ombuds

Summary: 

Many ombuds want to share their stories, as well as best practices, and research with the broader ombuds community. In this session, ombuds will learn the differences between academic writing and writing for other venues. They will also gain strategies for improving their writing and come to understand what the typical review and acceptance process looks like. Additionally, the purpose of the Journal for the IOA (JIOA), as well as the guidelines for writing for the JIOA, will be explored. It is designed to be a space where ombuds can learn to write for an academic journal, develop their writing skills, as well as explore opportunities for publication and involvement in the JIOA, as well as other venues. This workshop is designed so that ombuds are able to learn about and improve their writing practices. This will be a highly interactive session where participants will not only engage with one another during the session itself but hopefully throughout the entire conference.

1. Welcome & Introductions
2. An Introduction to Academic Writing
3. An Introduction to the JIOA
4. Writing Process Strategies
5. Understanding the Review Process
6. Editing Critical Conversations for Improvement
7. Resources
8. Questions

Objectives:

• Gain strategies for writing articles for publication
• Understand the typical review and acceptance process for academic journals

• Explore publication opportunities

Presented by:

Shannon Lynn Burton
University Ombudsperson, Michigan State University

Dr. Shannon Lynn Burton is the University Ombudsperson at Michigan State University, as well as Co-Ombuds for the American Educational Research Association (AERA) and an Adjunct Professor of Management at Aquinas College.  Her research centers on the organization, administration, and conflict management systems of higher education, as well as the history of higher education. She serves the broader ombuds community through the International Ombuds Association (IOA) as Chair for the Research and Assessment Committee and as Editor for the Journal of the International Ombuds Association (JIOA). Additionally, Shannon is an active member of the Michigan Caucus of Educational Ombuds, as well as the American Bar Association's (ABA) Ombuds Committee. She holds a Ph.D. in Higher, Adult, and Lifelong Education from Michigan State University. 

Trauma-Informed Ombudsing

Summary:

The last few years have challenged all of us to dig deep for resilience in the face of unfathomable changes required, personal and professional tolls experienced, and all with reduced access to social support networks to which we might otherwise turn for the nourishment of the soul. In addition, we also have a shared experience of trauma that crosses ethnic, gender identity, economic class, and almost every other social identifier we have. We share a collective trauma that it is important to both be aware of and to mindfully manage both for ourselves and the visitors we serve. Trauma-informed ombudsing challenges all of us to create a consistent and professional approach to self-care and to respond to our visitors in a personal, national and global context which is very different than the one in which we practiced only two years ago.

Objectives:

• Learn the basic tenets of trauma-informed practices
• Apply trauma-informed practices to their own self-care

• Incorporate trauma-informed practices into their professional skill sets as organizational ombuds

Presented by:

Laura Smythe
University Ombuds, University of Idaho

Laura C. Smythe is University Ombuds at the University of Idaho where she serves students, staff, faculty, administrators, and alum in an informal capacity to manage conflict and build mindful and ethical, and inclusive cultures. She also serves as Owner/Founder of Communication Connections, LLC and works in that role as an Organizational Culture Diagnostician building upon her years of experience as a mediator, attorney, ombuds, professor, coach, and trainer to consult with both for-profit and non-profit industries. She is a former Executive Director of a community mediation center and has mediated thousands of disputes over the last two decades. In her role with Communication Connections, LLC, Smythe works with states, businesses, and organizations of all sorts to assess their systems, diagnose their culture, coach their leaders, and mindfully work through a change plan to create a culture of transparent and responsible conflict management (including prevention of workplace bullying), ethical decision-making, ethical leadership and valuation of employees, clients/students/patients. She also works with organizations to mindfully and ethically contribute to the communities in which they operate. Smythe trains and consults nationally and is a member of the International Ombuds Association and of the American Bar Association: Dispute Resolution Section.

The Upstream Ombuds: Serving as a Conduit of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, & Belonging Feedback for Organizational Systemic Change

Summary: 

To lead in a conflict-rich, complex system like higher education institutions or most organizations are today, one must utilize a systems leadership approach. Understanding the synergy, or lack thereof, within the system is critical. Within the organization, the Ombud is tasked with articulating systemic concerns to the organization for resolution and they become a conduit through which important organizational information is transferred and metabolized (IOA, 2020). Specifically, the International Ombuds Association Modern Ombuds brochure articulates that “at a time of dynamic change, organizational ombuds help manage risk and assist people at all levels of an organization with navigating complex relationships, policies, and work environments - while working to promote civility, fairness, and justice for the communities they serve (2020). When we consider this role, it highlights a significant opportunity for Ombuds to be upstream catalysts of information and opens a door to utilize the unique power of the Ombuds role to communicate feedback through a diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging lens that fosters organizational systemic change. The presenter will utilize a mixture of lecture and discussion to share lived experiences as it pertains to building relationships between the Office of the Ombuds and organizational departments/leaders across the university campus focused on systemic leadership principles that center DEIB as a core lens of organizational systemic change. Effective practice sharing and discussion will be utilized to create a space in which attendees can begin to consider how they can apply the practices discussed within their own roles and organizations.

The presentation will be broken into the following sections:

1. Introduction of presenter and overview of the topic (5 minutes)
2. Overview of the presenters' organization, structure, and placement of the Ombuds in that context (5 minutes)
3. Overview of Relationship Building & Upstream Ombuds Concept (15 minutes)
1. Discuss practices for relationship building while still upholding IOA principles/practices. Discuss ways in which the Ombuds can engage in upstream communication. Small/Large Group Discussion Activity Space
4. Overview of Systems Leadership & the Ombuds Role in Upstream Feedback (15 minutes)
1. Discuss how Ombuds can serve as systems leaders within their organizations while still upholding IOA principles/practices. Discuss ways in which this overlaps with the concept of Upstream feedback of the ombuds role. Small/Large Group Discussion Activity Space
5. Overview of DEIB lens in Ombuds Upstream Communication (15 minutes)
1. Discuss ways in which Ombuds can infuse DEIB lens into their current Ombuds approaches while still upholding IOA principles/practices. Discuss how this is critical to generating constructive feedback for organizational systemic change. Small/Large Group Discussion Activity Space
6. Question & Answer Space (5 minutes)

Objectives:

• Participants will explore at least two ways in which they can work to build relationships with organizational leaders and/or visitors to maximize their ability to serve as Upstream Ombuds
• Participants will identify how they can utilize systems leadership as Ombuds, with an intentional focus on ways in which they can impact institutional change initiatives and/or planning implemented by their organization

• Participants will articulate ways in which they can infuse a DEIB lens into their current Ombuds approaches to maximize their ability to generate constructive feedback for organizational systemic change.

Presented by:

Julia Heck
University Ombuds, Eastern Michigan University

Julia holds a B.A. in Psychology & B.S. in Human Development and Family Studies from the University of Wisconsin-Stout, an M.A. in Educational Leadership - Higher Education & Student Affairs from Eastern Michigan University, and is currently pursuing her Ph.D. in Educational Leadership from Eastern Michigan University as well. Serving as an Ombuds within higher education, Julia views herself as a dedicated, strategic educator and servant leader working to bridge conflict resolution, individual well-being, and academic tools and approaches that foster positive learning environments, just educational policy and process, and productive interpersonal relationship building. With 10+ years in higher education, Julia's previous work includes a range of undergraduate, graduate, professional, and administrative experience working in university settings such as housing, student leadership, orientation, recognition and programming, and summer camps and conferences across large institutions, mid-sized institutions, and small institutions, both public and private. Her areas of experience and expertise include, but are not limited to conflict resolution, systemic redesign and improvement through organizational bridging, effective program evaluation and assessment, student retention and flourishing, and policy development and redesign through an educational justice lens.

Ombuds and the Power Structures of Civility: Where Do We Fit?

Summary: 

Ombuds have often referred to the promotion of civility as a cornerstone of their work. At the same time, calls for civility in other contexts have often been associated with attempts by those in power to maintain the status quo or quell dissent. This has led some to question the use of the term “civility” altogether.
The fact that calls for civility can be seen as a cudgel employed by those in power to exert control over dissent leaves ombuds in a difficult position and leads to many questions as to how we navigate this tightrope. Ombuds have always operated in a nebulous space in terms of organizational hierarchy, and it seems at least possible that references to “civility” on the part of the ombuds could be perceived negatively by some at their organization. This is especially true since “civility” itself is so much in the eye of the beholder.
This session will thus take a brief look at the origins of the term “civility” and how it has, according to some, shown itself to be problematic in recent years. In breakout rooms, participants will have the opportunity to think through their own ideas on the term and whether and how they think it beneficial to use it in their work as ombuds.

Objectives:

• Participants will better define what civility means to them
• Participants will understand the power structures often underlying calls for civility

• Participants will consider the ways in which Ombuds must carefully navigate questions raised by the idea of "civility"

Presented by:

Julia Farmer
Director of Ombuds Services, University of West Georgia

Julia Farmer is the Director of Ombuds Services at the University of West Georgia, where she serves all faculty, staff, and students. She has served in this role for three years and practices using the IOA Standards & Code of Ethics. She is also a registered neutral in the state of Georgia. Julia received her Master's in Conflict Management from Kennesaw State University in Georgia as well as a Ph.D. in Romance Languages and Literatures from the University of California, Berkeley, and a bachelor's in Spanish and Italian from Bryn Mawr College. Prior to becoming a full-time Ombuds, Julia was employed as a Professor of Spanish and had a research focus on early modern Spain and Italy. Her book, Imperial Tapestries: Narrative Form and the Question of Spanish Habsburg Power, 1530-1647, made use of theories of early modern court culture that have also come to influence her interest in the topic of today's presentation, the power structures of civility and how ombuds fit within those structures.

Creating Space for Belonging Dialogues: Facilitating “Conversations for Change” in Organizations

Summary: 

The tragic death of George Floyd in 2020 increased awareness around the world of issues related to race, racism, equity, diversity, and inclusion. Several organizations publicly acknowledged a lack of compelling progress on issues of diversity, inclusion, and belonging, while others committed significant resources to training, education, hiring, and the work of anti-racism.

This workshop will provide an overview of a facilitation framework, process, and strategy (ultimately entitled “Conversations for Change”) to create a meaningful space for staff to have their voices heard about their personal and professional experiences related to race, racism, bias, and privilege, and also to encourage brainstorming sessions designed to generate recommendations to share with senior leadership for specific actions on diversity, inclusion and equity initiatives. Session participants will also have the opportunity to engage in the modified version of reflective structured dialogue that was a part of the "Conversations for Change" process, as well as a modified brainstorming exercise. Session participants can also explore how this process might be adapted for their respective organizations to create safe, courageous spaces for dialogues on belonging.

Objectives:

• Have a greater understanding of ways to engage stakeholders in the organization to gather feedback on the creation of a meaningful, inclusive dialogue process that will be relevant for a diverse group of staff at both headquarters offices and across global regions
• Learn and understand how to use reflective questions and setting forth foundational values (rather than ground rules) as a way to encourage a space of reflection and sharing (as well as empathic, nonjudgmental listening) personal and professional experiences which can be deeply private and emotional
• Learn how to create categories as a way to structure brainstorming discussions and to help formulate and frame recommendations that staff believe should be shared with senior leadership as feedback and input on developing specific initiatives to further equity, inclusion, and belonging in the organization
• Collaborative discussion about how to engage with organizational leadership themes that emerge from staff dialogues, move forward recommendations, as well as help advise next steps to effectuate meaningful changes in the organization.

Presented by:

Donna Douglass Williams
Head of Ombuds, Pinterest

Donna Douglass Williams has over twenty years of experience as an attorney, mediator, facilitator, trainer, and organizational ombudsperson. Donna recently joined Pinterest as Head of Ombuds and is building a new Ombuds program for the visual discovery, social media sharing service based in San Francisco. Donna also serves as consultant training ombudsperson for the United Nations Funds and Programmes, responsible for training global staff in UNICEF, UNDP, UN Women, and UNFPA. Previously, Donna served as Ombudsperson at UConn Health, working with faculty, staff, graduate students, and residents. Donna served as the inaugural Ombudsperson for the Green Climate Fund (GCF) and is the former Director of the Ombuds Program at the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, where she led Ombuds services to M.D. Anderson's faculty, staff, and trainees. Donna previously held the position of Ombudsperson for the World Health Organization (WHO) in Geneva, Switzerland serving WHO and UNAIDS staff in global duty stations. Her professional experience includes work as a corporate attorney for Equifax, Ombudsperson at Georgia State University, and systemwide mediator and mediator coach with the Consortium on Negotiation and Conflict Resolution in the GSU College of Law. A Certified Organizational Ombudsman Practitioner (CO-OP®), Donna holds a bachelor's degree in Accounting from Purdue University, and a law degree from the University of California, at Davis King Hall School of Law.

Nozipho January-Bardill
Principal, Bardill, and Associates

Ambassador Nozipho January- Bardill is the Chairperson of the Council of the Nelson Mandela University and the United Nations (UN) Global Compact Local Network in South Africa (SA). At the start of 2021, she was appointed to the Board of Trustees of the UN Voluntary Fund for Technical Assistance and the Implementation of the Universal Periodic Report in the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights in Geneva. Between 2001 and 2007, Nozipho served as SA’s Ambassador to Switzerland, Lichtenstein, and the Holy See as well as Deputy Director General, responsible for Human Resources and the Foreign Service Institute in the South African Department of Foreign Affairs. In 2014 she was appointed as interim Chief of Staff and special advisor to UN Women HQ in New York. She also served as an expert member of the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of all forms of Racial Discrimination for a total of 12 years. Nozipho is the owner of Bardill & Associates, a consulting company that advises companies on diversity and inclusion with a focus on race and gender equality, sustainable and responsible business development, and government relations. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in English Language and Literature and a Certificate in Education from the University of Botswana, Lesotho and Swaziland in Lesotho; an MA degree in Applied Linguistics from Essex University in the UK, and a Diploma in Human Resources Management from Damelin College in South Africa.

L. Trey Wilson
Ombuds, BGB Studios

L. Trey Wilson is a facilitator, teaching artist, and writer/ actor/director. He facilitates issues of race, gender, culture, and sexuality for corporations and organizations in the legal, financial, medical, retail, theater, and tech fields as well as the top MBA programs in the U.S. His facilitation includes work with groups in Canada, Israel, and Australia. As a teaching artist, he has worked for the Manhattan Theater Club in New York and The Unusual Suspects in Los Angeles, where he worked with students and adults in high schools, literacy centers, and those incarcerated. He was also a teaching artist at Rikers Island in NY for several years, and his teaching credits include The BGB Studio and The Art OF Acting School, and a Master Class at UCLA for actors to work with a playwright to create work. Trey is presently an Ombuds for BGB Studios in Los Angeles, a leading acting training studio, and a casting office for television and film projects. Trey is the recipient of numerous awards including LA DRAMA CRITICS CIRCLE AWARD, NAACP AWARD, BACKSTAGE WEST GARLAND AWARD, LA WEEKLY AWARD, two GLADD AWARDS, and the OVATION AWARD for playwriting, the most prestigious award in Los Angeles theater. His plays have been nominated for 8 OVATION AWARDS, and he has been featured on ALL THINGS CONSIDERED (NPR). His short play, THREE PART DISHARMONY about African American men and the police, has been performed in New York, Los Angeles, and Chicago. Trey is a graduate of Boston University.

Jon L. Peacock
Title, Company

Bio Coming Soon