IOA 2026 Mentoring Café 

Thank you to those who signed up to be a mentor and a mentee!

The Mentoring Committee of the International Ombuds Association is hosting this year's Mentoring Café (One-Hour Mentoring Program). The 21st IOA Annual Conference will be held virtually on 13-15 April 2026.

The IOA Mentoring Café will be a virtual event to be held at a mutually agreeable time, either just before or just after the IOA Annual Conference. We matched mentees and mentors who applied and are attending the Annual Conference who felt they would benefit from mentorship regarding their ombuds career development. Early-career IOA members can serve as both mentees and mentors (to students and post-docs).

The Mentoring Café will connect trainees and early-career ombuds with established IOA members for advice on career and professional development within the ombuds field. Paired mentees and mentors will arrange a one-hour meeting at their convenience, either just before or just after the IOA Annual Conference. Topics for discussion may include career pathways, cases, IOA involvement, and more. This program aims to foster networking and potentially long-term collegial relationships.

The applications for both mentees and mentors are now closed. 

If you have questions specific to the Mentoring Café (One Hour Mentoring Program), please reach out to Scott B. Cantor, [email protected]; Jen Amano, [email protected]; or Kristine Paranica, [email protected].  We look forward to seeing you online in April!