Here's a summary of the agenda:
Pre-Conference
Agenda
October
17-18
New Ombudsman Training
This popular two-day workshop is designed for individuals who
are relatively new to the role of government ombudsman. Faculty includes
general jurisdiction/legislative ombudsmen and executive branch/agency-specific
ombudsmen with more than 50 years of collective experience in their respective
offices. Participants will learn about the origin, characteristics and
standards of an ombudsman office. Instructors will discuss basic intake,
interviewing and investigation techniques, reports and will present a case
study to enable participants to apply knowledge to practice. The workshop will
examine the role of the ombudsman in promoting an ethical climate in our organizations
as well as review ethical challenges an ombudsman may face. Participants will
also have the opportunity to discuss best practices, time saving tips and tools
of the trade with a group of experienced, seasoned ombudsmen.
Instructors: Kristie Hirschman – Senior Assistant, Iowa
Office of Ombudsman; Linda Lord-Jenkins – Ombudsman, State of Alaska; Robin K.
Matsunaga – Ombudsman, State of Hawaii; Gerald R. Papica – Ombudsman Program
Director, TN Commission on Children and Youth
October
17 or 18
One-Day Workshop (offered
twice and attendance capped at 40 each day): “Dealing with Unreasonable
Complainant Conduct”
Unreasonable complainant conduct (UCC) can take up an
inordinate amount of an agency’s time and resources. Participants will learn the
strategies developed as part of a joint project by the nine Australian
Parliamentary Ombudsman offices to deal with UCC. This popular and
world-renowned one-day workshop will provide participants with specific
strategies and skills to effectively and confidently deal with UCC. It is
designed for staff who come into contact with, or respond to, complainants or
customers who display unreasonable conduct, as well as supervisors and senior management
responsible for setting complaint handling policy. The workshop will also
examine participant examples of unreasonable complainant conduct.
Participants will learn: Strategies for managing UCC; Key
messages for complainants/clients/staff; Ways to support staff in implementing
UCC strategies; and Staff health and safety considerations.
Instructor: Donald Sword – Educator and Advocate, New South
Wales, Australia
Conference
Agenda
October
18
Opening Reception
October
19
Conference Opening and
Welcome Remarks
Plenary Session
“Equity and the
Ombudsman : Ensuring Fairness for All Communities”
What is equity? Why does it matter? How does this affect the
work of the ombudsman? And most importantly, how can ombudsmen be an effective
resource to the communities that need them most? This session will answer these
questions and provide practical hints and tips that attendees can incorporate
into their daily work."
Presenters: Judi Martin – District Ombudsman, Portland
Public Schools, Oregon; Jonathan T. Stier – Senior Deputy Ombudsman, King
County Ombudsman's Office, Washington;
Concurrent Sessions
“From Many Cases, One Report: Annual Reporting Designed for
Impact”
An annual report is your opportunity to showcase your
office. It familiarizes readers with your authority, your successes, and your
data. An annual report also confirms your office’s value. In this session, two
ombudsmen will discuss their annual reports, including elements and production,
style choices, budget, report release strategies and impacts. Bring copies of
your office’s annual reports along to share!
Presenters: Kristie Hirschman – Senior Assistant, Iowa
Office of Ombudsman; Ruth Miles – Small Business Advocate, Oregon Secretary of
State
“Making Federal Fair”
The federal government has established important tools for
the public in achieving regulatory fairness. The SBA’s (Small Business
Administration) office of the National Ombudsman is one such office that works
with small businesses and across agency lines. Learn how they creatively juggle
an enormous caseload, focus on agency relationships, and work to make the
application of federal regulations fair.
Presenters: Earl Gay – National Ombudsman and Assistant
Administrator for Regulatory Enforcement Fairness, U.S. Small Business
Administration; Yolanda Swift – Deputy National Ombudsman for Regulatory
Fairness Programs, U.S. Small Business Administration
Concurrent Sessions
“Where Are They Now? Reaching Audiences in the Digital Age”
Are your office’s communications effective in today’s
digital age? This presentation session will discuss the communications
challenges facing government organizations in light of rapidly changing technology.
Our presenter will discuss the various social and digital platforms the GAO has
adopted in order to ensure its information is seen in an information age.
Presenter: Chuck Young – Managing Director, Public Affairs,
U.S. Government Accountability Office
“The American Bar Association Dispute Resolution Section
Ombuds Committee: Who We are and How Can We Help”
This session will share the mission, goals, and activities
of the ABA’s Dispute Resolution Ombuds Committee. Attendees and the panel will
then engage in conversation on how the Committee can be of assistance to the
ombudsman profession.
Panelists: Charles L. Howard – Shipman, & Goodwin LLP,
Chair of the Ombudsman Committee; Wendy E. Kamenshine – Ombudsman, Consumer
Finance Protection Bureau; Jonathan T. Stier – Senior Deputy Ombudsman, King
County Ombudsman’s Office, Washington
Lunch and Keynote Speech
Speaker: John
Barkat – Assistant Secretary-General, United Nations Ombudsman and Head of
Ombudsman and Mediation Services
Concurrent Sessions
“The Child's Perspective”
Do you treat a complaint filed with your office differently
if a child is impacted either directly or peripherally? Should you? Do you
consider what is in the best interest of the child when reviewing a complaint?
Do you know what the child’s rights are? This speaker will discuss a broad
array of complaint examples provided by ombudsman’s offices with varying
jurisdiction that impact children. The list includes visitation with
incarcerated parents, special education and bullying in the school system,
relative placement when a child is removed from the home, and law enforcement response
involving children.
Presenter: Rob Geen – Director of Policy Reform and
Advocacy, The Annie E. Casey Foundation;
“The Coalition of Federal Ombudsman presents: The
Externally-Facing Federal Ombudsman”
The Chair of the Coalition of Federal Ombudsman will
moderate a panel discussion exploring the unique structure and practices of a
number of externally-facing federal ombuds. Come hear how these ombuds
professionals improve the quality of federal processes and deal with the
different challenges raised by serving the federal government’s stakeholders –
in other words, all of us!
Moderator: Scott Deyo – Chair, Coalition of Federal
Ombudsman; Panelists: Joanne Dea – Ombudsperson, US Department of Agriculture; Paul
Sotoudeh – Associate Ombudsman, Consumer Financial Protection Bureau; Ombudsman’s
Office; Ella Yeargin – Ombudsman, Center for Tobacco Products, Food & Drug
Administration
USOA Chapters Meeting
USOA members have different areas of authority, interest and
expertise in their jobs. For this reason, a number of specialized chapters are
organized within USOA to share experiences, resources, accomplishments and to
problem-solve. This time also allows chapter members to develop a plan of
action for the upcoming year. You do not have to be a chapter member to attend
any of these meetings.
● Children and Families ● Federal Government ● Corrections ●
Healthcare ● Education ● Municipal Government
International Ombudsman
Institute Meeting
October
20
Concurrent Sessions
“The Fairness Lens”
What is fairness? As practitioners dealing with disputes,
how do we look at fairness? How sharp is your fairness lens? This interactive
session, using case studies, will explain the Fairness Triangle: procedural,
equitable and substantive.
Presenter: Fiona Crean – Ombudsman, Hydro One, Ontario,
Canada
“A Workshop on Ombuds Writing: Using A Framework to Be Clear,
Concise and Effective”
In this session, participants will learn a standard writing
framework used in the legal profession. The presenter will review how this
framework is applicable to all types of ombuds writing, including emails,
systemic analyses, and annual reports. In addition, she will discuss how this
framework assists the reader in understanding how the ombuds assisted on the
issue and how it assists the ombuds (the writer) in logically presenting the
discussion. After learning the framework, participants will have an opportunity
to do some writing to try out this framework in the ombuds context.
Presenter: Wendy E. Kamenshine – Ombudsman, Consumer
Financial Protection Bureau
Concurrent Sessions
“The Role of the Ombudsperson is More Than a Service”
This workshop provides an informed perspective and examines
the impact of your role as an ombudsperson. By the end of this session we will
have: Increased your understanding of the ombudsperson role; Explored the
impact of empathy when responding to complaints while providing a fair and
impartial process; Discussed effective strategies to deescalate issues and
disputes; Explored outreach as an importance strategy; Networked with other
ombudspersons to develop future partnerships and support.
Presenter: Ronald McGlone, McGlone Mediation Services, LLC
Lunch and USOA Annual Meeting
Plenary Session
“Detecting Deception in Telephone Interviews”
Detecting deception on the telephone is difficult, but not
impossible. This presentation provides effective techniques to detect deception
on the telephone. Additionally, several techniques to test for deception will
be provided. These techniques can be used without the person you are talking to
becoming aware that you are testing their veracity.
Presenter: Jack Schafer – Assistant Professor, Western
Illinois University
Thursday Night Banquet
October
21
Plenary Session
“Emotional Intelligence: You
Can’t Ombuds Without It”
Ombuds work with individuals and scenarios that are often
intensely influenced by emotions. Research indicates that Emotional
Intelligence (EI) is a core competency skill necessary for all ombuds, as they
are regularly called upon to assist individuals in decoding emotional responses
as the first step toward clarity and conflict resolution. This session is
designed to help ombuds insert a practical definition of EI into their daily
work and apply the body of knowledge related to EI to better equip their
practice. The history behind this rapidly growing science and how EI
fundamentals and ombuds competencies are intricately interwoven will be
explored at length.
Key Learning Objectives: Provide a workable definition,
history and scientific basis for emotional intelligence as it relates to the
practice of organizational ombudsman; Assist participants in recognizing and
understanding the knowledge domains of emotional intelligence and their impact
on ombudsmanship; Provide useful EI resource material to equip ombuds in
creating an effective office.
Presenter: Susan Casino – Ombudsman, Mediator, Conflict
Resolution Expert
Conference Closing
Registration for the conference is now open. (USOA Conf Info.)
Related posts: Follow the USOA 2010 Conference on Twitter; USOA Will Meet in Ohio for 31st Annual Conference; USOA to Elect New Board in March; United States Ombudsman Association Opens Registration for 32nd Annual Conference; USOA Announces 2012 Conference Details; USOA Posts Agenda for 2013 Annual Conference; USOA 2015 Conference Agenda Set for Arizona; USOA Seeks Proposals for 2016 Conference.
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