July 16, 2025

USOA Posts Agenda for 2025 Conference in Colorado

The United States Ombudsman Association has released the agenda for its 44th annual conference on October 22-24, 2025. Set in Vail, Colorado, and open to Ombuds of all kinds, the in-person conference is appeal appealing when IOA's next conference will be virtual. The conference is preceded by two days of training sessions.

Here are highlights of the agenda:


Monday, October 20, 2025 

New Ombudsman Training (Day One) 

Leadership Excellence: Practical Tools for Leading with Confidence and Clarity (Full Day) 

Tuesday, October 21, 2025 

New Ombudsman Training (Day Two) 

Improving Measurement and Communicating the Value of Ombuds’ Work (Full Day) 

High-Performance Recruiting: Top Tips for Improving Your Hiring Outcomes (Half Day, Morning) 

Performance Management 101: Best Practices in a Changing Workforce (Half Day, Afternoon) 

Wednesday, October 22, 2025 

Conference Opening and Welcome 

Breakout Session One 
A) The Science of Change: Elevating Ombuds Work Through Trauma-Responsive Practice 
B) Generative AI and Plain Language 
C) Ombudsman strategies for effective collaboration and stakeholder accountability 
D) Lived Expertise in Action: Colorado's Foster Youth Bill of Rights

Plenary Session 1 
Open Café Style Discussions about Critical & Emerging Issues 

Lunch 

Breakout Session Two 
A) Charting a Course: Using Oversight and Change Management to Drive Systemic Change 
B) Narrative Writing for Ombuds: A workshop to help develop writing techniques that capture the urgency and impact of ombuds work. 
C) Youth Collective: How an Ombudsman Can Empower Youth 

USOA Chapter Meetings 
• Children and Families 
• Health and Wellness 
• Public Safety 
• Local Government 
• Federal Government 

Thursday, October 23, 2025 

Plenary Session 2
Mediation Tips: How to Maintain Neutrality, Awareness and Gathering Information for Success in Your Position 

Breakout Session Three 
A) From the Source’ Mouth: A discussion about how ombuds offices can better connect with media to highlight issues and drive systemic change
B) Verbal Aikido, Going from Conflict to Conversation (Sarah Ahmed Atif, Ombudsperson in the Office of the University Ombudsperson, George Mason University) 
C) Life in Limbo: an emotional, insightful role play on life in foster care

Lunch, USOA Annual Meeting, and 2026 Conference Announcement 

Breakout Session Four 
A) Panel Discussion: Engaging with Legislators, the Political Process and Driving Systemic Reform 
B) Addressing Criminalization of Mental Illness: Using an Interagency Strategy to Ascend Systemic Barriers 
D) In Their Own Words: Client-Directed Legal Representation for Youth in Foster Care 

Breakout Session Five 
A) Climbing Your Mountain: Navigating Challenging Logistics Across Ombuds Models 
B) Promoting and Protecting the Budget: How ombuds offices may utilize their successes – and failures – to build and expand a sustainable budget. 
C) Panel Discussion: Engaging with Children 

Friday, October 24, 2025 

Breakout Session Six 
A) Ombuds Investigations of Rights Violations in Juvenile Justice Facilities 
B) Better by (re)Design: The Website Redesign Process to Impact 
C) Transforming Juvenile Justice Systems 

Breakout Session Seven 
A) Influence Without Authority: Practical Strategies for Creating Change in Ombuds Work 
B) Legal Questions for the Ombudsman's Office 
C) How the Structure of Legal Representation for the Child Welfare Agency Impacts Due Process, Accountability, and Outcomes for Families and Children 

Breakout Session Eight 
A) Supporting an Office Through Uncertain Times 
B) How are Ombuds Programs Different from One Another? A comparison of the laws creating children and family ombuds programs 
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