The Ombuds Blog: Call for Presenters: USOA 2026 Conference in Michigan

February 17, 2026

Call for Presenters: USOA 2026 Conference in Michigan

The United States Ombudsman Association is seeking plenary and breakout session speakers for its 45th annual conference. The event is set for September 2-4 at the Grand Traverse Resort & Spa in Acme, Michigan. Speakers should be interested in sharing their knowledge and experience relevant to the Public Service Ombudsman profession and USOA membership is not required.

Presentations that reach beyond technical issues to shared experiences, case studies, successes and failures and insights into professional and emerging issues are encourage. Proposals are due by April 10, 2026. Additional conference details will be posted here as soon as they are available. (USOA 2026 Conf RFP.)

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Organizational Ombuds

Organizational Ombuds serve as a confidential, independent, neutral and informal dispute resolution resource for a specific entity. They are accessible to a defined population and can advocate for fairness. These unique characteristics distinguish Organizational Ombuds from Classical Ombuds, mediators, arbitrators, and other alternative dispute resolution professionals. The term "Ombuds" is shorthand for "Ombudsman," "Ombudsperson" and "Ombuds Officer," which also are used widely.

Some other variants include:

Brazil -- Ouvidor

Croatia -- pravobranitelji

France -- médiateur/defénseur

Germany/Austria -- Ombudspersonen and Ombudsleute

Italy -- difensore

Netherlands -- ombudspersoon

Norway -- ombudet

Poland -- Rzecznik

Portugal -- provedor

Russia -- омбудсмен

Spain -- ombudsman organizacional

Sweden -- studentombud

Switzerland -- ombudsmann

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February 17, 2026

Call for Presenters: USOA 2026 Conference in Michigan

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