Caitlan Hendrickson
Caitlan Hendrickson serves as a dedicated conference ombuds for large, complex events, helping participants feel heard, respected, and supported throughout their conference experience.
About Caitlan
Caitlan Hendrickson, a Certified Organizational Ombuds Practitioner, serves as a dedicated conference ombuds for large, complex events, helping participants feel heard, respected, and supported throughout their conference experience.
She has been the Conference Ombuds for WEFTEC since 2023. She will return in 2026, providing a confidential, informal resource for attendees, volunteers, and staff navigating concerns ranging from interpersonal conflict to inclusion, conduct, and communication challenges.
Her presence offers both immediate support and a proactive partner to organizers seeking to create welcoming, psychologically safe spaces for all participants.
Approach
Caitlan brings nearly two decades of experience in Alternative Dispute Resolution and more than ten years directing ADR and ombuds programs in multicultural institutions.
Her approach blends restorative practices, trauma-informed care, and cross-cultural communication, enabling her to engage effectively with diverse communities and high-stakes environments.
She is exceptionally skilled at meeting people where they are, listening deeply, surfacing options, and helping individuals and systems move forward constructively.
Background
A Certified Organizational Ombuds Practitioner and member of the International Ombuds Association since 2011, Caitlan began her career as a mediator and restorative justice practitioner serving disadvantaged and marginalized communities.
She holds a Master of Education in Human Relations, a graduate certificate in Adult Learning and Training, and is completing a doctorate in leadership.
Fluent in Spanish, Caitlan provides services in both English and Spanish.
