A successful conference should be a safe, welcoming, and inclusive experience for all attendees. But what happens when an attendee needs to raise a concern? Even properly trained staff cannot provide impartial, independent, and confidential services to process complaints and concerns. To ensure attendees are supported at your next conference, consider the benefits of a conference ombuds. MWI’s conference ombuds team members will provide informal, independent, impartial, and confidential support to your attendees and address concerns before they escalate.
MORE INFOA conference ombuds provide services before, during, and after a conference. Before the conference, the ombuds works directly with your association to create an Ombuds Charter, defining the scope of the service, and collaborates with you to develop a marketing plan that informs attendees and members about the benefits and role of the ombuds. During the conference, ombuds will be available to speak with attendees and provide a safe place to address any concerns. After the conference, the ombuds will be available to complete discussions with anyone who may have raised an issue during the conference and to address issues raised after the conference.
Specifically, ombuds provide conference attendees, staff, members, exhibitors, leadership, and sponsors with a confidential resource and safe place to:
For more information, contact MWI’s Director of Ombuds, Josh Hoch, at jhoch@mwi.org or 617-895-4028, or schedule a time to speak with Josh.
Conference Ombuds
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Jai Calloway is a trusted conference ombuds and organizational ombudsperson known for creating safe, confidential, and inclusive spaces where attendees, volunteers, and leaders can surface concerns, navigate conflict, and fully engage in their event experience. She currently serves as Conference Ombuds for Colorado Parks and Wildlife (since 2022) and the Society for Research and Development (since 2025), and will return as Ombuds for their 2027 Biennial Meeting. In these roles, Jai partners with conference organizers to proactively support respectful conduct, address concerns in real time, and strengthen trust, belonging, and psychological safety across large, diverse gatherings.
With more than a decade of experience in conflict resolution and inclusion work, Jai brings a practical, people-centered approach grounded in impartiality, informality, and systems awareness. She previously served as an Organizational Ombuds for the Cambridge Innovation Center and as a Corporate Ombuds for Halliburton Oil Services.
Jai is an alumna of the Pepperdine Caruso School of Law’s Straus Institute for Dispute Resolution. She has held national leadership roles, including Vice-Chair of the American Bar Association Dispute Resolution Section and Chair of the International Ombuds Association’s Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB) Task Force. She also consults in organizational development, specializing in conflict resolution, engagement, and inclusive practices.
Ombuds & Director
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Josh Hoch is an experienced ombuds, mediator, and instructor with MWI since 2001. He is the Director of Ombuds & Mediation Services, overseeing MWI’s Organizational Ombuds Panel and Conference Ombuds Services. Josh is an ombuds for DAVIS Construction and partners with organizations to design and deliver conference ombuds services, ensuring participants have an impartial, accessible resource during conferences, meetings, trade shows, and events.
Contact Josh to learn more about MWI’s Conference Ombuds services. He can be reached at 617-895-4028, jhoch@mwi.org, or by scheduling a remote meeting.
Ombuds and Conference Ombuds
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Nnena Odim is an ombuds, mediator, attorney, trainer, and consultant with over 25 years of experience. She serves as a conference ombuds for clients, including the American Economic Association (AEA), American Planning Association (APA), and the Coastal and Estuarine Research Federation (CERF). She also serves as an ombuds for DAVIS Construction, the American Economic Association, and Emerson College. Nnena’s role as an ombuds and conference ombuds highlights her expertise in conflict resolution, providing support, and fostering healthy environments for professionals during large-scale events.
Her extensive mediation experience since 1997 spans a variety of disputes, including employment, housing, business, and family/domestic relations matters. Nnena has designed and led conflict management trainings for organizations like the Boston Public Schools, Coca-Cola, and Netflix. She has been trained by the International Ombuds Association and has served as an ombuds for companies including CVS Health and John Moriarty and Associates.
Nnena recently retired from Harvard Law School, where she served as the Director and Senior Clinical Instructor of the Family/Domestic Violence Law Clinic. Nnena remains an active attorney and is committed to training future legal professionals. She has also collaborated with the Harvard Mediation Program and the Harvard Program on Negotiation, providing trainings and supervision to students.
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Conference Ombuds
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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.
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.
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, she provides services in both English and Spanish.
What is a Conference Ombuds and Why You Need One at Your Next Event
Creating Inclusive and Welcoming Conference Environments with a Conference Ombuds
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