Date

Topics

11/10/10

To be announced.

8/11/10

To be announced.

5/12/10

To be announced.

2/10/10

11/18/09

Note location change from the original announcement. This meeting will be at the Price Daniel Sr. Building (Texas Court of Appeals) which is located at 209 West 14th Street, at the southwest corner of Lavaca and 14th Street. See the agenda for directions (click here).

·       “Bridging the Cultural Divide”, Jeremy Solomons, Diversity Consultant - Mr. Solomons will explore, in more depth than usual, the many aspects of culture (race, gender, age, class, education, etc.) that divide our society. He will then discuss new tools to help build bridges with other people using "cinema culture" to open dialogue on key points.

·       “Who We Are”, Ralph Williams, Lower Colorado River Authority.

·       Governance of the Ombuds of Texas: Installation of Volunteer Officers, Sean Banks Ombudsman for Shell Oil Company

·       Updates
      - Agenda Recommendations for February Meeting, Volunteers for Who We

              Are and  Professional Development Segments

           - USOA Update by Beverly Reeves
      - Other Announcements

(Click here for the detailed agenda.)

This meeting was originally scheduled for 11/11/09 but as this was Veteran’s Day the meeting was rescheduled..

8/12/09

Please note this meeting will be at the same location as the last meeting, LCRA Redbud Center. See the agenda for directions.

·       Compliance Issues: How an Ombuds Can Help the Organization Surface Issues.   Dan Sullenbarger, Ethics and Compliance Officer for Marathon Oil. 

·      "Who We Are".  Evelyn Baker, Employee Relations Coordinator, Texas Commission on Environmental Quality.

·      Governance of the Ombuds of Texas:  Presentation of Options and Voting. Belinda Newman, University Ombudsman, University of North Texas and Sean Banks, Ombudsman for Shell Oil Company

·       Updates
      - OOT sponsorship of USOA 2011 Annual Conference - Beverly Reeves
      - Agenda Recommendations for November Meeting
      - Final Announcements

(Click here for detailed agenda.)

5/13/09

Please note this meeting will be at a different location, LCRA Redbud Center. See the agenda for directions.

·       "Conversation Cafe" a presentation by Mary Thompson of Corder & Thompson Associates wherein Mary will share a dialogue process that encourages understanding of each other's interests. After a practice session, we can discuss how this tool can be utilized in our work environment.

·      Ombuds of Texas – Where We Want to Go From Here (Ombuds of Texas Vision), facilitated by Belinda Newman, University Ombudsman, University of North Texas and Sean Banks, Shell Oil Ombudsman.

·       Who We Are: S. Arjumand Mubaarak, Managing Director, US Office of the Independent Ombudsman

(Click here for detailed agenda.)

2/11/09

·    Who We Are: Joel Schwartz, Manager, OAG Child Support Inquiries Ombudsman

·     Ombuds of Texas – Where We Want to Go From Here (Ombuds of Texas Vision),

      facilitated by Belinda Newman, University Ombudsman, University of North Texas.

·      Ombuds Café

·     OOT Website Updates.

·     Ownership of the OOT Website, discussion led by Mike Dunn.

(Click here for detailed agenda.)

11/12/08

·     Review Austin ACR Conference.

·     Who We Are: Beverly Reeves, District Ombudsman, Austin Independent School

     District.

·     Ombuds of Texas – Where We Want to Go From Here, Facilitated by Belinda Newman,

     University Ombudsman, University of North Texas.

·      Discussion topic: “Employee situations that perplex me the most - suggestions of how

     to work with them.”

·     OOT Website Updates.

(Clickhere for detailed agenda.)

8/13/08

·      Ombuds Website & ACR Conference, September 24, 2008

·     Who We Are: Allen Bergeron, City of Austin

·      Ombuds of Texas – Where We Want to Go From Here, Sean Banks, Shell Oil Company

·      Discussion topic: “Employee situations that perplex me the most - suggestions of how

     to work with them.”

(Click here for detailed agenda.)

5/14/08

·      How Do We Start A Consultation?, Allen Church

·      Who We Are: The General Land Office Perspective, Mike Dunn, Ombudsman, The General Land Office

·      Sharing of a Group Facilitation Presentation, Allen Church

·     What Are You Going to Do?, IOA Newsletter, The Independent Voice, Mike Dunn, General Land Office

·      Who We Are and Where We Are Going: Developing the Mission and Goals of the Ombuds of Texas Group, Sean Banks, Shell Oil Co.

2/13/08

·     Canada’s Apology Legislation and Texas’ Communications of Sympathy Legislation, Joel Schwartz, Office of the Attorney General

·     Who We Are: The University Ombudsman Perspective, Nathanael Haddox and Kathryn Quilliam, Texas Tech University

·     Article Discussion:  What Are You Going to Do? from the OIA Newsletter, The Independent Voice, Mike Dunn, General Land Office

·     Ombuds of Texas Next Steps

11/14/07

·      Cancelled

8/15/07

·      How To Manage Records in Ombudsman Programs, Thorton Wood, OAG Open Records Division, Nanette Pfiester, State Library and Archives, Retention Schedule

·     Who We Are: The Advocate/Classical Ombudsman Perspective

·      Patty Ducayet, Long-Terms Care Ombuds, DADS

·     Chet Brooks, Director of Customer Relations, HHSC

·      Future Training, Update on International Ombudsman Association Ombuds 101

5/16/07

·      Discussion of Records – Sean Banks, Shell Oil Ombuds 

·     Legislative Update on bills filed relating to the confidentiality of certain communications involving an ombudsman program – Sean Banks, Shell Oil Ombuds

·      Who We Are – Kathy Cleere, TDCJ Ombuds.

·      International Ombuds Association Conference, Overview of by attendees at the March conference, Tracy Tarver, CPPDR

·     Article Review, “When the Worst Happens: Lessons of an Ombuds Office Closure” by Gary J. Buckley, Allen Church

2/14/07

·     Introduction of Strategic Planning process and next steps.  Tracy Tarver, UT School of Law, CPPDR and Walt Krudop, Retired Ombudsman with Shell Oil. 

·      Introduction of template for future discussions about our roles, our jobs, and our workplaces.  Grace Meyer, OAG Ombuds.

11/15/06

Cancelled

8/16/06

·      A Comparison of a University/governmental Ombuds to a Corporate Ombuds. An Update on the Shell RESOLVE program, and Sean’s thoughts about the future of the program.  Sean A. Banks, Director, Shell Resolve and Company Ombuds, Shell Oil Company, Houston, TX.

·      OAG Open Record Requests and Opinions Update, Grace Meyer, OAG Ombuds.

5/17/06

·      Hot Topics and Trends at the International Ombudsman Association Conference (IOA), discussion facilitated by Lauren Bloom, Office of the President, The University of Texas. 

·      OAG Open Record Requests and Opinions Update, Grace Meyer, OAG Ombuds

2/15/06

·     Open Records, Thorton Wood, AAG, Office of the Attorney General

·      OAG Open Record Requests and Opinions Update, Grace Meyer, OAG Ombuds.

·      Ombuds of Texas Description, Tracy Tarver, UT School of Law, CPPDR

11/16/05

·      Categorizing Case Information and Record Keeping, Walt Krudop, Retired Ombudsman with Shell Oil.  

8/17/05

·      Professional Associations for Ombuds, Beverly Reeves, AISD District Ombudsman

5/18/05

·      Who We Are: Texas Comptroller, Jeff Wiginton, Ombudsman for the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts and Lori Moya, Customer Service Representative for the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts.

·     How Do We Serve the Client and Management without Bias to either? Dick Lewis, TCEQ

·      Confidentiality Statute Update

2/16/05

·      Shell Corporation Presentation & Q&A on the Shell Ombuds Program,  Guest Speaker - Walter Krudop, Retired Ombudsman, Shell Oil

·      What expectations does your organization have about your ombudsman program? Group Discussion - Dick Lewis, TCEQ

·     Confidentiality Statute Update - Ralph Hasson

12/1/04

·      Who We Are: Office of the Attorney General, Elizabeth Rogers, Attorney Ombudsman, Ethics Advisor, and Director of Professional Development.

·     How are ethical violations handled by your ombudsman office? Group Discussion.

·     Overview of the Ombudsman Association Conference. Susan Johnson, Associate Commissioner, Office of the Ombudsman, Health & Human Services Commission.    

5/12/04

·      Overview of Halliburton’s Ombuds Program and Confidentiality of Communications, Bill Bedman and Janet Hill.

2/11/04

·      Comprehensive Conflict Management Systems, and the Role of the Ombudsman in the System, Ralph Hasson, co-author of “Controlling the Costs of Conflict: How to Design a System for Your Organization”.