Ombuds Services

An Ombuds is a person trained in conflict resolution who maintains a neutral position in their role and is independent of SPSP and has no other role in the Society. A safe, off the record resource for meeting attendees to help resolve conflicts, problematic issues or concerns. While the Ombuds can provide guidance to individuals wishing to understand formal reporting options, they do not accept complaints on behalf of SPSP.

Throughout the convention, the Ombuds will identify any trends and patterns arising from consultations and inquiries received. Following the convention, a report will be provided to summarize any trends and patterns to the SPSP Board of Directors in a completely anonymized manner.

To obtain advice and consultation regarding any concerns relating to fairness, equity, respect, or harassment that may arise during the convention.

The ombuds is available to listen to any concerns you may have regarding unwelcome behavior, including incidents and allegations of harassment.

• Listen impartially and act as a sounding board for your concerns;
• Provide general resource information and make appropriate referrals;
• Facilitate your exploration of options and ways of moving forward;
• Coach you to have constructive communications; and
• Give sound and practical advice to empower you to self-advocate.

Yes. All communications with the ombudsperson are confidential except when there is an imminent concern for safety.

The Ombuds is only one option for convention attendees to address their concerns. You may also contact the Executive Director or any member of the Board of Directors to discuss or report your concerns directly. You may do so without speaking to the Ombuds or after having done so. Details on how to report prohibited behavior are here.

You can contact the ombuds during office hours from February 7–February 10, 2024. You also may contact the ombudsperson by phone or email through February 24, 2024.

To contact our ombuds service during the convention, email [email protected] or call (949) 293-7515.

Ombuds’ office hours during the convention are:

• 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM PST
• 2:00 PM – 4:00 PM PST
• 6:30 PM – 8:30 PM PST

The ombuds may have availability at other times. Please note that she is located in the Pacific Standard time zone.

Kathleen H. Canul

Kathleen is an ombudsperson and mediator. She formerly served as the Director of Ombuds Services at the University of California, Los Angeles until her retirement. She provides conflict mediation consultation to the Global Green Growth Institute, and is the Ombudsperson for the Annual Meeting of the American Institute of Archaeology/Society for Classical Studies, the American Chemical Society, Publications Division, the La Jolla Institute for Immunology, and will soon start as the ombudsperson for the American Society for 18th Century Studies. Prior to this role, she was the University Ombudsman for the University of California, Irvine.

For over 20 years, Kathleen has conducted workshops and provided continuing education courses on enhancing respect and managing bullying and harassment in the workplace, specifically addressing the vulnerability of women, people of color, and the LGBTQ community. She is a former professor and licensed psychologist. Additionally, she provides pro bono capacity-building skills and training to nonprofit organizations focusing on educational and health disparities. Kathleen earned both a Ph.D. and M.S. in Clinical Psychology from Washington State University and a B.A. in Psychology from the University of California, Irvine. She is a certified mediator and a member of the International Ombudsman Association (IOA). Kathleen speaks English and Spanish fluently.