About the SAA Annual Meeting Ombuds
For the 2023 Annual Meeting, the SAA has chosen two ombuds to serve as informal, independent, neutral, and confidential resources for meeting attendees. The ombuds can assist meeting attendees with determining options to address issues such as harassment, free speech, academic integrity, conflicts of interest, safety, diversity, or any other concern related to the SAA Annual Meeting. The ombuds will listen to understand issues from the perspective of individuals and provide support, coaching, strategies, options, and useful resources. All issues, including sexual harassment, can be discussed confidentially and independently of the Society. Appropriate administrative channels will be offered to individuals who desire to register formal complaints.
In addition, the SAA ombuds may, with the permission of the individuals who come to them, make recommendations to the SAA President and Executive Director about specific actions that might enhance the safety and well-being of the individuals attending the Annual Meeting. The ombuds will be accessible during the Annual Meeting at the following times:
COMING SOON!
In addition, ombuds can be available as arranged with David and Kathleen. The ombuds will be available by e-mail (saaombuds@gmail.com) and phone (805-330-1035). They can be contacted up to 30 days after the close of the conference.
Please read our Ombuds FAQ. If you have a question that has not been answered, please don't hesitate to tell the ombuds at the gmail above so we can answer it for you.
We invite you to "meet" the Ombuds by watching this video and reading more about our ombuds below.
David, University of California, Santa Barbara
David Rasch is an associate ombuds at the University of California, Santa Barbara. David received his BA in philosophy from Colgate University and a PhD in counseling psychology
from the California Institute of Integral Studies. He recently retired from Stanford University, where he served as university ombuds for 14 years. Prior to his work as an ombuds, he was director of Stanford’s Faculty/Staff Counseling Center.
David served for six years on the board of directors for CO-OP®, which oversees the testing and certification process for the organizational ombuds profession. In addition to his ombuds work, David also consults and teaches on topics related to
writing productivity and overcoming procrastination. He served as the conference ombuds at the 2017 and 2019 American Political Science Association Annual Meetings and at the 2020 APSA Teaching and Learning Conference. He lives in California.
Kathleen, International Ombudsman Association, certified mediator
Kathleen Canul has over 20 years of experience serving as an ombuds in higher education. She has provided conflict management and alternative dispute resolution services to several professional organizations and is currently the director of Ombuds Services at the University of California, Los Angeles. She is a certified mediator and member of the International Ombudsman Association. Additionally, she offers trainings on workplace conflict, communication, diversity, and inclusion. She earned an MS and Ph.D. in clinical psychology from Washington State University and is a licensed psychologist, former psychology instructor, and member of the American Psychological Association. She is fluent in both English and Spanish.