Nnena Odim, Ombuds
Nnena Odim has been a conflict resolution specialist since 2000, as a mediator, ombuds, attorney, trainer, and consultant. She has mediated disputes involving issues such as employment, housing, business, consumer, academic/higher education, and the full range of family/domestic relations. Nnena has also provided conflict management services for several local and national businesses and agencies, including Lincoln Institute, Boston Public Schools, Massachusetts Housing Authority, MBTA, Neighborhood Works, Coca-Cola, and Netflix.
In addition to her mediation and conflict resolution training background, Nnena is trained by the International Ombuds Association and has served as organizational and conference ombuds for CVS, American Planning Association, American Economic Association, Coastal & Estuarine Research Federation, and other local and national companies.
Nnena has worked with the Harvard Mediation Program (HMP) and Harvard Program on Negotiation as a trainer, and with Harvard Law School to train and supervise students learning mediation and negotiation. She has taught mediation at Suffolk and Boston College Law Schools, MIT, and New England School of Law. Nnena has spoken on a variety of topics, including self-care and mental health for students and faculty, establishing boundaries in a professional setting, race and gender, and LGBTQ+ rights.
After 25 years, Nnena retired from Harvard Law School, where she was the Director and Senior Clinical Instructor of the Family/Domestic Violence Law Clinic at Harvard’s Legal Services Center. In addition to being an active practicing attorney in Massachusetts Family and Probate Courts, she provided experiential training to law students and taught them how to become effective and ethical attorneys.
Nnena is a member of the Advisory Board for HMP and for Mediation Works Inc. Nnena has been honored by the Harvard Women’s Law Association International Committee, and was the recipient of the Harvard Law School Dean’s Award for Excellence and the Top Women in the Law Award from Mass. Lawyers Weekly.