Donald Olson
Member of theAlaska Senate
Incumbent
Assumed office January 15, 2001
Preceded by	Albert P. Adams
Constituency	District S (2001–2003) District T (2003–present)
Personal details
Born	(1953-06-18)June 18, 1953 (age 72) Nome,Territory of Alaska
Party	Democratic
Spouse	Willow
Children	7
Residence(s)	Golovin, Alaska, U.S.
Alma mater	University of Minnesota (BA) Oral Roberts University (MD) University of Colorado Law School (JD) University of Cambridge
Profession	Physician Aviator

Donald C. "Donny" Olson (born June 18, 1953) is an American physician, attorney, commercial pilot, reindeer herder, and politician, currently serving as a member of theAlaska Senate since 2001. Olson represents rural communities in Western Alaska andArctic Alaska includingNome,Kotzebue, andUtqiagvik.

Olson was born in theInupiaq village ofGolovin, Alaska, where he resides to date. He graduated from Covenant High School inUnalakleet,^[1] attendedSeattle Pacific College; then theUniversity of Minnesota, Duluth, where he received a B.A. in Chemistry; attended theUniversity of Alaska, Fairbanks; theOral Roberts University School of Medicine inTulsa, Oklahoma, where he received his M.D., theUniversity of Colorado School of Law for his Juris Doctor, and did postgraduate work in law atCambridge University in England.^[2]

He is the president and CEO of Olson Air Service, based inNome, Alaska.^[2]

He was appointed to theAlaska State Medical Board by GovernorTony Knowles in 1995 and served until taking office in the Alaska Senate in 2001.^[3] He was the sole Democrat associated with theAlaska political corruption probe. He was the only Alaska legislator to reject a bribe offer to vote for an oil tax bill. It was proposed as a campaign contribution of $25,000 for his 2004 Lieutenant Governor's race. He subsequently helped the FBI make their case against those involved.^[4]

Olson caucused with theRepublicans in the majority during the 28th Senate, from 2013 to 2014, but he was not invited to participate in the organization of the majority caucus for the 29th Senate. He was a member of the Democratic minority caucus from 2015 to 2023.^[5] He is currently a member of the 17-member bipartisan majority.

Olson lives inGolovin, Alaska. In January 2025, he was hospitalized for a "stroke-like medical emergency" which left him withaphasia impairing his speaking ability.^[6]

This list isincomplete; you can help byadding missing items.(February 2025)

Media related toDonny Olson at Wikimedia Commons

• Alaska State Legislature - Senator Donald Olsonofficial AK Senate website
• Project Vote Smart - Representative Donald Olson (AK) profile
• Follow the Money - Donald Olson
  • 200620042000 Senate campaign contributions
  • 2006 Lieutenant Governor campaign contributions
• Donny Olson at100 Years of Alaska's Legislature

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