Kim Olson | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Kim Olson at a town hall event in Nacogdoches Texas | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1957-10-24)October 24, 1957 (age 68) Waukegan, Illinois, U.S. |
| Party | Democratic |
| Spouse | Kent |
| Children | 2 |
| Education | |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  United States |
| Branch/service |  United States Air Force |
| Years of service | 1979–2005 |
| Rank | Colonel |
Kimberly D. Olson (born October 24, 1957)[1] is an American non-profit executive, politician, and retired military officer from thestate ofTexas. She served in theUnited States Air Force for 25 years, reaching the rank ofcolonel. She was theDemocratic Party nominee forTexas Agriculture Commissioner in the2018 elections and a candidate in the2020 elections seeking to representTexas's 24th congressional district in theUnited States House of Representatives.
Olson was born inWaukegan, Illinois. Her parents were teachers in theUnited States Department of Defense. Olson grew up on her family's farm inNew Hampton, Iowa, and lived on military bases inGermany,Bermuda, and thePhilippines. She graduated fromOhio State University in 1979 with aBachelor of Arts degree in education.[2] She also earnedMaster of Arts degrees in national security and strategic studies from theNaval War College and in national security strategy from theNational Defense University, as well asMaster of Business Administration fromWebster University.[3]
Olson joined theUnited States Air Force in 1979. She was the first woman to go through flight training atLaughlin Air Force Base and became one of the first female pilots in the Air Force.[4] She served as a squadron commander of the96th Air Refueling Squadron out ofFairchild Air Force Base, becoming one of only eight female squadron commanders.[5] Olson reached the rank ofcolonel in 2000,[2] and was assigned to thecomptroller's office inThe Pentagon in early 2003.[6]
In 2003, GeneralJay Garner, the director of theOffice for Reconstruction and Humanitarian Assistance, selected Olson to be his executive officer in helping to rebuild Iraq afterOperation Iraqi Freedom.[6] Three months into the role, Garner was replaced byPaul Bremer, and the Department of Defense charged Olson with providing improper assistance to a private security firm from South Africa. Though she denies the allegations, Olson accepted anon-judicial punishment rather than face a potentialcourt martial by pleading guilty to administrative violations and accepting a written reprimand. She was allowed to retire with an honorable discharge without a reduction in rank,[6][7] which she received in May 2005.[6][8]
After her discharge, Olson founded Grace After Fire, anonprofit organization that aids female military veterans when they return to civilian life.[6] She also wrote a memoir,Iraq and Back: Inside the War to Win the Peace, which was published in 2006.[7]
In 2007, Olson became the Director of Human Resources for theDallas Independent School District.[9] That year, she was elected to theschool board of the Weatherford Independent School District (WISD), representing Place 3.[10] She resigned her seat, effective September 1, 2011, because she and her husband decided to move out of Weatherford, which made her ineligible to serve on the WISD school board.[11]
In the2018 elections, Olson ran as aDemocrat againstSid Miller forTexas Agriculture Commissioner.[2] Miller defeated Olson in a close election.[12] Olson ran for theUnited States House of Representatives inTexas's 24th congressional district in the2020 elections. She advanced to a runoff election againstCandace Valenzuela for the Democratic nomination.[13] Olson was defeated by Valenzuela in the runoff, earning 39.6% of the vote compared to Valenzuela's 60.4%.[14]
Following the run-off, Olson spent the rest of the election season raising money for women running for office in Texas. Through her PAC, WomenWin,[15] Olson donated funds to dozens of women running for state house, county commissioner and judicial races.
Olson met her husband, Kent, while they both served as flight instructors for the Air Force in Arizona.[4] They have an adult son and daughter and one grandchild,[16] and live on a farm inMineral Wells, Texas.[2]
Olson is aMaster Gardener.[17] In 2014, she was inducted into theTexas Women's Hall of Fame.[18]
| Party political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Jim Hogan | Democratic nominee forAgriculture Commissioner of Texas 2018 | Succeeded by Susan Hays |