Excellent. Safe. Inclusive.
Ready for what's next.
Elaine Olson is running for Edina School Board — bringing 20 years of legal and compliance leadership, deep community roots, and a parent's perspective to keep our schools strong.
Elaine Olson: Experienced Leader. Critical Thinker. Dedicated Parent. Trusted Voice for Edina Schools.
Professional Background
A privacy, cybersecurity, and responsible AI attorney with over 20 years of legal and compliance leadership, Elaine knows how to navigate complex challenges, ask the hard questions, and build systems that protect people, all skills she'll bring directly to the board table.
Her first job was in the classroom, and that experience continues to shape how she thinks about students and teachers alike.
Education
Honors Bachelor of Arts (Political Science and Psychology) and Juris Doctor
Community & Family
Elaine is an Edina parent of three, a mentor, and a community volunteer, including serving on nonprofit boards. Her career and volunteer work reflect the same throughline: showing up, listening thoughtfully, doing the work, and helping communities thrive.
Global Perspective
Elaine grew up in Central America, attending school alongside students from across the globe. That experience taught her early on the value of global perspective, cross-cultural understanding, and clear communication, lessons she carries with her today.
Native Spanish speaker, student of French and Italian, and lifelong learner
Outside the Boardroom
When she's not working or volunteering, Elaine is most often found cheering on her kids and their teammates, reading, gardening, exploring the outdoors, traveling, baking, or adding to her ever-growing collection of houseplants.
Why I’m Running: Meeting the Moment with Vision, Strategic Thinking and Clarity
Edina Public Schools are a treasure, and ensuring they are excellent takes vision, strategy, and the ability to anticipate what's around the corner.
For the past 24 years, I've worked as an attorney at large complex organizations in privacy, social media, technology, cybersecurity, and responsible AI law, fields that were evolving or did not exist when I started and that keep reinventing themselves every few years. That work has taught me how to lead organizations navigate rapid change thoughtfully: asking the right questions early, building policies that protect people while advancing innovation, and making decisions that hold up as circumstances shift. Our schools face exactly this kind of moment, from the digital lives of our students to prioritizing safety, and I want to bring that experience to the board table.
But my connection to education started long before law school. My parents instilled in my sisters and me the importance of education from an early age. When we had to flee Nicaragua due to war, they continued to prioritize our education. Eventually, I was able to finish high school in the United States and pursue higher ed, which opened additional doors. My first year out of college, I taught in an inner-city school as part of a volunteer teaching corps, which shaped how I think about opportunity, equity, the importance of mental health, and what students need to thrive. That commitment to service has stayed with me: I've served on the boards of the United Community Center in Milwaukee and the International Institute of Minnesota, which serves immigrants, refugees, and New Americans, and I stay active in our community through my parish, serving meals to neighbors in need, delivering groceries to home-bound neighbors, and supporting Moms Demand Action. I am also a supporter of the MN Hispanic Bar Association.
Most of all, I bring the perspective of an Edina public school parent and a deep passion and commitment to education. My husband and I are raising three children with diverse passions, interests and learning needs, including two rising juniors at EHS, and our youngest who joins them as a freshman in a year. I've seen firsthand what it takes for different kinds of learners to succeed, and I know that inclusive, thoughtful learning support, outstanding teaching, an engaged community, and strong leadership is what makes a great school district great.
I'm a people-driven, strategic leader who believes education is one of the most powerful tools we have to open doors and create opportunity. I want that for all students who step into Edina Public Schools. I'd be honored to bring my strategic and visionary thinking, classroom experience, and community commitment to the Edina School Board. Thank you for your support!
Elaine Olson
Pioneering Progress
Safe Schools
Every family needs to trust that their child is safe at school, physically, emotionally, and online. Every educator needs to feel supported and safe at their workplace. I'll bring a practical, prepared mindset to safety and make sure the board asks hard questions rather than assuming existing protocols are enough so that our students, teachers and staff feel safe at school. And as a volunteer with Moms Demand Action, I understand that school safety and community safety are connected, not separate conversations.
Supporting the Whole Child and Mental Health
Edina’s academic reputation is strong and a source of pride in our community. Protecting it matters. A great education goes beyond test scores. Arts, music, activities, sports and enrichment programs keep our children engaged and help different kinds of learners find opportunities to shine and discover their talents. I'll advocate for a broad definition of academic excellence, and individualized support that make Edina schools work for every kind of student, not just those who fit one mold. Equally, ensuring our district has adequate counseling and mental health staffing helps ensure our students have the support they need when it matters.
Responsible, Ethical and Thoughtful Use of Technology and AI
My long time work in cybersecurity, privacy, and responsible and ethical AI also means I take digital safety seriously. I understand the importance of protecting student data and making sure the technology in our classrooms contributes to their development as engaged, thoughtful humans. I want Edina to lead with thoughtful, informed principles on how AI is and isn't used in classrooms, real protection of student data, and technology decisions grounded in what actually helps kids learn, not reactive, one-size-fits-all bans or unchecked adoption either. We must prepare our students to embrace innovation thoughtfully and navigate a dynamic future of uncertainty and change that brings new opportunities and challenges.
Vote Elaine Olson for Edina Schools
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On November 3, 2026
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Vote Elaine Olson for Edina Schools 〰️ On November 3, 2026 〰️
“Elaine Olson will be a strong advocate, a careful listener, and a steward of financial integrity. She is running for Edina School Board to ensure our schools are excellent, safe, inclusive and ready for what’s next. ”
