Education

• University of Nebraska-Lincoln, BA (Psychology)
• University of Nebraska-Lincoln, JD (Law)
• University of Nebraska-Lincoln Law-Psychology Program, Post-Doctoral Fellowship
• University of Nebraska-Lincoln, MA (Psychology)

Areas of Interest: 

• Juvenile, family and elder law
• Legal advocacy for children and Guardian ad litem representation
• Child protection policy
• Child support
• Judicial education on child welfare issues
• Court-Appointed Special Advocates (CASA)
• Youth Peer Courts
• Domestic violence
• Juvenile justice
• Adoption and guardianship

Professional Activities & Community Service: 

• Member, Nebraska State Bar Association and Lincoln Bar Association
• Chairperson (2002), District One Committee on Inquiry (Nebraska Supreme Court appointment)
• Nebraska Legal Services, Board of Directors
• Nebraska Lawyers Trust Account Foundation (IOLTA), Board of Directors
• Nebraska Permanency Planning Task Force
• CASA (Court-Appointed Special Advocate) of Lancaster County, Board of Directors
• Nebraska Health and Human Services System Steering Committee on Fatherhood Issues
• Nebraska Child and Family Services Review, Advisory Team
• Nebraska Court Improvement Project, Advisory Board
• Lincoln-Lancaster County, Nebraska Community Services Implementation Project, Consultant
• Cather Circle, University of Nebraska Alumni Association, Charter Member
• Nebraska P.E.O. Home, Board of Trustees (Secretary)
• Private legal practitioner since 1983 specializing in juvenile and family law

Selected Presentations & Publications: 

• Tomkins, A.J. & Olson, K.A. (2002). Some initial ideas about implementation of a child-centered, neighborhood-based child protection system: Impressions from focus groups in Nebraska. In Melton, G.B., Thompson, R.A. & Small, M.A. (Eds.), Toward a child-centered, neighborhood-based child protection system. Westport, Connecticut: Praeger.
• Small, M.A., Melton, G.B., Olson, K.A., & Tomkins, A.J. (2002). Creating caring communities: The need for structural change. In Melton, G.B., Thompson, R.A. & Small, M.A. (Eds.), Toward a child-centered, neighborhood-based child protection system. Westport, Connecticut: Praeger.
• Olson, K.A. (1998). Youth courts: Teens judging teens. Family Futures, 2(3), 15.
• Paper presentation. Olson, K.A., McKinlay, A., & Melton, G.B., "Peer-networking as a method of dissemination of information to judges on child sexual abuse." Meeting of the American Psychology-Law Society, Santa Fe, New Mexico, March, 1994.
• Olson, K.A., (1993). Legal actions. In Bulkley, J. (Ed.), Child sexual abuse training manual: A curriculum for judges. American Bar Association, Center on Children and the Law: Washington, D.C.
• Olson, K.A., (1993). Role of the guardian ad litem. In Stick, R.S., & Brooks, C.M. (Eds.), Nebraska juvenile court manual. Nebraska Continuing Legal Education, Inc.: Lincoln, Nebraska.