Eric Olson

An Experienced Public Servant

Eric Olson has served on the College Park City Council since 1997, where he has been a leader on economic revitalization, neighborhood preservation, and promoting a more livable community.

Eric serves on several boards, including the Metropolitan Washington Air Quality Committee, the Baltimore-Washington Clean Air Partners, the Metropolitan Washington Transportation Planning Board, and the Coalition to Build the Inner Purple Line. He is former Chair of the national University Communities Caucus and served as a member of the University of Maryland's Master Planning Committee.

Working to Make a Difference

Eric directs the national Sierra Club's Healthy Communities Campaign, where his work includes promoting public transportation, creating more walkable, vibrant communities and combating sprawl. His work has included bringing attention to the incredible waste of hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars for Alaska's proposed "Bridges to Nowhere" while roads and bridges throughout the nation need repair.

He has previously worked as Deputy Director of the Center for Voting and Democracy, a national organization committed to election reform and voting rights. Eric also has four years of Capitol Hill experience as an aide to Congressman Bernie Sanders (I-VT), where he worked on environment, transportation, energy, democracy, human rights and agriculture among other issues and where he served as staff coordinator of the Congressional Progressive Caucus.

Eric's writings have appeared in publications including the Washington Post, Baltimore Sun, Roll Call, and The Nation.com, and he has been quoted in major media sources including the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, National Public Radio, and newspapers across the country.

Family and Education

Eric has a B.A. in history from Elmira College, and earned a Master's degree in American Studies from the University of Maryland in 1995.

He is married to Sarah Treado, a social worker and former South Dakotan who has worked for former Senator Tom Daschle (D-SD), Senator Tim Johnson (D-SD) and Congresswoman Stephanie Herseth (D-SD). Eric and Sarah are the proud parents of a baby daughter, Larissa.