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Trisha A. Olson

General Counsel

Illinois State Board of Education


Over the past 20 years, Trisha Olson has worked in Chicagoland schools as a paraprofessional, teacher, school board attorney and parent advocate.  While in law school, Trisha was the research assistant for the President of the ACLU, Nadine Strossen, and interned at Mayerson & Associates, New York City’s preeminent parent-advocacy law firm for individuals with autism.  Since law school, Trisha has represented both boards of education and families on a diverse range of topics, including special education, student rights, bargaining, personnel matters and board governance.  She has counseled the Illinois State Board of Education for four years, serving as its chief legal officer since July 2019.