Kimberly D. Olson

Chief Human Development Officer, Dallas ISD

Colonel, United States Air Force, Retired

Kim Olson is the Chief Human Development Officer for the Dallas Independent School District, the 12th largest school system in the country. Kim is dedicated to educating college and work force ready students. In addition, she travels the country speaking and lecturing on leadership strategy, political-military insights, and educational issues.

Retired U.S. Air Force Colonel Kim Olson, this military leader reveals her strategies for success and her lessons learned as she balanced conflicting roles as a senior officer, pilot, wife, and mother in an inspiring new book, Iraq and Back: Inside the War to Win the Peace.

Before Kim started her speaking and writing career, she served 25 years in the United States Air Force and was part of the first generation of female military pilots. A command pilot, with over 3,700 hours of flying time, she was the first female to command an air refueling squadron in Spokane, Washington. Kim entered the Air Force in 1979 and began her flying career as a KC-135 air refueling pilot.

She served as a flight commander, instructor pilot, and flight examiner in several jet airplanes. Kim served in the Pentagon on the Joint Staff, Office of the Secretary of Defense, and the Air Staff. She also deployed to several combat zones including Iraq and Saudi Arabia.

Kim graduated from Ohio State University with a bachelor’s degree in education and earned three masters’ degrees. She also earned a fellowship at Seminar XXI Center for International Studies, MIT and the Broad Center for the Management of School System, Superintendents Academy. She was recently inducted into the Iowa Aviation Hall of Fame in 2008.

After more than two decades of serving her nation, she is committed to the education of the next generation of leaders. Today she flies with her son in their Cessna 150 “Sunny,” while her husband teaches their daughter to drive a tractor. The family is growing pecan trees on their “4-K River Ranch” next to the Brazos River.