Jessica Olson

Jessica Olson, PhD, MPH, is an Associate Professor in the Department of Community Health at the Medical College of Wisconsin (MCW), within the Institute for Health & Humanity. She holds leadership roles including Co-PI of the NIH-funded ASCEND WI Initiative addressing maternal health disparities, Director of Evaluation and Innovation in the Office of Diversity and Inclusion, and Co-Director of the Clinical and Translational Science Institute's Basic and Translational Science Program. Her research focuses on reducing cancer and maternal health disparities through interdisciplinary collaboration between clinical, basic science, and community stakeholders.

Dr. Olson earned both her PhD and MPH from MCW in 2015 and 2017 respectively. Her work spans community-based participatory research, policy advocacy, and translational science. Notable projects include building trust between doulas and healthcare providers, investigating housing instability in birthing populations, and training future researchers in maternal health equity.

Her publications emphasize interdisciplinary team dynamics, diet-cancer links, and racial disparities in healthcare access. Leadership positions include roles with the National Lung Cancer Roundtable and academic-police partnerships to address community health challenges. Dr. Olson’s work integrates social justice principles with clinical innovation to advance equitable healthcare outcomes.