The President's Lecture Series

President Saúl Jiménez-Sandoval proudly hosts

Jane Olson 

Humanitarian and Author

6 - 7:15 p.m. PDT
Wednesday, September 18

Moderated Q&A following the lecture.

The Ruiz, Lynda and Stewart Resnick Student Union
Registration is not required to attend in person.

A live stream option is also available. Register to receive the link.

 

Fresno State is committed to providing universal access to all our events. Please contact the Office of the President at.559.278.0178 to request disability accommodations.

---

Jane Olson has worked as a volunteer for many decades to promote peace and justice through international human rights and humanitarian organizations. She chaired the International Board of Trustees of Human Rights Watch, the largest US-based international human rights organization, from 2004 to 2010 and served as co-chair of the Women’s Refugee Commission. As founding board chair of Landmine Survivors Network/Survivor Corps, she gave leadership to LSN for 12 years.

Extensive travels with those and other humanitarian organizations took Jane to Nicaragua and El Salvador during the Contra Wars and to the former Soviet Union beginning with trips to Ukraine in 1989 and 1990, a time of revolution. As the former USSR fell apart and wars broke out, she participated in investigative trips to the former Yugoslavia during “ethnic cleansing” of Bosnia, and to the Caucasus countries of Azerbaijan and Armenia. Missions to many countries in Africa, the Middle East, Asia, and Latin America focused on human rights abuse and refugee conditions, HIV/AIDS, landmines, and other calamities caused by conflict and extreme poverty.

Jane’s book, “World Citizen”, recounts her experiences in various countries and regions while advocating for the protection of fundamental human rights as set forth in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Her experience in war zones, crowded refugee camps, and some of the poorest and most disease-affected places on the planet serve as a reminder of the positive impact we can have on others.

Jane is a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and a board member of both the National World War II Museum in New Orleans and Direct Relief, based in Santa Barbara, CA. She is a board member of The Trusteeship, the Southern California chapter of the International Women’s Forum, a member of the Council on Foreign Relations, and the Pacific Council on International Policy.

Jane grew up in rural western Iowa and graduated from the University of Nebraska. She lives with her husband, attorney Ronald L. Olson, in Pasadena, California. They have three children and eight grandsons.