Christopher Olsen

Headshot of Christopher Olsen

Lecturer

School of Public Affairs
colsen@sdsu.edu

View Olsen's CV


Chris Olsen is a lecturer at the San Diego State University School of Public Affairs, where he teaches courses on fiscal and budgetary policy as well as administrative behavior. His career in local government spans over 15 years, having worked for the cities of Los Angeles, Charlotte, and San Diego in various capacities supporting elected officials and city management. Most recently, Chris served as an analyst in the City of San Diego's Office of the Independent Budget Analyst, which provides clear, objective and unbiased analysis and advice to the city council and the public regarding all legislative items bearing financial and policy impacts to the City of San Diego. Chris is also committed to serving his community, particularly the Hillcrest neighborhood of San Diego where he resides. Chris ran for elective office in the March 2020 primary for San Diego City Council District 3 and continues to volunteer for community organizations. He is a member of the advisory board for PATH San Diego, a leading provider of services and housing for San Diegans experiencing homelessness. He is also a member of the board of directors of BikeSD, a nonprofit organization that advocates for transportation safety and environmental justice. Chris obtained a Bachelor of Arts from Pomona College (Claremont, CA) and a Master of Public Administration from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte.

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