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Biography
Richard G. Olson
Deputy U.S. Permanent Representative to North Atlantic Treaty
Organization
Richard Olson is Deputy U.S. Permanent Representative to North
Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). He is a career foreign service
officer and a member of the senior foreign service.
Prior to his assignment to NATO, he was director of the Office of Iraq (NEA/I)
at the U.S. Department of State. He had previously served in Iraq,
volunteering to work with the Coalition Provisional Authority (CPA) as
Governorate Coordinator for the Province of Najaf.
Mr. Olson joined the U.S. Department of State in 1982. He has served
overseas in Mexico, Uganda, Tunisia, Saudi Arabia (as the Embassy's
liaison officer to General Schwarzkopf during the 1991 Gulf War),
Ethiopia and the United Arab Emirates (where he served both at the US
Embassy in Abu Dhabi and as US Consul General in Dubai).
His Washington assignments include: State Department Operations Center
(twice), NATO Desk, and the Office of Israel and Palestinian Affairs
(twice, including as Director).
He graduated from Brown University in 1981, receiving an A.B. in Law and
Society (Honors) and History.
Mr. Olson has been awarded the Secretary of Defense’s Exceptional
Civilian Service Award (for his service in Iraq), and the State
Department’s Superior Honor Award (three times).
Mr. Olson is married to Foreign Service Officer Deborah Jones, currently
the U.S. Ambassador to Kuwait. They have two daughters.
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