Jaclyn Olsen

Jaclyn Olsen is a director in Harvard’s Office for Sustainability where she provides strategic input on the University’s climate goals and sustainability efforts. She has been part of the sustainability team since the Office was formed in 2008 and has helped lead the effort to build a culture of sustainability at Harvard. In her role, Jaclyn collaborates with faculty, staff, and students on vital priorities, including the development of the University’s first and second-generation climate goal implementation plans and the holistic Sustainability Action Plan, which was released in 2014 and updated in May 2023. Her focus is on Harvard’s large-scale goals to be Fossil Fuel-Free by 2050 and Fossil Fuel-Neutral by 2026. 

Jaclyn’s leadership experience includes key roles in regional partnership groups like the Boston Green Ribbon Commission where she served as Harvard’s representative on Higher Ed Working Group, and the Cambridge Compact for a Sustainable Future where she served as co-vice chair. Previously, Jaclyn worked at the Massachusetts Executive Office of Environmental Affairs Leading by Example Program. She holds a bachelor’s degree in environmental science from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst.