Jeanne Olson holds a doctorate in English studies with an emphasis on 19th and 20th century American literature. She has been an instructor in Arizona State University's Writing Programs since 1996, focusing on teaching undergraduate courses in first-year composition studies with an emphasis on research-based, academic writing courses. 

Olson graduated from ASU's Department of English with both her master's degree and doctorate. Her research interest focused on literary non-fiction, particularly travel narratives of tourists in the American West of the late 19th/early 20th centuries.

Olson is involved in community volunteer work focused on focused on environmental sustainability and elder care.