Institute on World Affairs - Cultivating Democracy - The Role of Intelligence Gathering in a Democracy

Jim Olson is a Senior Lecturer and the CIA Officer in Residence at the Bush School of Government and Public Service in College Station, Texas. He joined the Central Intelligence Agency in 1969 and served for 31 years, mostly overseas in clandestine operations. He held the positions as Deputy Chief of Station in Moscow and Chief of Station in Vienna and Mexico City. He also served as Chief of Counterintelligence at CIA Headquarters in Langley, Virginia. Professor Olson received his law degree from the University of Iowa in 1969.