Meet a Board Member

I’ve called Maryland home for nearly all my life. For the past 30 years, I’ve called Columbia home, and can’t imagine living anywhere else. With its green spaces and parks, amazing diversity, activities and services, Howard County offers a great deal to its residents. This idea was even more strongly reinforced when I entered the volunteering world in the county. 

I attended the University of Maryland, earning my degree in Hearing and Speech Sciences and then decided on an entirely different career path. Shortly after graduating, I found myself at Union Privilege, the consumer-place benefits arm of the AFL-CIO and eventually worked my way to becoming the Vice President of Direct Marketing. I retired in 2016, after nearly 30 years of commitment to supporting the ideals of union membership. 

Like many retirees, I wanted to use my new-found free time to give back and began looking for volunteer work where I could apply my talents to helping others. AOK’s mission resonated and by the end of the informational session for potential volunteers, I knew I’d found the right organization. I’ve been a volunteer mentor with AOK since late 2016 and have worked with students in school, on zoom during the pandemic, in a classroom full of young students and one on one.

In 2023, I joined AOK’s Board of Directors and soon after was elected Vice President. As we look back on 20 years of service to the community, we are also looking forward to how we can expand our reach. Students need mentors now more than ever. 
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I continue to mentor once a week during the school year. My students have all needed the attention of a trusted adult, and I am more than happy to fill that role for them. I think I benefit as much from the mentoring relationship as my mentees do! 

Karol Olson
Vice President of Board, AOK Mentoring & Tutoring