Executive Director | MGH Center for Diversity and Inclusion

Elena Olson is the Executive Director of the Center for Diversity & Inclusion (CDI). For over 20 years, she has led a team of faculty, trainees and administrators to help advance the careers of those underrepresented in medicine and create an inclusive environment where all are respected and feel a true sense of belonging at Mass General. Under her leadership, the CDI has become a full-service central resource for clinical and research students, trainees and faculty, as well as Nursing and patient care staff; partnering with hospital and Harvard Medical School leadership, MGB graduate medical education, training programs and clinical and research departments across Mass General and MGB. Ms. Olson is co-leading the implementation of the Mass General Structural Equity Plan, which docks into the MGB United Against Racism campaign. She is currently spearheading institutional initiatives focused on policy review and external advocacy through an anti-racism and equity lens; as well as workforce diversity and inclusion efforts that includes building a learning and education pathway with a team of DEI educators. During the height of the COVID pandemic, she served on the Mass General and MGB COVID Equity and Community Health Response teams, which were created to ensure the hospital’s and MGB’s COVID-19 response efforts to equity and community health issues for patients and staff. In this role, Ms. Olson led the establishment of a novel Spanish Language Care Group and a multilingual registry.

Ms. Olson practiced as a civil, commercial and public interest litigator for eight years before joining CDI. She received a BA in international affairs with a minor in biology from Goucher College, a JD degree from Santa Clara University School of Law, and a certificate from the International Institute for Human Rights in Strasbourg, France. She was born and raised in Buenos Aires, Argentina, and is trilingual in English, Spanish and French. Ms. Olson is passionate about championing social justice and equity issues, especially in education and healthcare. Among her many activities outside the hospital, she served on the board of directors of the YWCA Boston and led a strategic planning effort to improve health and nutrition in the Brookline Public Schools.