Tracie Olson
Yolo County Public Defender
Tracie Olson, appointed in 2009 as Yolo County’s first female Chief Public Defender, began her career as a trial lawyer handling a broad range of criminal cases. She now leads an office committed to holistic legal defense, with specialized units focusing on adolescent defense, post-conviction relief, immigration support, mental health advocacy, and record mitigation. Balancing leadership with active courtroom advocacy, Olson continues to represent clients in serious matters, including homicide.
Active in statewide legal initiatives, Olson serves as the President (2025–2026) of the California Public Defenders Association (CPDA), sits on the CPDA board, and leads Yolo Public Defender CARES, a nonprofit supporting justice-involved individuals. A recognized speaker, she has been featured in the UC Davis School of Law’s Racial Justice Speaker Series.
Olson is also a CSAC Credentialed California County Senior Executive and a graduate of the National Association of Counties’ High Performance Leadership Academy. Her leadership contributed to the office earning the 2022 CPDA Defender Program of the Year award. She holds a law degree, magna cum laude, from the University of Minnesota Law School and a Bachelor of Science with Honors from the University of California, Davis.
