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Mark Olson has extensive experience in communications and journalism, currently serving in a role focused on Communications and Engagement at the Minnesota Department of Transportation since July 2022. Prior to this position, Mark spent nearly 25 years at Southwest News Media, where responsibilities included Editor In Chief, overseeing six newspapers in the southwest Twin Cities suburbs, and managing a team of nine journalists dedicated to local community reporting. Previous roles at Southwest News Media also encompassed Regional Editor and Community Editor, with a focus on news production and audience engagement across multiple platforms. Mark's earlier career included positions as Editor and Reporter at the Chaska Herald and as Principal Photographer at the Austin Daily Herald. Mark holds a Master of Arts in Professional Journalism from the University of Iowa and a Bachelor of Science in Mass Communications and Political Science from Minnesota State University Moorhead.