Carla Olson, Executive Director

A graduate of West Texas A&M University, Ms. Olson holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Business and Economics. She brought extensive experience in the areas of non-profit organizational management, delivery of community based service programs, community needs assessment, grants administration, non-profit finance and accounting practices when joining the Parenting Cottage in 2009.

Since her tenure began, Carla has built numerous collaborations within the community to expand services, developed new programs and utilized the resources of the Parenting Cottage to address unmet needs in the community including coordinating efforts to bring the HOPES (Healthy Outcomes through Prevention & Early Intervention) program funding to Lubbock County.  The Parenting Cottage’s Parents as Teachers program achieved Blue Ribbon Status in 2016 from Parents as Teachers National and continues to hold that status.  The Parenting Cottage achieved a “5” rating from the Lubbock Area United Way, the highest rating possible in 2009 and currently still holds that ranking.

She currently serves as Chairman of the Advocacy Committee for South Plains Coalition for Child Abuse Prevention (CCAP), as a member of the Community Advisory Committee for the Jr. League of Lubbock, the Law Enforcement Training Committee-South Plains Association of Governments, Advisory Committee for the Aging and Disability Resource Center (ADRC) -South Plains Association of Governments, the Board of Director for the Smiles Foundation which connects South Plains children in need with specialized orthodontic services. She has previously served on the City of Lubbock Health Dept.’s LBK Community, as past Chairman of the South Plains Coalition for Child Abuse Prevention, President of the United Way Association, currently serves as Secretary for the Association and is a past board member on the Lubbock Area United Way Board of Directors.

Prior to joining the Parenting Cottage, Ms. Olson held the position of Manager of Community Health Outreach for Covenant Health System. Ms. Olson managed the delivery of outreach patient care services covering a 16 county area including primary care, dental services, mammography services and a seniors and special needs exercise program. She was instrumental in the opening of Covenant’s Children’s Dental Clinics in Lubbock and Artesia, New Mexico for underserved children.

Her collaborative outreach programs received prestigious recognition during her tenure at Covenant Health System including the Texas Hospital Association’s Excellence Award in Community Outreach, the American Cancer Society’s Harold P. Freeman Award and the Texas Dental Association’s Recognition of Service to the underserved population of Texas.  Since joining the Parenting Cottage, the agency was recognized as a Champion for Children by the Early Learning Centers of Lubbock and in 2022, Carla was honored by the South Plains Coalition for Child Abuse Prevention with the “Cherish the Children” Award for her efforts to prevent child abuse and neglect in the community.