Margaret Olmos

Margaret Olmos is the Director of the Compassionate Education Systems team in California which aims to improve the educational outcomes of young people experiencing homelessness, involved in the foster care system, and on juvenile probation. This initiative works in local communities to ensure students experience compassion by the many adults entrusted to support them and are supported on their path to graduate from high school and the futures they want for themselves.

Prior to joining the National Center for Youth Law, Margaret was the Assistant Superintendent of Student Programming for the Recovery School District in New Orleans, Louisiana. In her role, Margaret expanded career-pathways to bridge grade school, Community College, and industry partnerships aimed at serving historically under-valued youth. Prior to her time in New Orleans, Margaret served in the Obama Administration, first serving in the White House as the Deputy Director of Research, and then moving to the U.S. Department of Education as the Chief of Staff for the Office for Civil Rights. Margaret began her career as an AmeriCorps National Civilian Community Corps member. She earned her bachelor's in Political Science from Haverford University, with a minor in Special Education, and earned a master's in Comparative Politics from Queens University in Northern Ireland, where she was trained as a mediator.

Margaret lives in Sacramento with her husband, two young children and crazy dog.