Q & A with Healthy Climate Wisconsin's Kari Olson

Laura: Where did you grow up and where do you live now?

Kari: I grew up in Ettrick, Wisconsin, which is a town of 500 people between La Crosse and Winona. Now, I live in Superior, Wisconsin.

Laura: Could you tell me a little bit about the kind of work you do?

Kari: I go to medical school at the University of Minnesota in Duluth, and the reason I go to Duluth is because they have a really strong emphasis on rural family medicine, and that’s what I want to do. I want to be a rural family medicine doctor and do full-spectrum family medicine, including obstetrics.

Laura: What appeals to you about family medicine?

Kari: The breadth of it. I like a day when everything is a little different, and I’m constantly moving and grooving and doing different things. I really like that part of it. I also love the continuity, seeing the same patients and their families, and potentially having third or fourth-generation patients really appeals to me. 

Laura: What would you do on your perfect weekend in Wisconsin?

Kari: I would probably go camping on Madeline Island. That’s one of my favorite Wisconsin weekends to do. I like to swim in the lake and camp at the town campground and do all those fun things.

Laura: What brought you to Healthy Climate Wisconsin?

Kari: It was the power plant project called NTEC (Nemadji Trail Energy Center) that they are trying to build in Superior. I went to a city council meeting to talk about my perspective because my partner and I own a home less than one mile from the proposed site. It’s a very personal issue for us. I went to the meeting and connected with Abby. Healthy Climate Wisconsin is a home for the advocacy work that I have been doing for a while now. It’s a new home for that, so that’s cool. 

Laura: If you could broadcast something to every Wisconsinite about health and climate, what would you say?

Kari: Don’t be afraid to ask for what you deserve.

Laura: What is one of your favorite health and climate projects that you’ve worked on?

Fighting the NTEC power plant has probably got to be my favorite. There’s been so much amazing leadership from Neighbors Against NTEC and Healthy Climate Wisconsin and working alongside talented leaders has been very cool. 

Laura: What is a topic you really geek out about?

Kari: Actually, it’s nephrology. If I wasn’t going to do family medicine, I would be a kidney doctor. 

Laura: What brings you hope?

Kari: Children!