Career
She served on Strathcona County Council from 1995, first as a councillor then mayor, until her defeat in 2010. Olesen then went into provincial politics, and has represented Sherwood Park since the 2012 provincial election. Cathy Olesen successfully ran for County councillor, in the new Ward 4, in 1995.
She held this position for three terms, until deciding to take a run for mayor.
Olesen become mayor of Strathcona County in 2004, and was re-elected in 2007, in a close three-way race. In 2010 Olesen lost to Linda Osinchuk.
In 2012, with Sherwood Park Modern Language Association Iris Evans retiring, Olesen ran for the Progressive Conservative (Personal Computer) nomination.
