John Olsen

John is an experienced government relations professional with a demonstrated history of working in public policy in the Northeast United States. He has a profound knowledge of New York State politics and the legislative process. John has significant experience representing, managing, and working with global internet and blockchain companies, non-profit organizations, trade associations, and government relations firms. He most recently represented the interests of the Blockchain Association as its New York State Lead where he advocated on matters of public policy before the state government on behalf of the crypto, Web3, and blockchain industry.

Prior to the Blockchain Association, he served as senior vice president of state government affairs for the Internet Association (IA) where he led a team of professionals responsible for legislative engagement in all 50 states. He successfully opened the second state government affairs office in the country for IA in Albany in 2017. While with IA, John was named as one of City & State’s 100 Most Powerful people two years in a row. He has spent nearly two decades lobbying in New York and beyond and has championed or been involved in several high-profile legislative campaigns regarding authorization of transportation network companies statewide, the criminalization of non-consensual intimate imagery, the creation of a New York State Innovation Center (iCenter) and the passage of a Blockchain and Cryptocurrency Taskforce.

He is a graduate of Oneonta State College with a BS in History and lifelong resident of Upstate New York where he resides with his wife and son. He is an avid golfer, traveler, and live music fan and a die-hard fan of the New York Yankees, New York Football Giants, and Pearl Jam.