Olsen was born in Kragerø the daughter of a mechanic and a housewife. She went to commerce school in 1969 but chose not to attend a higher education institution. Instead she was an office clerk in the newspaper Telemark Arbeiderblad from 1969 to 1990.[1]
She was a member of Telemarkcounty council from 1983 to 1999, serving as deputy county mayor from 1990 to 1995. She has chaired the county party chapter, and been a member of the Labour Party national board. In the municipal council of Kragerø she has only been a deputy member, from 1979 to 1983.[1]
She served as a deputy representative to the Norwegian Parliament from Telemark during the terms 1985–1989 and 1989–1993. She was elected as a full representative in 1997, and was re-elected in 2001, 2005 and 2009. She sat on a different Standing Committee during each of her four parliamentary terms.[1]
Olsen did not stand for re-election in 2013 because she had been diagnosed with cancer. She died from this disease in December 2013 at Marienlyst in Kragerø.[2]
