Who We Are

Dr. Heather Olsen is a nationally known educator and researcher who has been involved with the promotion of quality safe play environments for children. She began her academic career in leisure, youth, and human services at the University of Northern Iowa where she now holds the position of Full Professor in the Department of Health, Recreation, and Community Services. Dr. Olsen’s first published research was an investigation of best practices of playground supervision in elementary schools in the State of Iowa. During her pursuit of her doctoral degree, she was mentored by two faculty experts in the area of playground safety, Drs. Donna Thompson and Susan Hudson, collaborating on two major two national playground safety studies. Dr. Olsen co-development 12 theoretical playground safety models that have been disseminated nationally and internationally during the last 28 years. Dr. Olsen didn’t realize that her first works would be a catalyst that would end up changing her life. She learned that studying the complexities of children’s play spaces and the research around the topic of children’s play area safety is an on-going need today’s society.

In October of 1995, the University of Northern Iowa received a grant from the US Centers for Disease Control and Injury Prevention to raise awareness about playground safety. Through the first few years of the development of the grant, the project team wanted to interact with the public and established an outreach program. In 2007 and 2016, Drs. Thompson, Hudson, and Olsen summarized their work in a book S.A.F.E. Play Areas: Creation, Maintenance, and Renovation and S.A.F.E. Playground Handbook.

Dr. Olsen’s scholarship portfolio includes over 20 peer-review articles for notable professional journals, has delivered over 200 state, regional, national, and international presentations, authored two books and two book chapters, and authorship of over 45 service publications and professional manuscripts, which have been adopted by a number of public and private entities. She co-developed a Playground Supervision and Sun Safety train-the-trainer curriculum for the Iowa Department of Public Health. She has co-developed comprehensive educational information, such as Early Childhood Assessment Manual for Outdoor Play Areas, Playground Supervision: A Guiding Reference for Schools & Youth Programs, Playground Safety Inspection Manual: School-Aged Play Spaces, and After the school-aged playground inspection: A guide for reporting findings.

Dr. Olsen’s scholarship has concentrated on playground safety research, child injury and risk assessment, advocacy, and curriculum and instructional delivery. Dr. Olsen served as a principal investigator for the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission sponsored study to assess the safety status of U.S. playgrounds for a variety of risk factors. In addition, she spearheaded a team of leading researchers, scientists, educators, and students for Public Health Canada and the Standards Council of Canada to develop contextual knowledge on the issue of thermal comfort, as it relates to young children, Thermally Comfortable Playgrounds. The Canada Playground Standard adopted the research in an informational annex on thermal comfort and playgrounds (CAN/CSA Z614). She has co-led three national studies conducting onsite playground safety assessments, which resulted in the co-development of the 12 user-friendly theoretical models. From 2005-2008, Dr. Olsen co-directed the Iowa Safe Surfacing Initiative which was a funded by the State of Iowa RIF Bill.

Her research and experience is robust as her expertise has been disseminated across numerous agencies, such as ASTM International, U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, National Health and Safety Performance Standards, Healthy Child Care, Head Start Association, Pediatrics, State Safe Kids Coalitions, Canadian Standards Council, CSA Group, Children’s Safety Network, Agritourism Advisory, the Bilateral Americas International for Harmonization of Playground Standards, numerous state child care licensing divisions, and National Association of the Education of Young Children. Dr. Olsen is an active member of ASTM International, serving as working chair for play equipment for infants and toddlers.

Dr. Olsen has translated her research into user-friendly terms by developing on-line playground safety certification courses and co-authoring educational manuals, safety checklists, and guides. In 2008, Dr. Olsen co-authored five playground safety training certification curriculum programs. She served as a principal investigator for the US Department of Defense for over 12 years co-developing curriculum, credentialing certification, and technical expertise to members of the Army, Air Force, DLA, Navy, Marine Corps, and Space Force personnel.

Along with Dr. Olsen’s faculty appointment, she currently serves as the Executive Director of the National Program for Play Area Safety, which is an international nonprofit organization, bridging the gap between cutting edge research and application for safe playspace design. The goal of the program is to provide information, research, expertise, and advising for governmental agencies, industry, nonprofits, youth-serving agencies, and the public.

Dr. Olsen frequently gives public talks about children’s play areas, climate change impacts on playspaces, and children’s safety. The contributions that have been the most meaningful to her, has been the development of relationships and partnerships on this topic with groups nationally and internationally that continue to provide positive influences on children’s play spaces for the future.

Ms. Lenora Peterson holds an M.Ed. in Early Childhood Education from the University of Texas at Austin, Texas and a BA in Education from Concordia University Chicago in River Forest, Illinois.  Lenora has over 30 years of experience working with young children and early childcare programs.

Ms. Peterson retired from Region 14 Education Service Center as Director of the Center for Young Learners: Head Start. She currently enjoys helping child care programs and offering fitness classes to seniors. Her desire to help others focus on balance, endurance, flexibility, strength, and socialization is one of her passions. She has a strong desire to advocate and support children’s safe and active outdoor play.  She has worked tirelessly the past 10 years helping playground owners understand the importance of outdoor play experiences for young children and potential risks and hazards which may harm a child.  She has been actively assessing early childhood outdoor play environments for the past six years and educating adults through trainings and workshops.  Ms. Peterson’s commitment to detail and advancing appropriate recommendations for programs is rich. Her desire for all children to have healthy and safe outdoor play opportunities is robust.