Saint Paul -- Governor Tim Pawlenty today announced the appointment of State Senator Gen Olson and State Representative Barb Sykora as members of the Minnesota delegation to the Education Commission of the States.

Gen Olson, of Minnetrista, is State Senator for District 33. She was first elected to the Minnesota Senate in 1982, and is serving in her seventh term. Sen. Olson is the ranking minority member on the Senate Education Policy Committee and the Senate Education Finance Committee. She received a B.S. in Education and an Ed.D. from the University of Minnesota. Sen. Olson fills the Commission seat formerly held by Sen. Martha Robertson.

Barb Sykora, of Excelsior, is State Representative for District 33B. She was first elected to the Minnesota House of Representatives in 1994 and is serving in her fifth term. Rep. Sykora is the chair of the House Education Policy Committee and also serves as a member of the House Education Finance Committee. She received a B.A. in Education from the College of St. Catherine. Rep. Sykora fills a vacant seat on the Commission.

The Education Commission of the States is an interstate compact created in 1965 to improve public education by facilitating the exchange of information, ideas and experiences among state policymakers and education leaders. A highly-respected national organization, the Commission is headquartered in Denver, Colorado. The Minnesota delegation consists of seven members, including the Governor himself.