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Our Story

How a Professor and a Visionary Built a Smarter Way to Learn

Dr. Joshua Olson, a professor, practicing CRNA, and board review instructor, spent years helping students prepare for their exams. He saw firsthand how ineffective traditional study methods were, leaving students overwhelmed, burned out, and struggling to retain information.

April Olson, an educator and an expert in creating engaging learning experiences, saw the opportunity to bring joy and motivation to the process. She knew that when students enjoy learning, they retain information better, feel more confident, and stay engaged.
Together, they created Ollivate—the smarter, more engaging way
to master boards.

Backed by research, built for Success

The Ollivate Team didn’t just want to create another study tool—they wanted something that actually worked. They turned to cognitive science and gamification to make studying more effective, engaging, and enjoyable, leading to Ollivate’s Four Research-Backed Learning Pillars:

From classroom to app – making learning accessible anywhere

As Dr. Olson worked with his students to prepare them for boards, they kept asking for more flexible ways to study. They wanted something they could use:
  • On the go – between cases, on their commute, or between shifts
  • At their own pace – without long, overwhelming study sessions
  • With real-time feedback – to adjust and improve their learning

Ollivate was built to make that possible. Now, students can:

  • Navigate a map-based study plan that follows the NCE content outline
  • Climb leaderboards to stay motivated and compete with peers
  • Track progress and focus on weak areas
  • Complete daily quests to build study consistency

Meet the ollivate team – the minds behind the magic

It takes a world-class team to build a world-class learning platform.
Get to know the people behind Ollivate—and what makes them tick!

Dr. Joshua Olson

Co-Founder & Chief Knowledge Alchemist

Master of Memory & Learning Science
Board Review Architect CRNA & Professor

Dr. Joshua Olson

Co-Founder & Chief Knowledge Alchemist

🧠 Master of Memory & Learning Science | 🎓 CRNA & Professor | 📚 Board Review Architect
🎮 Ultimate Skill: Turning complex topics into brain-boosting study sessions
Power Up: An unstoppable bike commuter—rides to work year-round, through ice, snow, and subzero temperatures like it’s just another day at the office.

April Olson

Co-Founder & Chief Experience Wizard

Engagement Expert
Strengths-Based Leader
Energy Amplifier​

April Olson​

Co-Founder & Chief Experience Wizard​

🎮 Ultimate Skill: Bridging vision and action—turning big ideas into reality and creating meaningful connections

🎤 Power-Up: Can lead camp songs for 1,000+ people and get everyone to sing along!sessions

Delbert Cope

Tech Architect & Code Sorcerer

System Builder
Digital Fortress Creator
Tech Whisperer

Delbert Cope

Tech Architect & Code Sorcerer

🎮 Ultimate Skill: Transforming ideas into seamless, scalable technology

🛠️ Power-Up: Helps friends build custom arcade machines—because why not?

Eric Lattin

Gold Coin Collector

Financial Game Designer
Growth Tactician
Expansion Guru

Eric Lattin

Gold Coin Collector

🎮 Ultimate Skill: Turning spreadsheets into strategy and receipts into roadmaps

💡 Power-Up: Once budgeted a week-long trip to Panama down to the cent.

Scott Ladue

Game Master & Product Strategist

Player Experience Optimizer
Feature Balancer

Scott Ladue

Game Master & Product Strategist

🎮 Ultimate Skill: Making sure every tap, swipe, and click feels like a win

Power Up: Can name every Fantasy book—backward!

Grace Adrias

Quest Guide & Player Support Champion

Community Builder
Customer Experience
Healer Leaderboard Referee

Grace Adrias

Quest Guide & Player Support Champion

🏆️ Ultimate Skill: Supercharging players to level up effortlessly and dominate the game!

⚡️ Power-Up: Has an angel-dog named Marcus who has heavenly powers to track treat jars and snacks from miles away and charms anyone with divine snuggles and kisses.

Eds Leonisa

Operations Ninja & Social Media Spellcaster

Workflow Streamliner Content Creator
Engagement Strategist

Eds Leonisa

Operations Ninja & Social Media Spellcaster

🎮 Ultimate Skill: Balancing behind-the-scenes magic with front-facing community building

📖 Power-Up: Lives with five fluffy Pomeranian sidekicks who may or may not believe they run the Ollivate headquarters.

Michelle Lazo

Quest Guide & Player Support Champion

Community Builder
Customer Experience Healer
Leaderboard Referee

Michelle Lazo

Quest Guide & Player Support Champion

Ultimate Skill: Guiding every player through challenges seamlessly and helping them level up with confidence.

Power-Up: Loves binge-watching series—all-time favorite: Brooklyn Nine-Nine.

Join the mission - be part of the future of learning

Ollivate was built with one goal: to Game Your Brain™—making studying smarter, more engaging, and more effective for healthcare professionals.

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