Paula Akerlund

Paula Akerlund, now retired, served as superintendent of Ocosta School District, located in Westport, Washington, from 2011 to 2017. When she assumed the position in Ocosta, the district had failed two bond measures intended to fund the replacement of a deteriorating elementary school. Recognizing that the possibility of a Cascadia earthquake followed by a tsunami posed a significant risk to her coastal community, Akerlund saw an opportunity to include a vertical evacuation structure with the construction of a new school. She led a successful community effort to fund, design, and construct a new elementary school in which the gym roof serves as a tsunami vertical evacuation refuge. The project, completed in June 2016, was the first of its kind in the United States. Akerlund has received national recognition for her vision, leadership, and commitment to ensuring the safety of her school community. She currently serves on the City of Westport, Washington’s Tsunami Safety Committee, which has received FEMA funding for the construction of a vertical evacuation structure in its marina district.

Akerlund has a bachelor’s degree from Mount Holyoke College, a master’s degree from the University of Oregon, and a doctorate in educational leadership from Seattle University.