Paula serves as Professor for the Dental Hygiene department and Program Coordinator for the RDH to BSDH Degree Completion program, which provides a self-paced, online option for practicing hygienists to finish their B.S. degree in Dental Hygiene.
Paula graduated with her B.S. in Dental Hygiene in 1998. In 2007, Paula started teaching part-time in the Oregon Tech dental hygiene clinic while earning her Master's in Education. She became a full-time faculty member in 2011. Paula has taught a variety of courses in the Dental Hygiene program, such as Sophomore clinic lead, Junior clinic lead, Pain Management I-II, Prevention I-V, Ethics, Radiology, and a wide range of online courses. Paula recently served eight years as Department Chair of Dental Hygiene from 2017-2025, and has recently resumed teaching activities, which are mostly delivered online
Paula is originally from Klamath Falls and enjoys the small-town lifestyle. She owns and operates a small farm and equine boarding facility, which has been a family business for 30+ years. She spends most of her free time outdoors with her animals and gardening.