Board Member since 2016
Paula Stewart, a native of Massachusetts, received her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Art Education from the University of Massachusetts (Amherst), post graduate work in Art Therapy at Pratt Institute in New York and a Master of Arts degree from the George Washington University in the District of Columbia, with a Therapeutic Recreation major and a concentration in Gerontology. Prior to managing both the Sherwood Senior Center in Sherwood and the Juanita Pohl Center in Tualatin for the Meals on Wheels People, Paula was the Director of Adult Services for the Mittleman Jewish Community Center in Southwest Portland and had also worked for the Urban League of Portland to establish their first Senior Center in Northeast Portland. She is currently employed by the City of Hillsboro as the Manager of the award winning Hillsboro Community Senior Center. Throughout her career with older adults, she has consistently demonstrated great leadership along with innovative partnership. She has a talent for addressing difficult situations while strongly advocating for equitable outcomes.
Since relocating to Oregon many years ago, Paula channeled her creative energies into her work as a Fiber Artist with specific interest in liturgical handweaving. She has received well deserved recognition locally and internationally for her exhibited work and has been a published author as well as a commissioned artist. You can often see how her creativity transcends into her everyday career and personal life. She is excited to be a member of the Board of Directors of the Rice Museum.