Volunteer Paul Hooper appointed to Washougal school board

Paul Hooper will take the Washougal school board No. 5 director seat earlier than he originally anticipated.

Hooper, who is running unopposed for the position in the November election, was appointed to the board Aug. 12 to replace Chuck Carpenter, who resigned in June.

“Because (Paul) has filed for the November election and is running unopposed, appointing him now provides important continuity,” Washougal school board President Sadie McKenzie told The Columbian. “It allows him to begin contributing immediately … which benefits both the board and our community.”

McKenzie and board members Jim Cooper, Ida Royer and Jane Long selected Hooper over applicants Jeannine Goodling, an at-risk student advocate for Evergreen Public Schools, and Frank Lassus, a retired high school math teacher.

Hooper, 50, owns a small business and previously worked at Nike for more than 20 years. He has a biology degree from the University of Portland and a master’s in business administration from Portland State University.

“What I feel like I bring to the board and add to the school district is an innovation mindset,” Hooper said.

“If you’re going to work for corporate America, you have to have a vision and an idea, especially in innovation,” he added. “You start with a blank piece of paper, and you go, ‘I need to build a budget. I need to build a team. I need to build an idea and get something to market.’ You start blank, and you build out what you need to do.”

Hooper said he applied for the position because of a desire to expand his community involvement.

“I do a lot of volunteer coaching,” Hooper said. “Knowing that this position was coming open, I felt like it gave me a chance to enhance the amount of work I’m doing in the community. You have a larger voice and can impact more students, not just the ones that sign up for Little League.”

McKenzie said Hooper “demonstrated a deep commitment to the community through years of involvement in local activities and community service.”

“We believe Paul’s leadership skills, collaborative approach and dedication to youth will serve the district well,” she told The Columbian. “In his application and interview, he demonstrated thoughtful insight into the role of a board director, a strong understanding of our district’s priorities, and a genuine desire to work in partnership with students, families, staff and the community.”