Dr. Paul E. Coakley joined Multnomah Education Service District on July 1, 2021 as Superintendent with deep connections and existing relationships with students and component districts. He grew up in Oregon, values its strong traditions, opportunities for growth, and its increasingly diverse population of students. From a young age, he learned to successfully navigate predominately white spaces as a Black man. This informs his strong commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion. The depth of his personal and professional experiences, along with his collaborative leadership style, allow MESD to achieve successful outcomes for ALL students, while providing a safe and positive environment for the development of our staff and educators. Most importantly, Dr. Coakley is leading MESD as a regional leader and convener in the areas of racial equity and social justice.

Dr. Coakley began his school administrator career in 2008 as the Principal of Hudson Park Elementary School in the Rainier School District, located in Rainier, Oregon.  After six years as Principal, he became Rainier’s Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum & Instruction. In 2014, Dr. Coakley was hired by Centennial School District as Assistant Superintendent/Human Resources Director. He became the Superintendent of Centennial from 2016 to 2021. Before becoming a school administrator, Dr. Coakley taught in Portland Public Schools, and in Champaign, Illinois.

A frequent presenter at state and national conferences on a variety of education topics, Dr. Coakley is a Professor at Portland State University in the Initial Administrative Licensure program for school administrators. He is currently the Superintendent Advisor for the Oregon State Board of Education.  Dr. Coakley also serves on the Coalition of Oregon School Administrators Equity Board.

Dr. Coakley has a Doctorate of Educational Leadership and a Master of Education degree in Curriculum and Instruction, both from Portland State University. Dr. Coakley completed Harvard University's Advanced Educational Leadership Program in 2021. School of Education K-12 Leadership Program.

Dr. Coakley is eagerly anticipating the release of his forthcoming book this fall.