Paula Linnen is Executive Director of External Affairs, leading PNNL federal and state legislative affairs; public outreach; and Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) education efforts.
She joined PNNL in 1991 and was named Director of Human Resources in 1996; she held this position until assuming leadership for Organizational Development in 2007. In that role, she directed the laboratory's human resources, communications, and education efforts. Paula helped advance PNNL's and Battelle's foundational roles in the creation of Delta High School, the Hanford Reach Interpretive Center, and the Mid-Columbia STEM Education Collaboratory. She also led creation and expansion of PNNL University, a suite of rigorous leadership development and training programs held at the lab for its executives, managers, project managers, scientists, and engineers.
Paula is currently a committee member for the Stanford Linear Accelerator Center National Accelerator Laboratory Board of Overseers; a member of the Washington State STEM Education Foundation board of directors; a board member of the Association of Washington Business; and a board member and academic committee chair for Heritage University in Toppenish, Wash. She is a past board member of the March of Dimes and the Advisory Council for Washington State University Tri-Cities; past board chair for Columbia Industries; and past vice chair for the Tri-Cities Chapter of the Society of Human Resources Managers.
Benton-Franklin County recognized Paula's volunteerism with its volunteer center's "Golden Heart Award" for volunteer excellence of a board member. She also received the ATHENA Leadership Award for supporting, honoring, and developing women leaders; this award is recognized nationally through local chapters of the Chamber of Commerce.
Paula earned her BS in business administration and marketing from the University of Missouri.