I'm Dr. Paulisa J. Scarlett, and I serve as CTE Director and Area Principal for Southeast Island School District.
My background spans grants management, curriculum and instruction, school administration, and business education, work that's given me a wide-angle view of what it actually takes to build programs that last. I hold K–12 Principal licensure in both Alaska and Texas, a Doctorate in Business Administration with published research in risk management strategies for project efficiency, and an MBA. My favorite subject back in college was Strategic Management, which, looking back, probably should have told me I'd end up doing this kind of work.
I want to build a sustainable program for our students and communities in Southeast Alaska, one that outlasts any single grant cycle or school year. I love the student-centered model our Consortium is grounded in, and I'm looking forward to the Personal Learning Career Plans (PLCPs) we'll be developing soon, giving every student a clear, personal path toward their future.
Outside the office, I'm married with two children and two dogs, including a new puppy keeping us all on our toes. My favorite color is pink, I never say no to seafood or a good steak, and you'll usually find a glass of iced tea or ice coffee nearby.
As CTE Director and Area Principal, I lead Career and Technical Education programming across all seven SISD sites, Coffman Cove, Hollis, Kasaan, Naukati, Port Alexander, Thorne Bay, and Whale Pass, and serve as principal of record for six of them.
My work spans a few connected areas:
Building CTE Pathways — Developing hands-on career pathways in the trades, healthcare, business, and civic leadership, in partnership with organizations like AJEATT and IBEW, and connecting students to real credentials, work-based learning, and postsecondary opportunities.
Grant Management — Overseeing Perkins V, ARISE, and other federal and state funding that supports these programs, from compliance and reporting to identifying new funding for student stipends, equipment, and travel.
Testing Coordination — Coordinating statewide assessment administration across all seven sites, including scheduling, materials logistics, testing accommodations, and reporting to the Department of Education and Early Development.
Site Leadership — Supporting principals, teachers, and staff across our small, remote communities, each with its own multi-age classrooms and its own character, while working to give every SISD student access to the same quality of opportunity regardless of which site they attend.
Southeast CTE Consortium — Partnering with Craig, Hydaburg-Heidelberg, and Klawock to share resources, coordinate intensives, and build regional opportunities no single small district could offer alone.
I split my time between big-picture program building and the day-to-day work of actually getting out to our sites, since the best decisions come from knowing our students and communities directly.
Presenter, ACTE CareerTech VISION 2026 — National conference of the Association for Career and Technical Education, New Orleans, December 2026. Two sessions accepted: "From Risk to Results: Project Management Strategies for CTE Leaders" and "Funding CTSOs: Sustainable Grant Strategies for CTE Program Leaders."
Approved Continuing Professional Education (CPE) Provider, Texas Education Agency — Authorized to deliver professional development coursework to educators.
Doctor of Business Administration - Project Management(DBA) — Dissertation research published on risk management strategies for project efficiency. Read the dissertation