Pam Shields

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Pam Shields

Nonpartisan

Centennial School District 28J school board Position 7, At-Large

Tenure

2023 - Present

Term ends

2029

Years in position

2

Prior offices

Centennial School District 28J school board Position 4, At-Large

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Report an officeholder change

Elections and appointments

Last elected

May 20, 2025

Education

High school

Hood River Valley High School

Associate

Mt. Hood Community College

Graduate

Portland State University

Personal

Birthplace

Oregon

Profession

College instructor

Contact

Campaign Facebook

Pam Shields is a member of the Centennial School District 28J school board in Oregon, representing Position 7 At-Large. She assumed office on July 1, 2023. Her current term ends on June 30, 2029.

Shields ran for re-election to the Centennial School District 28J school board to represent Position 7 At-Large in Oregon. She won in the general election on May 20, 2025.

Shields completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2025. Click here to read the survey answers.

Biography

Pam Shields was born in Oregon. She earned a high school diploma from Hood River Valley High School, an associate degree from Mt. Hood Community College, and a graduate degree from Portland State University. Her career experience includes working as a college instructor and legal secretary. Shields has been affiliated with the Oregon Education Association (OEA), MHCC Full-time Faculty Association, and the National Education Association (NEA).

Elections

2025

See also: Centennial School District, Oregon, elections (2025)

General election

General election for Centennial School District 28J school board Position 7, At-Large

Incumbent Pam Shields defeated Rudie Watzig in the general election for Centennial School District 28J school board Position 7, At-Large on May 20, 2025.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Pam Shields (Nonpartisan)	60.4	2,383
		Rudie Watzig (Nonpartisan)	39.0	1,538
		Other/Write-in votes	0.7	26

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	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source 1 Source 2	Total votes: 3,947
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
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Endorsements

Shields received the following endorsements.

• East County Rising

2023

See also: Centennial School District 28J, Oregon, elections (2023)

General election

Special general election for Centennial School District 28J school board Position 7, At-Large

Incumbent Pam Shields won election in the special general election for Centennial School District 28J school board Position 7, At-Large on May 16, 2023.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Pam Shields (Nonpartisan)	94.9	3,266
		Other/Write-in votes	5.1	176

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	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source 1 Source 2	Total votes: 3,442
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

2019

See also: Centennial School District 28J, Oregon, elections (2019)

General election

General election for Centennial School District 28J school board Position 4, At-Large

Incumbent Pam Shields won election in the general election for Centennial School District 28J school board Position 4, At-Large on May 21, 2019.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Pam Shields (Nonpartisan)	97.8	1,912
		Other/Write-in votes	2.2	43

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	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source 1 Source 2	Total votes: 1,955
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Campaign themes

2025

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection

Pam Shields completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2025. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Shields' responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.

Expand all | Collapse all

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

I am a native Oregonian, lifelong learner, educator, and supporter of public education. To preserve the right that every child deserves and should expect a quality education means that individuals who believe in the system must be involved in preserving it. When that right was threatened by those who oppose this ideal, I ran for the Centennial School Board. Hard work and perseverance. When I make the decision to become involved, I am all in. To that end I have served not only as a board member, but as an active participant in committees and opportunities to represent our school district. I have also served as chair and vice chair of the Centennial School District Board.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

• Being education centered at this point in my public service career, the three top issues for me are (1) school funding, (2) access/attendance by all students, and (3) safety in our public schools. School Funding: Engaging our legislators in the discussion of adequate school funding since it is ultimately in the hands of our state legislators is key. Public testimony and working directly with our representatives is imperative.
• Access/Attendance by All Students: A student cannot learn without being in the classroom. But, there are several factors that may keep a student home. We must work with parents and students to make sure they understand the correlation between school attendance and their ultimate success in school. Having an understanding of how good attendance and successful completion of a high school diploma often determines success in the real world of future academic pursuits, in a trade, or your first job. It is an important concept to embrace. We must also ensure that student curriculum is relevant and engaging to facilitate their learning.
• Safety in Our Schools: Safety, both physically and emotionally is a priority in Centennial schools. When a student enters our building they should know they are in an environment that protects them from the negative outside influences that are pervasive in our world today.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

I am passionate about public policy because its one of the most powerful tools we have to create meaningful, lasting change. I am especially interest in how policy can improve access to education that can lead to economic security for our graduating students. I enjoy analyzing how Oregon laws are then committed to policies are in support of our local schools. It is important to be sure these focus on improving public school funding, addressing inequality, curriculum choices, or student rights.

What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?

Following are the principles I believe are important for a school board member and ones that I adhere to:

Communication – Listening well to each board member, the parents, students, and community we represent is probably the first principle.
Integrity – Trust is the foundation of this public position.
Accountability – Taking responsibility for decisions
Empathy – Truly listening to people’s experiences and understanding diverse perspectives.
Courage – Standing up for what’s right, even when it’s unpopular or politically risky.
Vision – Having a clear and compelling idea of the future and how to get there.

Competence – Knowing the issues, understanding policy, and being able to make informed decisions.

What qualities do you possess that you believe would make you a successful officeholder?

I mentioned it before, but it is worth mentioning again. Hard work and perseverance. When I make the decision to become involved, I am all in. To that end I have served not only as a board member, but as an active participant in committees and opportunities to represent our school district. I have also served as chair and vice chair of the Centennial School District Board.

What do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office?

Our role as school board member is statutory. It’s a role that combines leadership, service, and a real commitment to students and families. By Oregon law board members are specifically responsible for the following:

Setting Policy: Establishing district-wide policies on everything from curriculum to student discipline. Plus, ensuring policies align with state and federal laws and community values.
Hiring and Evaluating the Superintendent: Selecting a superintendent to run the school district and holding the superintendent accountable through regular performance reviews.
Approving the Budget: Overseeing how public funds are allocated and spent while ensuring financial decisions support student achievement and equity.
Curriculum and Academic Standards: Approving curriculum choices, graduation requirements, and instructional materials and promoting high academic standards for all our students.
Representing the Community: By listening to parents, students, teachers, and community members. After doing so, then making decisions that reflect the community’s needs and values.
Ensuring Accountability and Transparency: Monitoring school performance and progress, then reporting to the public on key issues like student outcomes, budgets, and initiatives.

Advocating for the District: Working with local and state officials to promote policies that support education. Also, being a voice for public education in the broader community.

What legacy would you like to leave?

There are two to date. Being on the board when we changed names of three elementary schools who are now known as Powell Butte Elementary, Meadows Elementary, and Patrick Lynch Elementary. We knew the public perception of the previous names was a harm to our diverse community and working with our community we came up with a solution to rename yet honor the family who donated land to establish a small rural school. Second, was the hiring of James Owen as Superintendent.
I hope there will be more opportunities when elected for one more term as a Centennial Board member.

What is the first historical event that happened in your lifetime that you remember? How old were you at the time?

The assassination of John F. Kennedy in 1963.

What was your very first job? How long did you have it?

If we do not count picking strawberries it would be for a small law firm in my Junior and Senior years in high school. That led me to continue my education while working as a legal secretary and studying finance law.

What is the primary job of a school board member in your view?

For me, it is showing up. Over the years we have had board members running for a board position to further a political aspiration or to champion a cause. The reality is there are seven elected who must attend to the business of the district, together. Working together in the best interest of our students is our primary job. Not to promote themselves, their singular view point, or to grandstand. Our job is to stand firm in doing the best by our students, by our community.

Who are your constituents?

The students, parents, and collective community of the Centennial School District.

What organizations or individuals have endorsed your campaign?

All current Centennial board members: Claudia Andrews, Jess Hardin, David Linn, Rose Solowski (Chair), and Melissa Standley.

• East County Rising PAC
  
• Clackamas County Democrats
  
• UFCW, Local 555 United Food & Commercial Workers
  
• Western States Carpenter's Union

What are your views on financial transparency and government accountability?

There is no other way to be but transparent, especially financially. Our budget process is completely transparent. Besides the seven board members there are an additional seven community members who oversee the establishment of an annual budget.

Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.

2023

Pam Shields did not complete Ballotpedia's 2023 Candidate Connection survey.

2019

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection

Pam Shields did not complete Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey.

See also

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