Paul M. Scholz

Biography

Paul M. Scholz is Deputy Assistant Administrator for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA’s) National Ocean Service (NOS). As the Deputy Assistant Administrator for Ocean Services and Coastal Zone Management at NOAA, Mr. Scholz oversees the financial, administrative, and performance activities across NOS to address the evolving economic, environmental, and social pressures on our ocean, coasts, and coastal communities. His portfolio focuses on NOS’s conservation and stewardship mission, with particular emphasis on coastal resilience, coastal zone management, coastal ocean science, marine sanctuaries, estuarine research reserves, response and restoration, and related activities.

Mr. Scholz has over 25 years of experience at NOAA. He previously served as the Chief Financial Officer/Chief Administrative Officer, where he provided executive direction, oversight, and guidance for NOS operations and for financial, human resources, and administrative activities to support and manage a staff of over 2,200 federal and contract employees and over $620 million in federal financial resources.

He also served as the deputy director in NOS’s Office for Coastal Management, providing leadership and support for all new office integration efforts since the office’s inception in 2014. Mr. Scholz served for 17 years in the NOAA Coastal Services Center, including seven years as the Management and Budget Division director and 11 years as director of the Coastal Management Services Division.

Mr. Scholz has had a number of detail assignments, including serving as director for the National Weather Service’s Climate Services Division, where he led the implementation of their Climate Services Program. He has also served as Deputy for NOS’s Office of Response and Restoration, in the Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research’s Climate Program Office, and at the Federal Emergency Management Agency, where he conducted an executive evaluation of the Flood Map Modernization program.

Mr. Scholz holds a master’s degree in marine science from the University of South Carolina and a bachelor’s degree in wildlife management from Southern Illinois University. Prior to joining NOAA, Mr. Scholz was a Knauss Fellow in Marine Policy, director of International Coastal Programs for the University of South Carolina, and began his public service career as a Peace Corps aquaculture volunteer in Ecuador.