Portland Workforce Alliance is excited to have Paul Balmer as one of our newest additions to the PWA Board of Directors! 

Paul (he/him) works as a litigation associate at Tonkin Torp LLP. He graduated from the University of California Berkeley's School of Law, and has held positions as a Judicial Extern in multiple courts, and worked as a Legislative assistant in the U.S. House of representatives. 

Get to know Paul through this Q&A below:

What is some of your best career advice? 

Be curious, be open minded, be kind. Even if you know what career you want to have, your path there will have unexpected turns and detours. Being open to new opportunities and eager to seek advice will enrich your career journey in unplanned ways. 

What was your most memorable job as a teenager? 

First job—lifeguard at Dishman. You never forget the right way to mop a floor. Most memorable job—working as a counselor at Camp Westwind on the Oregon coast. Having round-the-clock responsibility for 8 kids and learning how much my experience and demeanor mattered for the campers' enjoyment taught me lessons about leadership, empathy, and that being cold and wet can be fun if you decide to make it fun. 

What is something you learned in high school about work?

Showing up and being dependable really gets you most of the way there. Go to class, do the homework, go to practice--you don't have to get the top grades or win the race but will stand out just by being there. This is still true in my career today. 

What draws you to serve PWA?

There is a lot of handwringing right now about the Portland community and tomorrow's economy. The best way to address those challenges is by investing in our students and helping them find exciting opportunities and build careers. Plus, I love working with high school students! 

Paul was elected to the PWA Board of Directors in June 2024.