Submitted by Westport Winery
The nonprofit International Mermaid Museum has recruited Dr. PJ Ford Slack of Ocean Shores to serve on its board of directors. Ford Slack is the former Director of K-12 Education for the State of Alaska. Prior to that she was the school principal in Barrow, Alaska.
Ford Slack earned a doctorate in International Leadership and Education from the University of Oregon where she also received Masters’ degrees in both Special Education and Curriculum Development. Her undergraduate degree from the University of Sydney, Australia, is in marine pharmacology and education. She said, “I love teaching about the creatures of the sea and the exchange of cultural stories.”
Museum board chair, Kim Roberts said: “We are honored to have PJ join the board. Her background in marine life and education is the perfect fit for our organization. She has a keen sense of humor and genuine enthusiasm in her interactions with guests and staff.”
Ford Slack fills the position left open after Ocean Shores city council member Susan Conniry’s resignation. Conniry had served on the board since the museum’s planning began in 2019.
The International Mermaid Museum’s mission is to teach ocean ecology from seashore to sea floor immersed in mermaid mythology uniting world oceanic cultures. In addition to being self-sustaining, funds raised by the museum are designated to providing ocean ecology curriculum and scholarship for students seeking careers in the marine industry.
The museum is open daily from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. and is on the grounds of Westport Winery Garden Resort, located halfway between Westport and Aberdeen on the Washington Coast. For more information go to the International Mermaid Museum website.
