BELLINGHAM, WA, August 28, 2025 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Pamela Chelgren-Koterba, CDR, has been included in Marquis Who's Who. As in all Marquis Who's Who biographical volumes, individuals profiled are selected on the basis of current reference value. Factors such as position, noteworthy accomplishments, visibility, and prominence in a field are all taken into account during the selection process.

Ms. Chelgren-Koterba has established a distinguished career marked by groundbreaking achievements and dedicated service across multiple sectors. For the past 15 years, she has served as the treasurer of the Puget Sound Engineering and Scholarship Fund. In this role, she is responsible for reviewing scholarship applications, managing financial records and supporting the organization's mission to advance engineering and science collegiate education.

Since 2006, Ms. Chelgren-Koterba has also volunteered with the United States Coast Guard Auxiliary, where she engages in member and public trainings, leads her local Flotilla, manages the Northwest District Auxiliary program for verifying private aids and bridge lights and provides guidance at the national level on nautical charts, both paper and electronic. Through these efforts, Ms. Chelgren-Koterba supports recreational boating safety by promoting the proper functioning of private aids and bridge lights, and offering safety education support to the broader boating community.

From 2007 to 2019, Ms. Chelgren-Koterba was employed by Witt O'Brien's in on-call oil spill responses, contributing to major operations including Cosco Busan and Deepwater Horizon. Concurrently, from 2013 to 2021, she served with the Washington State Maritime Cooperative in on-call oil spill responses in the Puget Sound area. In both roles, she held various positions on the management team, including exercise design team member, Unit Leader, Planning Section Chief and Incident Commander.

Ms. Chelgren-Koterba's earlier tenure as Crisis Readiness Manager for planning and drills at SERVS (Ship Escort Response Vessel System) of Alyeska Pipeline Service Company from 1996 to 2006 further solidified her reputation as an expert in building safety and emergency preparedness. In this role, she conducted Incident Command System training and organized oil spill exercises in coordination with the Valdez Terminal and owner companies. An active boater and cross-country skier, Ms. Chelgren-Koterba sustained an accidental fall in July 2000, which affected her mobility, yet she continued to advance her career in emergency preparedness and safety leadership.

Ms. Chelgren-Koterba's career began with a historic appointment as the first female officer in the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Commissioned Officer Corps in 1972, a position she held until 1995. During her service, she broke new ground as the first female Operations Officer, a role that is third in command on NOAA ships, and served aboard six vessels. Ms. Chelgren-Koterba's assignments included watchstanding duties, hydrographic surveying on survey launches and serving as officer in charge of a survey launch, plus conducting diving operations to measure wreck depths and service tide gauges.

Throughout her career, Ms. Chelgren-Koterba has been recognized for her expertise in survey and vessel operations. She is a member of several professional organizations, including the Military Officers Association of America and the Association of Commissioned Officers. In retirement, she serves as a Flotilla Commander, a District Staff Officer for Navigation Systems, and Branch Chief for Chart Updating at the national level within the United States Coast Guard Auxiliary.

Ms. Chelgren-Koterba's academic foundation was laid at the University of California, Berkeley, where she earned a Bachelor of Science in Engineering Science with a focus on Bioengineering from the College of Engineering in 1972. She also completed coursework toward a Master of Business Administration degree. Ms. Chelgren-Koterba's technical training includes certification as a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration working scuba diver, a qualification that supported her fieldwork during hydrographic surveys and diving operations.

In addition to her professional accomplishments, Ms. Chelgren-Koterba has maintained active involvement in civic organizations. Since 2010, she has volunteered as treasurer and one of the team leads on application reviewer teams for the Puget Sound Engineering and Scholarship Fund. Additionally, she has volunteered with the United States Coast Guard Auxiliary since 2006 and served as the District Staff Officer for Navigation Services with the Northwest District, since 2011.

Ms. Chelgren-Koterba's contributions have been formally recognized through prestigious honors, including the United States Coast Guard Commandant Letter in 1995 (while still with NOAA) and in 2015 (while serving as a District Staff Officer in the Auxiliary) acknowledging her exceptional leadership and dedication to public service. In addition, she has shared her expertise with the broader professional community by presenting two papers at International Oil Spill Conferences while employed by Alyeska Pipeline Service Company.

Reflecting on her career, Ms. Chelgren-Koterba attributes her success largely to being in the right place at the right time. Early in her studies at the University of California, Berkeley, an interest survey helped guide her decision to pursue engineering science, a choice that combined her analytical abilities with practical applications in bioengineering. This foundation prepared Ms. Chelgren-Koterba for a distinguished career in public service and leadership within her field.

Outside of her professional pursuits, Ms. Chelgren-Koterba enjoys skiing, boating, cruising, and exploring nature through walking. She also dedicates time to volunteer work, reflecting her commitment to community engagement. Looking ahead, Ms. Chelgren-Koterba plans to continue her involvement with the Puget Sound Engineering and Scholarship Fund and the United States Coast Guard Auxiliary.

About Marquis Who's Who®:
Since 1899, when A. N. Marquis printed the First Edition of Who's Who in America®, Marquis Who's Who® has chronicled the lives of the most accomplished individuals and innovators from every significant field of endeavor, including politics, business, medicine, law, education, art, religion and entertainment. Who's Who in America® remains an essential biographical source for thousands of researchers, journalists, librarians and executive search firms around the world. The suite of Marquis® publications can be viewed at the official Marquis Who's Who® website, www.marquiswhoswho.com.

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