Mr. Pavlat, a Parkdale graduate, earned his B.A. in English in 1992 and his B.A. in Secondary Education: English in 1994, both from UMD. He returned to Parkdale High School as an English teacher in 2001 and earned his M.A. in Teaching and Learning in 2004 from Nova Southeastern University.

He has had some affiliation with the IB almost every year since coming to Parkdale, serving as EE supervisor many times and teaching Pre-IB World Literature 10, IB English 11, IB English 12, IB Theory of Knowledge, and Research Practicum for the Extended Essay. He became Parkdale's EE coordinator in 2019, acting IB coordinator in 2021, and IB coordinator in 2022.

Mr. Pavlat has earned certificates from the International Baccalaureate in Approaches to Teaching & Learning; English A: Literature; the Extended Essay; The Role of the Coordinator; & Theory of Knowledge. He won the School Leader Recognition Award from the Mid-Atlantic Association of IB World Schools in spring of 2025.

Mr. Pavlat is happily married with six young-adult children. He has many small pets including a frog, a cockatiel, gerbils, and uncountable numbers of fish. In his spare time, he enjoys juggling, watching horror movies, and reading.