diff --git a/ietf/api/serializers_rpc.py b/ietf/api/serializers_rpc.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..2793690b06
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ietf/api/serializers_rpc.py
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+# Copyright The IETF Trust 2025, All Rights Reserved
+from rest_framework import serializers
+
+from ietf.person.models import Person
+
+
+class PersonSerializer(serializers.ModelSerializer):
+    picture = serializers.URLField(source="cdn_photo_url", read_only=True)
+
+    class Meta:
+        model = Person
+        fields = ["id", "plain_name", "picture"]
+        read_only_fields = ["id", "plain_name", "picture"]
diff --git a/ietf/api/urls_rpc.py b/ietf/api/urls_rpc.py
index cfdb279307..b69755f9dc 100644
--- a/ietf/api/urls_rpc.py
+++ b/ietf/api/urls_rpc.py
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@
     url(r"^person/persons_by_email/$", views_rpc.persons_by_email),
     url(r"^person/(?P<person_id>[0-9]+)/$", views_rpc.rpc_person),
     url(r"^persons/$", views_rpc.rpc_persons),
+    url(r"^persons/search/", views_rpc.RpcPersonSearch.as_view()),
     url(r"^subject/(?P<subject_id>[0-9]+)/person/$", views_rpc.rpc_subject_person),
 ]
 
diff --git a/ietf/api/views_rpc.py b/ietf/api/views_rpc.py
index f80374a662..b4ea0c240c 100644
--- a/ietf/api/views_rpc.py
+++ b/ietf/api/views_rpc.py
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-# Copyright The IETF Trust 2023-2024, All Rights Reserved
+# Copyright The IETF Trust 2023-2025, All Rights Reserved
 
 import json
 
@@ -12,8 +12,14 @@
 from django.shortcuts import get_object_or_404
 from django.views.decorators.csrf import csrf_exempt
 from django.contrib.auth.models import User
+from drf_spectacular.utils import extend_schema_view, extend_schema
+from rest_framework import generics
+from rest_framework.fields import CharField
+from rest_framework.filters import SearchFilter
+from rest_framework.pagination import LimitOffsetPagination
 
 from ietf.api.ietf_utils import requires_api_token
+from ietf.api.serializers_rpc import PersonSerializer
 from ietf.doc.models import Document, DocHistory, RelatedDocument
 from ietf.person.models import Email, Person
 
@@ -63,6 +69,45 @@ def rpc_persons(request):
     return JsonResponse(response)
 
 
+class RpcLimitOffsetPagination(LimitOffsetPagination):
+    default_limit = 10
+    max_limit = 100
+
+
+class SingleTermSearchFilter(SearchFilter):
+    """SearchFilter backend that does not split terms
+    
+    The default SearchFilter treats comma or whitespace-separated terms as individual
+    search terms. This backend instead searches for the exact term.
+    """
+
+    def get_search_terms(self, request):
+        value = request.query_params.get(self.search_param, '')
+        field = CharField(trim_whitespace=False, allow_blank=True)
+        cleaned_value = field.run_validation(value)
+        return [cleaned_value]
+
+
+@extend_schema_view(
+    get=extend_schema(
+        operation_id="search_person",
+        description="Get a list of persons, matching by partial name or email",
+    ),
+)
+class RpcPersonSearch(generics.ListAPIView):
+    # n.b. the OpenAPI schema for this can be generated by running
+    # ietf/manage.py spectacular --file spectacular.yaml
+    # and extracting / touching up the rpc_person_search_list operation
+    api_key_endpoint = "ietf.api.views_rpc"
+    queryset = Person.objects.all()
+    serializer_class = PersonSerializer
+    pagination_class = RpcLimitOffsetPagination
+
+    # Searchable on all name-like fields or email addresses
+    filter_backends = [SingleTermSearchFilter]
+    search_fields = ["name", "plain", "email__address"]
+
+
 def _document_source_format(doc):
     submission = doc.submission()
     if submission is None:
diff --git a/ietf/person/models.py b/ietf/person/models.py
index f703cf0ad8..2be3c1cc82 100644
--- a/ietf/person/models.py
+++ b/ietf/person/models.py
@@ -88,7 +88,7 @@ def short(self):
         else:
             prefix, first, middle, last, suffix = self.ascii_parts()
             return (first and first[0]+"." or "")+(middle or "")+" "+last+(suffix and " "+suffix or "")
-    def plain_name(self):
+    def plain_name(self) -> str:
         if not hasattr(self, '_cached_plain_name'):
             if self.plain:
                 self._cached_plain_name = self.plain
diff --git a/rpcapi.yaml b/rpcapi.yaml
index ef2e5559a0..6e6e316ca0 100644
--- a/rpcapi.yaml
+++ b/rpcapi.yaml
@@ -85,6 +85,37 @@ paths:
                                 type: object
                                 additionalProperties:
                                     type: string
+    
+    /persons/search/:
+        get:
+            operationId: search_person
+            description: Get a list of persons, matching by partial name or email
+            parameters:
+                - name: limit
+                  required: false
+                  in: query
+                  description: Number of results to return per page.
+                  schema:
+                      type: integer
+                - name: offset
+                  required: false
+                  in: query
+                  description: The initial index from which to return the results.
+                  schema:
+                      type: integer
+                - name: search
+                  required: false
+                  in: query
+                  description: A search term.
+                  schema:
+                      type: string
+            responses:
+                '200':
+                    description: OK
+                    content:
+                        application/json:
+                            schema:
+                                $ref: '#/components/schemas/PaginatedPersonList'
 
     /person/create_demo_person/:
         post:
@@ -457,6 +488,30 @@ components:
                             stream:
                                 type: string
 
+        PaginatedPersonList:
+            type: object
+            required:
+                - count
+                - results
+            properties:
+                count:
+                    type: integer
+                    example: 123
+                next:
+                    type: string
+                    nullable: true
+                    format: uri
+                    example: https://api.example.org/accounts/?offset=400&limit=100
+                previous:
+                    type: string
+                    nullable: true
+                    format: uri
+                    example: https://api.example.org/accounts/?offset=200&limit=100
+                results:
+                    type: array
+                    items:
+                        $ref: '#/components/schemas/Person'
+
     securitySchemes:
         ApiKeyAuth:
             type: apiKey