The Alabama Association of School Boards has installed a slate of new leaders to its Board of Directors, including Walker County school board member Brad Ingle, the association’s new president. Ingle and other leaders were sworn in Saturday, Dec. 2, during the closing general session of AASB’s Annual Convention held at The Sheraton Birmingham Hotel in Birmingham.  

Ingle will serve a one-year term at the helm of the association representing all of Alabama’s public local school boards, including nearly 900 local school board members. These school boards provide leadership that impacts the lives of the state’s nearly 750,000 public schoolchildren.  

“Brad is a thoughtful and dedicated leader whose passion is advocating for every student to have what they need to be successful, especially children in high-poverty areas,” said AASB Executive Director Sally Smith. “We are truly delighted to have him as our new president, and we know he will continue to be a strong and compassionate voice for Alabama’s public schools.” 

Ingle steps into the position most recently held by Mary Hooks of the Macon County Board of Education. Hooks will remain on the AASB Board of Directors as immediate past president.  

Russell Clausell of the Geneva City Board of Education was installed as the association’s new president-elect.

Also sworn in to serve on AASB’s 14-member Board of Directors is Camille Gibson of the Bibb County Board of Education who was elected to her first two-year term as District 2 director. 

Reelected to serve second terms on the Board of Directors are District 4 Director Matilda Woodyard-Hamilton of the Tallapoosa County school board, District 6 Director Scott Suttle of the St. Clair County school board and District 8 Director Jimmy Dobbs of the Morgan County school board.  

Melanie Hill of the Dothan City Board of Education is the new District 3 director after an appointment by AASB’s Board of Directors to fulfill the balance of former District 3 Director Russell Clausell’s term.

“This diverse group of leaders brings with them a wealth of knowledge, experience and proven leadership,” Smith said. “We are excited about the contributions they each will make in advancing the association’s strategic goals.”  

AASB has nine districts representing geographical areas of the state. The district directors, along with AASB’s officers, govern the association’s activities. Non-voting members of the Board include Smith, who serves as secretary and treasurer, and Dr. Tonya Chestnut who serves as the State Board of Education liaison. Also serving on the board are District 1 Director Ann Peach of the Brewton City school board, District 5 Director Derek Henderson of the Alabaster City school board, District 7 Director Randy Smalley of the Tuscaloosa County school board and District 9 Director Alice Lessmann of the Madison City school board.  

Bradley Ingle  

AASB President Brad Ingle is president of the Walker County school board, where he has served since 2008. He served two full terms as District 7 director before being elected to a one-year term as president-elect in 2022.

Ingle has attained master status in the AASB School Board Member Academy, earning more than 290 training hours and has served on numerous AASB committees including the Advocacy, Bylaws, Board Training Advisory, Budget & Finance and Equity Committees. He also serves as a trustee for both the Alabama Trust for Boards of Education and the Legal Assistance Fund.

A native of Walker County, Ingle is a senior manager for a leading energy company and serves on the board of directors for the Walker County Children’s Advocacy Center. 

Russell Clausell

AASB President-Elect Russell Clausell has been a member of the Geneva City Board of Education since 2015 and currently serves as board chair. Clausell previously served as AASB District 7 Director, representing the school boards of Andalusia, Barbour County, Coffee County, Covington County, Crenshaw County, Dale County, Daleville, Dothan, Elba, Enterprise, Eufaula, Geneva, Geneva County, Henry County, Houston County, Opp, Ozark, Pike County and Troy.  

Clausell has achieved master honor roll status in the School Board Member Academy and earned nearly 390 training hours. He has been an active member of the association, serving on the Advocacy, Bylaws, Resolutions and Executive Committees.

Retired from the U.S. Army in 1998, Clausell now serves as assistant pastor of Saint Elizabeth Missionary Baptist Church. 

Mary Hooks 

AASB Immediate Past President Mary Hooks has been a member of the Macon County school board since 2010. She served two full terms as AASB District 4 director before being elected AASB president-elect in 2021 and president in 2022. 

Hooks has attained master honor roll status with nearly 500 training hours in the School Board Member Academy and has served on numerous committees, including the Advocacy, Bylaws, Resolutions and Board Training Advisory Committees as well as the School Board Governance Improvement Act Review Task Force.  

She is a retired educator and has participated in numerous civic and community programs, including the Children’s Policy Council and the Distinguished Young Women scholarship competition which she served chaired for more than 20 years.  

Camille Gibson

As District 2 director, Camille Gibson represents the school boards of Autauga County, Bibb County, Butler County, Chilton County, Choctaw County, Dallas County, Demopolis, Linden, Lowndes County, Marengo County, Perry County, Selma and Wilcox County. 

Gibson, a registered nurse and chief operating officer for Bibb Medical Center, is president of the Bibb County Board of Education, where she has served since 2020. She has reached level 4 in the AASB School Board Member Academy, earning more than 130 training hours. 

Matilda Woodyard-Hamilton

As District 4 director, Matilda Woodyard-Hamilton represents the school boards of Alexander City, Auburn, Bullock County, Chambers County, Clay County, Coosa County, Department of Youth Services, Elmore County, Lanett, Lee County, Macon County, Montgomery County, Opelika, Phenix City, Pike Road, Randolph County, Roanoke, Russell County, Tallapoosa County and Tallassee.

Woodyard-Hamilton has been a member of the Tallapoosa County Board of Education since 2006. She has achieved master honor roll status in AASB’s School Board Member Academy, earning more than 657 training hours. She also is a 2021 recipient of the All-State School Board Award, AASB’s highest honor for school board members. 

She has been an active member of the association, serving on the Academic Advisory, Board Training Advisory, Advocacy, Pre-K and Bylaws Committees. 

Scott Suttle

As District 6 director, Scott Suttle represents the school boards of Alabama Institute for Deaf and Blind, Anniston, Attalla, Calhoun County, Cherokee County, Cleburne County, DeKalb County, Etowah County, Fort Payne, Gadsden, Jacksonville, Oxford, Pell City, Piedmont, St. Clair County, Sylacauga, Talladega County and Talladega. 

Suttle has served as a member of the St. Clair County school board since 2001 and currently serves as board president. He is a 2021 recipient of the All-State School Board Award, the association’s highest honor for school board members, and has reached master honor roll status with 500 training hours in the School Board Member Academy. Suttle also has served on the AASB Resolutions Committee. 

Retired from a 40-year career with Thompson Tractor, Suttle currently is a helicopter pilot for the St. Clair County Sheriff’s Department. 

Jimmy Dobbs

As District 8 director, Jimmy Dobbs represents the county school boards of Athens, Colbert County, Cullman, Cullman County, Decatur, Florence, Franklin County, Haleyville, Hartselle, Lauderdale County, Lawrence County, Limestone County, Morgan County, Muscle Shoals, Russellville, Sheffield, Tuscumbia and Winston County. 

Dobbs has served more than 20 years on the Morgan County school board where he currently is vice chair. He has reached the master honor roll level in the AASB School Board Member Academy, earning more than 757 training hours. Dobbs also has been an active member of the association, serving on the Bylaws, Multicultural, Academic Advisory Committees and more. 

He has more than 40 years of experience in the manufacturing industry and currently is employed by G.E. Appliances. 

 
Melanie Hill

District 3 Director Melanie Hill represents the school boards of Andalusia, Barbour County, Coffee County, Covington County, Crenshaw County, Dale County, Daleville, Dothan, Elba, Enterprise, Eufaula, Geneva County, Geneva, Henry County, Houston County, Opp, Ozark, Pike County and Troy.

Hill has been a member of the Dothan City school board since 2021 and has reached level 3 in AASB’s School Board Member Academy with more than 128 training hours. She also has served on the AASB Resolutions Committee.

Hill currently works as the southeast Alabama field representative for U.S. Senator Katie Britt.