The Alabama Association of School Boards has installed a slate of new leaders to its 2026 Board of Directors (B.O.D.), including St. Clair County school board member Scott Suttle, the association’s new president. Suttle and other leaders were sworn in Saturday, Dec. 6, during the closing general session of AASB’s Annual Convention held at The Renaissance Montgomery Hotel & Spa.

Suttle will begin a one-year term as head of the association that represents every public local school board in Alabama, encompassing nearly 900 board members. Together, these boards guide policies that affect the state’s approximately 750,000 public schoolchildren.  

“Scott brings decades of dedicated service to Alabama’s students and an unwavering commitment to strong, effective school governance,” said AASB Executive Director Sally Smith. “We are thrilled to have him as our president and know that his experience, integrity and passion for public education will continue to strengthen school boards across our state.”

Suttle, who also previously served as AASB president-elect and District 6 director, succeeds Russell Clausell of the Geneva City Board of Education, who will remain on the Board of Directors as immediate past president.

Randy Smalley of the Tuscaloosa County Board of Education was installed as the association’s new president-elect. Smalley most recently held the position of AASB District 7 director.

Having previously been appointed to fill vacancies left by former directors, District 4 Director Dr. Chanté Ruffin of the Alexander City Board of Education, District 6 Director Michael Webb of Calhoun County Board of Education and District 8 Director Donna Jones of the Haleyville City Board of Education were elected to serve their first full terms on AASB's B.O.D.

New to the board is Mark Story of the Dallas County Board of Education who was elected to his first term as District 2 director, and Clarence Squires of the Tuscaloosa County Board of Education who was appointed to fulfill the balance of the District 7 director term vacated by newly installed AASB President-elect Randy Smalley. 

Two members currently serving on the BOD were formally installed after receiving appointments to serve out the balance of vacant terms: District 3 Director Tara Singley of the Houston County Board of Education; and District 9 Director Rhonda Smith of the Boaz City Board of Education.

Dr. Tonya Chestnut, who serves as a non-voting member of the BOD, who was reappointed to a second one-year term as the State Board of Education liaison. Other members of 14-member Board of Directors include District 1 Director Ann Peach (Brewton Board of Education) and District 5 Director Derek Henderson (Alabaster Board of Education).

“Our new leaders bring bold vision, deep expertise and a wide range of experiences from across Alabama,” said Smith, who serves as board secretary/treasurer. “Their combined leadership will play a vital role as we work to strengthen public education and pursue excellence for every student.”

AASB has nine districts representing geographical areas of the state. The district directors, along with AASB’s officers, govern the association’s activities. 

Scott Suttle

AASB President Scott Suttle has been a member of the St. Clair County Board of Education since 2001 and currently serves as board chair. 

Prior to becoming AASB's president-elect, Suttle previously served as District 6 director and is a 2021 recipient of the All-State School Board Award, the association’s highest honor for school board members. He has reached master status in the AASB School Board Member Academy with more than 560 training hours.

Retired from a 40-year career with Thompson Tractor, Suttle is a licensed helicopter pilot and occasionally volunteers to assist the St. Clair County Sheriff’s Department.  

Randy Smalley 

AASB President-Elect Randy Smalley has served as a member of the Tuscaloosa County school board since 2016. He previously served as District 7 director from 2022 to 2025. He has reached Master Honor Roll in the AASB School Board Member Academy, earning more than 300 training hours.

Smalley has been an active voice for education advocacy, serving several years on the Advocacy and Equity Committees. A small business owner, he also is actively involved in his community, with more than 30 years of involvement with youth organizations including Duncanville Middle School Booster Club (chartered), Hillcrest High School Booster Club (served as president), South Tuscaloosa Mustangs (founded), YMCA Youth Sports (president) and the YMCA Youth Football League.

Russell Clausell

AASB Immediate Past President Russell Clausell is president of the Geneva school board. He has been a member of the board since 2015. Clausell previously served as AASB President-Elect and District 3 director and has been an active member of the association, serving on numerous committees including Advocacy, Bylaws, Resolutions, Executive and many others.

An active member of the Wiregrass community, Clausell also currently serves as chairman of the Geneva County United Way; chaplain for the Wiregrass Hospital; Geneva City Planning Commission; Chaplain of the Geneva Police Department, Geneva Rotary Club, and Advisory Board for Bankplus. 

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

Mark Story 

As District 2 director, Mark Story 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.  

A member of the Dallas County Board of Education since 2005, Story has reached level four in the AASB School Board Member Academy and has also served as a member of AASB’s Advocacy and Bylaws Committees. 

Tara Singley

As District 3 director, Tara Singley 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. Singley has been a member of the Houston County school board since 2024.

A member of the Houston County Board of Education since 2024, Singley is a retired schoolteacher with more than two decades of experience teaching first through sixth grades. 

Dr. Chanté Ruffin

As District 4 director, Dr. Chante Ruffin 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. 

Ruffin, a pediatrician in the Alexander City area, joined the Alexander City school board in 2020. She has reached master level in the AASB School Board Member Academy and has served on the AASB Resolutions Committee.  

Michael Webb

District 6 Director Michael (Mike) Webb represents the school boards of represents the Alabama Institute for Deaf and Blind as well as the 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 school boards.

Webb has served on the Calhoun County Board of Education since 2018. He has reached level four in AASB’s School Board Member Academy, with more than 200 training hours. Webb was employed as an officer with the Anniston City Police Department for 12 years and now owns a business. 

Donna Jones

District 8 Director Donna Jones represents the 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.  

Jones, who served as an educator for over three decades, joined the Haleyville City Board of Education in 2016. A passionate advocate for public education, she regularly engages with local elected officials to champion student needs. She is a 2024 recipient of AASB’s A-Team Advocacy Award.

Her commitment to board development is evident through her service on AASB's Advocacy, Resolutions and Board Training Advisory Committees and achievement of master level status in the School Board Member Academy with more than 250 training hours. 

Rhonda Smith

District 9 Director Rhonda Smith represents the school boards of the Alabama School of Cyber Technology & Engineering, Albertville, Arab, Blount County, Boaz, Guntersville, Huntsville, Jackson County, Madison, Madison County, Marshall County, Oneonta and Scottsboro.

Smith has served as a Boaz school board member since 2014 and has reached master level in the School Board Member Academy with more than 200 training hours. She has also served on the AASB Bylaws and Nominating Committees as well as the Federal Relations Network.

She is a certified academic language therapist (specializing in Dyslexia) and serves as the Director of Education Services for the Dyslexia Resource Center.