2022 – The Effect of Parent Technology Use on Parent-Child Interactions and Child Outcomes

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The Commission seeks to better understand the impact a parent’s use of technology has on child development outcomes so that we can continue to improve the lives of women in the State of Alabama as well as their families. As a result of the pandemic, the study that began in 2019 was postponed and adapted, with the final report made available the first of 2022.  Key Findings are below along with the full report that is available for download

Overall, the data from this study showed that mothers spend a significant amount of time each day engaged with technological devices, especially smartphones. Mothers indicated that resisting the urge to check their smartphone was difficult, that they were prone to overusing their smartphone, and that the smartphone regularly interrupted interactions they had with their young child. Notably, these were true across various demographic subgroups within the sample (e.g., low- vs. high-income households, female vs. male child, etc.) Interestingly, mother’s beliefs about their smartphone use did not always match their actual use, as when those who agreed that they used the smartphone “too much” logged fewer minutes than those who disagreed. The data also showed that higher levels of smartphone use by mothers corresponded to lower levels of some social, cognitive, and behavioral characteristics in their children and to lesser interactions during free play.

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Penny Townson

Junior Board Member

Penny Townson serves as a TVA Regional Development Specialist for northern Alabama, collaborating with local power companies, community leaders, and economic development partners to attract and retain quality jobs and investments in the region. She supports industries by facilitating financial assistance, assisting businesses, and driving community growth initiatives. Previously, Penny was Vice President of the Morgan County Economic Development Association, focusing on industry recruitment and workforce development. Her background includes serving as Assistant Director of College and Success Partnerships for the Tennessee Higher Education Commission. Penny holds a Master of Public Administration with a concentration in Public Advocacy from Auburn University and has completed the IEDC Basic Course and the OU Economic Development Institute.

Haley Rutland

Junior Board Member

Haley Rutland was raised in the small town of Valley, Alabama. A graduate of Auburn University, she started her career in 2017 in South Carolina before moving back to North Alabama. She is currently the Communications Director for Marshall County Tourism and Sports. She has worked in marketing the Lake Guntersville area since 2020 and won the Young Professional of the Year also known as the Green Apple award from Alabama Mountain Lakes Tourist Association in 2021. She helped successfully launch the “Explore Lake Guntersville” brand which has increased social media and website traffic and the county lodging tax. In 2023, she joined the Marshall County Child Advocacy Center board and currently serves as the secretary. Haley recently graduated from the Marshall County Leadership Challenge where her class helped create an outdoor space for the R.O.S.S. Recovery Center in Albertville. Her hobbies include traveling across the country with her husband, Grant, and their two corgis, Wednesday and Pepper in their fifth-wheel RV.

Alicia Johnson

Junior Board Member

Alicia Johnson is a passionate educator dedicated to fostering potential in others and enhancing literacy and community engagement. With experience as an elementary teacher and Local Reading Specialist in Selma City Schools, she has earned accolades like the Golden Apple Award, secured grants to improve educational outcomes, and led family-focused programs through Meadowview Elementary’s 21st Century Community Learning Center. Currently, she serves as an Education Specialist with the Alabama Reading Initiative (ARI), supporting regional staff and spearheading family and community outreach for the Alabama State Department of Education. Alicia holds a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education from the University of Alabama, a master’s degree in Collaborative Special Education from the University of West Alabama, and has completed the UWA Instructional Leadership Program. Active in her community, she is a member of the Zeta Eta Omega chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc., where she mentors young girls and leads initiatives like youth workshops and book distributions. She also collaborates with Moms on a Mission to promote family involvement and serves on the Employee Relations Board and her children’s school PTA. In her free time, Alicia enjoys learning, engaging with her church, and spending time with her husband and two children.

Addison McNutt

Junior Board Member

Addison McNutt is a native of Decatur, Alabama, and an accomplished Electrical Design & Analysis Engineer with over seven years of experience in the aerospace and defense industries. Currently, she works at Boeing on NASA’s Space Launch System (SLS) Artemis Program in Huntsville, where she develops and tests advanced electronic and electrical systems for the Core Stage and Upper Stage of the rocket. Addison holds a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Mississippi (Ole Miss) and an Executive MBA from The University of Alabama. In addition to her engineering expertise, Addison is an active member of Decatur’s Rotary Club. Outside of work, she enjoys traveling, playing tennis, and spending time with friends and family and her two golden retrievers.

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Cynthia Almond

District 1

Cynthia, a Tuscaloosa native, is an accomplished attorney specializing in estate planning, probate, business law, and real estate, and is the owner of Capitol Park Title. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in History with a minor in Spanish and a Juris Doctor, both from The University of Alabama. Elected in 2021 to the Alabama House of Representatives for District 63, she serves as Chair of the Tuscaloosa County Local Legislative Delegation and holds key roles on several committees, including Vice-Chair of Ethics and Campaign Finance. A former Tuscaloosa City Council member for four terms and President Pro Tem, Cynthia has a legacy of leadership across various organizations, including Leadership Alabama, Capstone Health Services Foundation, and the Alabama Women’s Commission. She is a Sunday School teacher at First United Methodist Church, serves on multiple boards, and is a proud mother of two, Lee and Miller, and grandmother to her first grandchild born this year

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Julie Friedman

District 1

Julie Hall Friedman, a native of Mobile, Alabama, now resides in Fairhope with her husband, Frank, and their three sons—Christopher (Anna Russell), Richard (Martha), and Andrew (Lee)—and five grandsons. She earned her degree in Art History from the University of Alabama, where she graduated with honors, including election to Phi Beta Kappa and Phi Alpha Theta, and received the Mary Morgan Award for Excellence in the Arts. Julie is serving her fifth term on the Alabama State Council on the Arts, where she is a past chairman, and currently chairs the Alabama Writer’s Forum and coordinates the Alabama Writers Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony. She has served on numerous boards, including the Mobile Museum of Art, the Alabama Contemporary Art Center, the Mobile Opera, and the Fairhope Center for the Writing Arts, among others. A graduate of Leadership Mobile and the Leadership Initiative of Leadership Alabama, Julie is a Sustaining Member of the Junior League of Mobile, an Officer Sister in the Order of St. John, and a member of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Mobile, reflecting her deep commitment to the arts, community leadership, and service.

Tami Reist

District 4

Her duties include planning, implementing, directing, and evaluating all promotional programs as well as overall development of the tourism and travel industry within the 16 northernmost counties of the State of Alabama. The region currently generates more than $3.7 billion in travel expenditures on an annual basis.

Tami’s responsibilities also include strengthening and expanding the membership base of AMLA, a not-for-profit organization that is supported by 500-plus members consisting of Chambers of Commerce, Convention & Visitors Bureaus, attractions, campgrounds, festivals, communities, counties, golf courses, restaurants, tour operators, accommodations, vendors,  financial institutions, and individuals.

Tami is a board member for a number of tourism and travel-related and civic organizations including: Governor Appointee to the Scenic Byways Committee, Main Street Alabama, Southeast Tourism Society Legislative Council, Alabama Travel Council, Alabama Council of Association Executives, Alabama Association of Destination Marketing Organizations, and numerous other local and state travel related groups. Tami is also an instructor at the Southeast Tourism Society’s Marketing College, and has been a contributing presenter to the tourism and travel field of study at Mississippi State University.

Emily Marsh

Junior Board Member

Emily Marsh is a native from Montgomery, Alabama and graduated from Faulkner University Magna Cum Laude with a B.A. in English. Having previously worked in the Governor’s Office and for several non-profits, Emily has over a decade of experience in Government Affairs. She also has extensive experience in event planning, fundraising, grant writing and freelance writing. She previously wrote for Beasley Allen Law Firm, Future Montgomery Magazine, River Region Living Magazine and RSVP Montgomery Magazine, among others. Emily works for the Alabama Department of Child Abuse and Neglect Prevention as Public Affairs Manager, where she overseas the agency’s government affairs and public relations. Emily has served on the Nellie Burge Advisory Committee as well as a member of the Kid One Transport Board. In her free time, Emily enjoys spending time with her six nieces and nephews, music, traveling, exercising, and reading.

Dr. Karen Benn Marshall

District 5

Dr. Karen Benn Marshall serves as full professor, Vice President for Enrollment Services and Retention and as the Interim Dean for the School of Nursing and Health Professions at Oakwood University. She previously served as the Vice President for Academic Administration, Interim Senior Vice President and Dean of the School of Nursing and Health Professions. Prior to that, she was the Dean of the School of Health Professions, Science and Wellness at Washington Adventist University in Silver Spring, Maryland. Dr. Benn Marshall also served as Chair and Professor of Biology at the Takoma Park/Silver Spring Campus of Montgomery College. She received her bachelor’s degree in biology and a minor in chemistry from Oakwood University, a master’s degree in biology with a concentration in physiology from Alabama A & M University and her doctorate in science education with a concentration in biology from Morgan State University. Dr. Benn Marshall has served in several administrative and teaching capacities at the post-secondary level for over twenty-five years. She has researched, published and lectured in the areas of education, science, and the health professions. She and her husband Michael have two adult children, Michael, II and Briana.  

Katherine Robertson

District 6

Katherine Robertson serves as Chief Counsel to Attorney General Steve Marshall.

Robertson holds a B.S. in political science from Auburn University and a J.D. from the University of Alabama School of Law. She began her career at the U.S. Department of Justice in the Office of Intergovernmental and Public Liaison where she assisted in fostering relationships between the Department and state and local law enforcement. She later served U.S. Senator Jeff Sessions as legislative counsel on the Senate Judiciary Committee, handling matters related to crime, drugs and national security.

In addition to her service on the Women’s Commission, Robertson is also a gubernatorial appointee to the Fair Ballot Commission. She sits on the Executive Committee of the Board of Directors for Cornerstone Schools of Alabama.

Anita Archie

Emeritus Board Member

Anita Archie has more than 25 years of public service spanning municipal government, state government, and higher education. She formerly served as interim President of Trenholm State Community College, a comprehensive two-year community college located in Montgomery, Alabama, before being hired as Manager of, Workforce Development Program, Alabama Power.

Archie began her career as a prosecutor in the Office of the Alabama Attorney General in 1992. She quickly became Division Chief, the Environmental Division representing the interests of ratepayers before the Alabama Public Service Commission. She later joined the Legislative Reference Service as a legislative attorney specializing in writing economic and community development incentive legislation.

Archie served as the first black senior attorney for the Alabama Development Office (currently the Alabama Department of Commerce). She served as an associate or lead counsel on behalf of the State of Alabama in many economic development projects in the 2000s, including the successful recruitment of Hyundai Motor Manufacturing of Alabama (HMMA). Later, Governor Don Siegelman and Governor Bob Riley appointed her Supplier Development Coordinator on behalf of the state for Tier 1 and Tier 2 projects of HMMA.

Archie briefly left state government in 2005 to serve as Executive Director of the Montgomery Riverfront Development Foundation and the Montgomery Public Housing Authority. Archie later joined in 2007 the Alabama Community College System and served as the Director of Government Relations, where she successfully advocated for Alabama’s community colleges. Later, she served as Senior Vice President, Intergovernmental Affairs, Advocacy and Communications, and Legal Counsel for the Business Council of Alabama. From 2013 to 2017, Archie served as Chief of Staff to the Mayor of Montgomery and was responsible for oversight of community development, personnel, and city council relations. Archie left the city in July 2017 to become the Deputy Director and Executive Counsel for the Alabama Department of Economic Affairs before later being appointed interim president.

Archie served on numerous boards and commissions, including a member of the Alabama Environmental Management Commission (chair for two years); the Alabama Women’s Commission (chair, two years), the Southern Rail Commission, Board of Directors, and Executive Committee member of the Business Council of Alabama (BCA), treasurer, BCA. Currently, she  serves as an emeritus member and advisor, Alabama Women’s Commission, Board of Directors, Montgomery Area Chamber of Commerce, and the Alabama  Constitution Recompilation Committee (appointed by the Speaker of the House, Mac McCutcheon).

She is married to Eric Archie, and they have two children Erica and Amari.

Dr. Lori Owens

Emeritus Board Member

Dr. Lori Owens is a professor of political science at Jacksonville State University where she also serves as director of the Honors Program and senior director of Undergraduate Studies and Special Programs.  She earned her Doctorate in Political Science and an outside minor in U.S. Constitutional History from The University of Alabama in 2001, where she also earned her Master’s Degree in Political Science.  She is a 1993 cum laude graduate of Jacksonville State University with a major in Political Science and a Minor in English.  Dr. Owens chairs the JSU  American Democracy Project Committee and the Study Abroad Subcommittee, and also serves as the campus advisor for the Pre-Law Program and faculty advisor for the Model UN and Model Arab League Debate Teams.

Dr. Owens served as chair of the Alabama Higher Education Partnership from 2007-2012 and continues to serve as a board member. She is also a emeriti member and past chair of the Alabama Women’s Commission and was a founding member of the Cherokee County Family Resource Center.

Dr. Owens’ book, Original Intent and the Struggle for the Supreme Court:  The Politics of Judicial Appointments was published in 2005 and examines the judicial philosophy of original intent and how the 1987 Robert Bork hearings impacted the judicial nomination and confirmation process.  She is currently writing a book on the life and public service career of U.S. Senator James Allen of Alabama who served in the U.S. Senate from 1969 until his death in 1978.    

As part of her expansion and updating of disciplinary knowledge, Dr. Owens participated in a NATO/EU Study Tour in Brussels, Belgium in 2002, a Malone Fellowship to Yemen in 2008, a 2015 Alwaleed Bin Talal Fellowship to the Sultanate of Oman, and a 2019 Cuba People to People Exchange.    

Dr. Owens currently teaches courses on Southern Politics, Middle East, and American Foreign Policy.  She enjoys gardening, reading, and traveling.  She resides in the Forney Community of Cherokee County in the house built by her Grandparents.

Julia Harwell Segars

Emeritus Board Member

Author, artist and retired corporate executive Julia Harwell Segars is a 1984 magna-cum-laude graduate of the University of Alabama, with a Bachelor of Arts degree in journalism and a minor in graphic design.

Julia’s early career included two years as a news reporter before joining Alabama Power as a writer in 1986. She later served as manager of Employee Communication and went on to leadership positions in other departments before her election by the company’s board of directors in 2002 as vice president and regional chief information officer. She spent the last 11 years of her corporate career as Eastern Division vice president, over customer service operations in 12 counties in East Alabama.

Julia has served as chairman of the Calhoun County Chamber of Commerce; vice-chairman of the Calhoun County Economic Development Council; and co-founding chairman of Core 4, a regional organization created to support development of the I-20 corridor in East Alabama.

A 2016 graduate of Leadership Alabama, Julia is past president of UA’s Capstone Communication Society and has served on the boards of the Jacksonville State University Foundation and the Alabama Institute for the Deaf and Blind Foundation.  She is a member of Calhoun County’s Women’s Executive Network and Etowah County’s First Friday Forum for executive women.

She is a graduate of the International Women’s Forum Leadership Foundation Fellows program and Momentum, a statewide program for women leaders. She has served on the Alabama Women’s Commission and as a director of the Girl Scouts of North-Central Alabama. She received the Girl Scouts’ Frances E. Couch Lifetime Achievement Award in 2012 and the Boy Scouts of America Greater Alabama Council’s Heart of an Eagle Award in 2016 in recognition of her community service.

After 31 years in corporate life, Julia retired in July 2017 to return her focus to writing and other creative pursuits as owner of Segars Creative, LLC. She continues to serve as a director of Cahaba Safeguard Administrators, a subsidiary of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Alabama, and on the board of the Alabama Trails Foundation, a non-profit established to support the Alabama Trails Commission.

In 2020, she authored an Alabama Public Television documentary, “A Selfless Heart: The Susie Parker Stringfellow Story©,” which tells the remarkable story of one of Alabama’s earliest women of tremendous impact in our state. In 2017, she released the book Aunt Sister ©, a collection of her best humor columns carried in area newspapers under that pen name. One of the columns, printed in the Talladega Daily Home, received first place for humor in the Alabama Press Association’s 2017 Better Newspapers Contest.

A native of Hoover, Julia and her husband, Frank, now reside in Anniston. They have four children, four grandchildren and four dogs.

Kate Scarbrough

Junior Board Member

Kate Scarbrough was born in Piedmont, raised in Talladega, and attended high school in Birmingham, AL.  She has a BA in Urban Studies from Barnard College and an MBA from NYU’s Stern School of Business.  She is also a Chartered Advisor in Philanthropy.  Kate currently works at NYU Stern as Associate Director for Experiential Learning, where she partners groups of MBA students with corporate and nonprofit partners for educational consulting engagements.  She is a board member of the Broadway Presbyterian Church Nursery School and a member of the Barnard College Young Alumni Committee.  She is passionate about advancing women and doing work in her home state.  

Penny Townson

Junior Board Member

Originally from Memphis, TN, Penny resides in Decatur, Morgan County. Penny began working as a project manager with the Morgan County Economic Development Association in August 2014. In November of 2017, Penny was promoted to Vice President of MCEDA where she supports Morgan County’s existing industry and workforce development programs and assists with project recruitment. Her prior work for the State of Tennessee’s Higher Education Commission provided a strong background in workforce development and collaborative initiatives. With over ten years of workforce development experience, Penny continues to serve in leadership roles throughout the state to cultivate innovative approaches to serving Alabama’s growing economy.

She received her B.A. in 2007 and her M.P.A. in 2010, both from Auburn University. Penny is a member of Decatur Kiwanis, the Economic Development Association of Alabama and the Education subcommittee, the Decatur Morgan County Hospital Guild, Morgan County’s young professional group MoCo Meetup, sustaining member of the Junior League of Morgan County, and currently chairs the Decatur City Schools Foundation Board, the Economic Development Association of Alabama’s Young Professional Committee, and the First Grace Child Development Center Board. 

Married to her husband Brad since 2014, Penny enjoys time with her family, tennis, Auburn Football, and traveling.

Stefanie Reeves

Junior Board Member

Stefanie has over 15 years of experience in the steel industry.  She started her career with Nucor in 2005 as in intern in Decatur, AL.  Throughout here time there she held various roles in the Finance Department. In 2019, she transferred to Nucor-Vulcraft in Fort Payne, AL as the Division Controller.  Stefanie graduated from Athens State University in 2009 with a Bachelor of Science in Accounting.  She went on to earn a Master’s in Business Administration from the University of North Alabama in 2011.  Stefanie and her husband have three children.  During her spare time, Stefanie enjoys spending time with her family and friends. 

Dr. Delores Johnson Price

Emeritus Board Member

Dr. Delores Johnson Price was first appointed an Alabama Women’s Commissioner in 2008 by Governor Bob Riley.  She served eight years and now serves as an Emeritus commissioner.    She is a professional educator with K-12 experience as a Classroom Teacher, Counselor and Principal and with Alabama A & M University as an Associate Professor, Department Chair, and Interim Dean.    Dr. Price holds undergraduate and Master’s degrees from the University of Evansville, a PhD from Loyola University, Chicago and is a graduate of the Harvard Principals’ Academy.

She has been named a United Way “Hero”; “Outstanding Educator” and has received numerous other notable honors for her role as an educator.  She is a member of a number of professional organizations and has served as Chaplain of several. She is a highly- sought speaker, writer and workshop presenter.  Dr. Price, has published a devotional book entitled “Victory in the Storm: 30 Days of Hope-filled Meditations”; and is the mother of two children and one granddaughter.

Laura Leigh Latta

Junior Board Member

Laura Leigh Latta is an Assistant Vice President in the Government Affairs Department of Protective Life Corporation. She has helped coordinate state government strategy and outreach for the Company since 2011, and represents Protective at the National Association of Insurance Commissioners as well as in front of various state insurance departments. Ms. Latta has served in several leadership roles within the industry, including President of both the Association of Alabama Life Insurance Companies and the Association of Tennessee Life Insurance Companies. She is a board member on the Alabama, Vermont, and Tennessee state guaranty associations, serving as Vice Chair of the latter. Laura Leigh is active at the American Council of Life Insurers, the industry’s primary trade association, serving as a voting member of the State Legislative Strategy Group and participating in several state- and internationally-focused committees. Ms. Latta is also active in the community, and has served on the Public Affairs Research Council of Alabama, and as a fundraising coordinator for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Birmingham. She is a member of the Alabama Writer’s Coalition, the Government Relations section of the Alabama Bar Association, GASP, Black Warrior Riverkeeper, and a number of other, local organizations. Ms. Latta graduated with distinction from the University of the South, Sewanee and with honors from the University of Alabama School of Law where she obtained a Juris Doctor degree.

Emily Herring

Junior Board Member

Emily Herring is the Mental Health Coordinator for Fairfield City Schools. She began her current role in 2020 and has worked to quickly and effectively create and implement an innovative mental health system that serves the needs of students, families, staff, and the community. Herring focuses on destigmatizing mental health through community awareness campaigns and expanding access to resources and services. She has received over a million dollars in grant funding since she began, and she has worked closely with community partners to bring in millions in additional funding. As the first Mental Health Coordinator in her school district, Herring has worked to establish processes that can be replicated in other districts and communities. Herring’s work in school mental health has been featured in numerous local, state, and national media and publications, including National Geographic.

Herring’s social work background includes professional experience in the child welfare system, the criminal justice system, and the education system. Herring received her bachelor’s degree in Social Work from Auburn University and her master’s degree in Social Work from The University of Alabama. Herring is a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker (LICSW) in Alabama and serves as a Field Instructor for multiple university social work programs.

Herring serves on the boards of the Jefferson County Children’s Policy Council, Addiction Prevention Coalition Community Advisory Board, School Social Work Association of Alabama, Birmingham Coalition for Student Mental Health, Birmingham Mayor’s Women’s Initiative, and Prison Fellowship Justice Ambassadors.

Samantha Bagwell

Junior Board Member

Samantha Petrey Bagwell was born and raised in a small town in south Alabama called Luverne which is known as the “Friendliest City in the South.” She attended the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa and graduated in December 2009 receiving a Bachelor of Science degree, summa cum laude, in Consumer Sciences with a concentration in Financial Planning. She lived in Birmingham, AL and worked for an insurance brokerage firm for 4 ½ years. In 2014, she moved to Dothan, AL to work as a financial advisor for Morgan Stanley. In July of 2016, she had the opportunity to move back home to Luverne, AL and work for her father at First Citizens Bank which is the community bank in Luverne. She currently is VP of the Mortgage Lending department. She enjoys helping people with financing options to achieve the American Dream of owning a home. She has been happily married to her husband Logan for over 2 years. They live in the small community right outside of Luverne called Petrey where she and her husband attend the Petrey United Methodist Church. In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with friends, watching Alabama football, traveling to the beach, and singing at church and community events.

Genesis Player

Junior Board Member

Mrs. Genesis Wyne Player is a native of Birmingham, AL. Genesis graduated from Miles College with a Bachelor of Social Work and from The University of Alabama with a Master of Social Work. She is currently pursuing an Ed.D in Organizational Leadership from Abilene Christian University. Genesis has a zeal to serve and empower the community. Her love for empowering women is shown daily in her position as Chief Operating Officer of YWCA Central Alabama. Her professional work experience includes Director of Social Services for Interfaith Hospitality House, Social Worker for Birmingham City Schools, Executive Director of the Exchange Club Child Abuse Prevention Center, and Director of the Miles College Social Work Program. Genesis also serves as President of Talladega County Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.

Genesis is married to Rev. Duane Player and they are the proud parents of Lamar and Makyla Grace Player.

Jesalyn McCurry

Junior Board Member

Jesalyn McCurry has over 15 years of experience in the electric utility industry. Currently, she works for Alabama Power in regulatory policy. In this role she is a liaison for the utility company with its state regulator, the Alabama Public Service Commission. Since beginning her career at Georgia Power in 2002, McCurry has developed broad skills, many in the public relations arena. Her communications experience includes managing communication strategy, content development, crisis communication, executive communication, media strategy and serving as a media spokesperson. Through McCurry’s communication leadership, Southern Company won national awards for many large-scale research projects. She also assisted in writing the utility industry book, “Innovative Solutions.” Serving the community is important to McCurry. A passionate advocate for literacy, she teaches adults to read with one-on-one tutoring through M-Power Ministries. McCurry has served the YWCA of Central Alabama, Childcare Resources and the Southern Environmental Center on Boards or Junior Boards of Directors. She is also very active in her church. McCurry graduated with a degree in journalism from the University of Georgia. She received her Master of Business Administration from the University of Alabama Birmingham. She and her husband, Matt, have three children.

Mary Jacque Carroll

Junior Board Member

Mary Jacque Carroll is an Alabama native and was raised in Montgomery. She serves as Assistant Professor of Field Education in the Social Work Department at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. Prior to joining UAB, she was the Vice President of Programs at Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Birmingham and spent ten years as Field Coordinator and Assistant Professor in the Social Work Department at Miles College. She is committed to education by having served as a Field Instructor for the University of Alabama, the University of Alabama at Birmingham and Samford University social work programs. She earned her MSW from the University of South Carolina and a BS in Psychology from Wofford College. She is a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker (LICSW) in the state of Alabama. Mary Jacque is the co-chair of the Jefferson County DHR Quality Assurance committee and a member of the National Association of Social Workers, the Council on Social Work Education and the Association of Baccalaureate Social Work Program Directors. She has extensive experience working with children and families and her professional interests include child welfare, mental health and social work education. Mary Jacque is a member of Highlands United Methodist Church. She resides in Birmingham with her husband Casey Carroll and daughter Annie.

Sen. Malika Sanders-Fortier

Senate

Senator Sanders-Fortier received her B.A. in Psychology from Spelman College and her J.D. from the Birmingham School of Law. She is active in Beloved Community Ministries, Army of Mothers, the Alabama Bar Association, and the Black Belt Lawyers Association. She has been a member of the Senate since 2018.

Sen. Priscilla Dunn

District Legislative Appointment

Senator Priscilla Dunn was born on October 8, 1943, and is serving her second term in the Senate. She received her B.S. from Alabama State University and M.A. from the University of Montevallo. Senator Dunn and her husband, Grover, are the parents of a daughter, Karen. Senator Dunn works as the Homeless Education Coordinator for the Bessemer City Schools. She is a Trustee and Sunday School teacher for the Shady Grove Baptist Church. Senator Dunn also serves on the Board of Directors for the Bessemer Civic Center, as President of the Humanistic Challengers Federated Club, Secretary of Girls, Inc. of Central Alabama and as an instructor for the Jefferson County Congress of Christian Education. Additionally, she is President of the Concerned Citizens of Bessemer Cut-Off and is the coordinator for the Jefferson County Democratic Conference. Senator Dunn is also a member of the Jefferson/Shelby Counties American Cancer Society Advisory Board and serves on the Board for the State Democratic Executive Committee.

Rep. Barbara Drummond

Legislative Appointment

Rep. Barbara Drummond, owner of B-Inspired Marketing and Consulting, Inc., was elected to the Alabama House of Representatives in November 2014, representing District 103. Rep. Drummond was recently named 2015 Legislator of the Year by the Alabama Democratic Caucus. Since being elected, Rep. Drummond has served on the House of Representatives Education Policy, Transportation, Utilities and Infrastructure, Senior and Children’s Policy committees. She has completed the Center For The Advancement Of Leadership Skills with the Southern Legislative Conference. She is the former Executive Director of Administrative Services and Community Affairs under former Mobile Mayor Sam Jones’ administration, a position she has held for eight years. Prior to the mayor’s office, Drummond was the Public Affairs and Community Services Director for the Mobile County Commission, a job she held for 14 years. Drummond is a former reporter with the Mobile Register, where she covered many political, judicial and general reporting assignments. She was employed with the Mobile Register for 21 years. While at the Register, Drummond authored a weekly opinion column entitled “My Turn.” A graduate of Murphy High School with honors and went on to and obtained a Bachelor’s of Communication degree from the University of South Alabama. She is a former board member of the Community Foundation of Southwest Alabama, U. J. Robinson Adult Daycare Center, BayFest Musical Festival and the Alabama Association of Constitutional Reform. Drummond is a former graduate of Leadership Mobile and Leadership Alabama. Drummond has received numerous awards, most notable, the Award of Excellence from the National Association of County Information Officers, a Superior Award from the National Association of Counties, and Citizen of the Year from the Omega Psi Pi. She is the past president for the National Association for County Information Officers. She is a member of Delaware Missionary Baptist Church; and the mother of one daughter, Roshunda Drummond-Dye and two grandchildren, Ashton and Avery.

Rep. Becky Nordgren

Legislative Appointment

Representative Becky Nordgren was elected to the Alabama House of Representatives on November 2, 2010. She majored in marketing at Auburn University and continued her education at the University of Alabama. Representative Nordgren is the marketing director for Fuller Medical Co. Prior to that, she owned Clear Images Advertising Agency for a decade. She is a member of the Etowah County Republican Executive Committee and Etowah County Republican Women’s Association. Additionally, she is a member of the board for Neuromyelitis Optica and serves on the Autism Council of Alabama. During her first term, Representative Nordgren served on the House Health Committee, State Government Committee, and Children and Senior Advocacy Committee. She is married to Eric Nordgren and they have three children; Eric, Miles and Millie. She is a member of Central Church of Christ in Gadsden.

Rep. Terri Collins

District Legislative Appointment

Representative Terri Collins was raised in Birmingham and earned a Marketing degree from The University of Alabama. She and her late husband, Tom Collins, moved to Decatur in 1982 and raised their three children. She is active in church, schools and Bible studies. Terri enjoyed 16 years in banking as Vice President of Marketing and Sales before election to the House of Representatives in 2010.

Terri serves on the Education Ways and Means Committee, and serves as Chair of the Education Policy Committee. She also serves as Chair of the Tennessee Valley Caucus. She serves on the Board of Directors for the Volunteer Center of Morgan County, Quality Education Committee with The Decatur Morgan County Chamber of Commerce, and Decatur Morgan Hospital Foundation. She is a founding member of the Women’s Leadership Council and Morgan County Giving Circle Women’s Foundation in Decatur.

She was appointed to the Women’s Commission, Chair of the School Safety Advisory Commission, and the Education Committee of the Southern Legislative Conference (SLC) by the Speaker of the House. She is Chair of the Education Policy Committee for the National Conference of State Legislatures. She was also appointed by the Governor to serve on Alabama Workforce Development Board, Southern Regional Education Board (SREB), where she serves as Chair. She is past Chair of the Child Abuse and Neglect Prevention Board.

Tracy Plummer

District 7

Tracy Plummer previously served as the Deputy Director for the Alabama Department of Child Abuse and Neglect Prevention prior to her retirement in 2022. She is a resident of Selma, “The Queen City of the Blackbelt”. She has called the Black Belt region home for over forty years. She is a graduate of the University of Alabama with a Bachelor of Science in Early Childhood Education. During her tenure as a teacher, she was awarded the Golden Apple Award by WAKA News and named teacher of the year for Meadowview Elementary School. After devoting twenty plus years in the classroom, Plummer was selected to become an instructional coach for the District Blackbelt school systems as part of the Alabama Department of Education’s, Reading Initiative. Throughout her career she has enjoyed grant writing to secure needed resources for underserved areas in her district. She served as President of the Selma Charity League, and as a board member for Leika’s Pre-School in her community. She is a member of Church Street United Methodist Church. In 2015, she worked to pass Erin’s Law in Alabama through educating lawmakers on the importance of preventing child abuse before it begins. Mrs. Plummer was later appointed and elected as the chairperson to the Governor’s Task Force on Child Sexual Abuse Prevention. She has worked over 30 years as an educator, grant writer and advocate for Alabama’s children and families. Her hobbies include attending the University of Alabama sporting events, visiting her thoroughbred horses in Kentucky and spending time with her husband and their adult twins.

Carol Sue Nelson

District 6

Carol Sue Nelson is an attorney in Birmingham, Alabama. She served as the County Attorney for Jefferson County from 2013 though 2016. Prior to that time, Ms. Nelson was a shareholder in the firm of Maynard, Cooper & Gale, PC, from 2004-2013, concentrating her practice in representing management in labor, EEO and other employment matters. She graduated summa cum laude from Auburn University in 1974 and received her J.D. degree from Cumberland School of Law in 1977, graduating magna cum laude. At Cumberland she was on Law Review and selected into the Order of the Coif. Following law school Ms. Nelson clerked for the Honorable United States District Judge James H. Hancock. Thereafter, she worked as In-House Counsel for Protective Life Insurance Company from 19781980. From 1980-2004, Ms. Nelson was a partner in the firm of Constangy, Brooks & Smith, LLP, specializing in labor and employment law. Ms. Nelson, an AV rated attorney by Martindale-Hubbell, has been recognized as one of the Best Lawyers in America and one of Chambers USA Leading Lawyers for Business. She has been selected as one of the 25 top women attorneys in Alabama. She is a Fellow in the Litigation Counsel of America, a Fellow of the American Bar Foundation, and has been appointed by the Alabama Supreme Court to serve on the Standing Committee on Rules of Conduct and Canons of Judicial Ethics. She recently served as Chair of the Federal Practice Section of the Birmingham Bar Association, served as a member of the Lawyers Advisory Committee for the Northern District of Alabama, and served on the Executive Committee of the Birmingham Bar Association. She is also a member of the Birmingham Bar Foundation. Ms. Nelson is admitted to the Alabama State Bar, all U.S. District Courts in Alabama, the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals and the United States Supreme Court. She has argued cases before the 4th, 6th and 11th Circuit Courts of Appeal. Ms. Nelson is involved in a number of civic activities in leadership roles, serving on the Governor’s Alabama Women’s Commission and Auburn University Women’s Leadership Institute. She is also Past President of the Breast Cancer Research Foundation of Alabama.

Jeneene Suttle

District 5

Ms Suttle is a graduate from the University of Alabama in Birmingham and has a Masters’ degree from the Florida Institute of Technology. Ms. Suttle’s career spans over 30 years of governmental experience from Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, AL., NASA Headquarters in Washington DC, and General Services Administration, Region Office in Atlanta GA. In her current role, Ms. Suttle is a subject matter expert in the field of Risk Management and works for NASA, Marshall Space Flight Center’s Safety and Mission Assurance in Huntsville, AL. Her responsibilities include Programmatic and Institutional Risk Management leadership, Facilitator and Trainer. Ms. Suttle has worn many hats in her career including Commercial Space Center Manager and Advisor, Aerospace and Environmental Engineer, Export control Directorate lead, Systems Manager and Computer Specialist. As a result she has developed excellent interpersonal skills and has the unique ability to manage the challenges associated with multi-discipline projects. Ms. Suttle serves her community, in various roles as member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc., Greater Huntsville Chapter of the Links Inc., and a life member of the NAACP just to list a few. Furthermore, Ms Suttle has answered the call for collective action to improve lives both locally and globally through service programs ranging from tutoring children “at-risk” locally to donating to international programs and initiatives. Additionally, Ms Suttle is passionate about developing and supporting programs that empower people to sustain themselves as a holistic approach which leads to a better future for all mankind. She is not alone in her observations and conclusions; likewise, the Alabama Women’s Commission is engaged in leading the state with the research on issues affecting woman in Alabama. Finally, Ms. Suttle is the member of First Missionary Baptist Church and is the proud mother of two.

Gina Johnson

District 4

Regina Johnson is a lifelong resident of Moulton, Alabama. She spent 27 years working in the judicial system in Lawrence County, beginning her career in the Criminal Division of the Circuit Clerk’s office, and serving as a court magistrate. She later had the privilege of working as a Judicial Assistant for three Presiding Circuit Judges working with all division of Court and serving as a liaison between the Court and the Lawrence County Community Corrections Program before her retirement. Since retirement in 2011, she has managed the financial affairs of Global Sourcing Services Inc, an industrial sales company owned by her and her husband. She helps care for their physically disabled son and actively serves in her church in various capacities, publishing their newsletter and teaching a children’s bible class. She is married to Ken Johnson who is a former two-term legislator in the Alabama House of Representatives. Regina and her husband have four children and eight grandchildren. She enjoys traveling and spending time with her family.

Jennifer S. Maddox

District 3

Ms. Jennifer S. Maddox has been President & CEO of the Community Foundation of Northeast Alabama since 2011, overseeing assets exceeding $80 million and serving nine counties in the region. A South Bend, Indiana native, she holds a Bachelor of Business Administration in Finance from the University of Houston, an MBA from the University of Notre Dame, and accreditation as a Chartered Advisor in Philanthropy®. With expertise in board governance, fundraising, and strategic planning, Jennifer has served as a consultant and educator in the nonprofit sector. She is a board member of the Alabama Women’s Commission, Past President of the Rotary Club of Anniston and Alabama Giving, and President of the Rocky Hollow Neighborhood Association since 2012. An alumna of Leadership Alabama and Leadership Calhoun County, Jennifer is active in numerous organizations, including the Junior League of Anniston-Calhoun County and the Women’s Executive Network. Married to Mark Stevens since 2004, she is passionate about creating charitable legacies that benefit communities for generations.

Cathy McGowin

District 1

Cathy Waller McGowin grew up in Birmingham, Alabama and attended Huffman High School. In 1984 she moved to Mobile, Alabama with her husband, Jeff, who was starting his career in orthopaedic surgery. Mrs. McGowin graduated from the Capstone College of Nursing at the University of Alabama in 1980. She is a member of Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society for Nursing. She has worked in many different areas of medical care in both Jefferson and Mobile Counties. Her experience includes Emergency, Critical Care, Post-Surgical, and Cardiac Rehabilitation. Mrs. McGowin has been actively involved in service and charitable organizations in Mobile including the Board of Directors for the Junior League of Mobile. She also has served on the board of the Medical Alliance for Mobile County. She has volunteered with Camp Rap-A-Hope, an organization that provides year-round programming as well as a summer camp for children between the ages of 7 and 17 who have or have ever had cancer. Mrs. McGowin has volunteered with Partners in Education tutoring 4th grade students in mathematics, and she served as the president of the PTA at her children’s school. As an active community volunteer, she has chaired fundraisers for numerous non-profits in Mobile County. Together with her husband, Jeff, she served as Club Leader for the University of Virginia Club of Mobile where she instituted an annual service project for local club members to aid local charities. She was appointed by Governor Ivey to serve as a Commissioner for the Alabama Women’s Commission in 2017 and served as Chair for the Commission from October 2020 until October 2022. Mrs. McGowin has worked on projects with the Alabama Women’s Commission including the 211KNOW text messaging program, a study with the University of Alabama to determine the effects of parental cell phone usage and the development of preschool children, and the Lunch and Learn program for agency leaders in the state. Mrs. McGowin was also appointed to the Board of the Department of Child Abuse and Neglect Prevention by Governor Ivey in January 2023. Mrs. McGowin is a member of St. Ignatius Catholic Church where she has taught religious education classes for elementary age children. Cathy is married to Dr. Jeff McGowin, a Mobile native. They have two wonderful sons and daughters-in-law, and four precious granddaughters.

Former Rep. Mary Sue McClurkin

At-Large

Mary Sue Barnette McClurkin grew up in Abbeville, Alabama and is a graduate of Huntingdon College where she majored in home economics. She completed a master’s degree in education from Auburn University and became a leader in business, owning the Alabama Butane Company and serving as president of the Alabama Propane Gas Association and later as executive director of the Pelham Chamber of Commerce. She participated in Leadership Birmingham in 1987, was named to the Birmingham Chamber of Commerce’s Top 40 Under 40, and received the Chairman’s Award from the Shelby County Red Cross in 1989. In 1998, McClurkin was elected to the Alabama House of Representatives, representing Shelby and Jefferson counties. She served as chair of the House Education Policy Committee, vice chair of the House Ways and Means Education Committee, chair of the Shelby County delegation, and as a member of the Women’s Commission, the Housing Finance Authority Oversight Committee, the State Health Policy Leadership Forum of the National Conference of State Legislators, the Southern Regional Education Board Legislative Advisory Council, and the Legislative Oversight Committee for Women & Girls in Incarceration. She is the state chairman for the American Legislative Exchange and serves on the Alabama Republican Executive Committee and the Executive Committee for the Shelby County Republican Party and is the past vice chairman for women’s affairs for the Alabama Republican Party, the national chairman of Women in Government, and a member of the leadership team of the National Pro-Life Women’s Caucus. McClurkin owns McClurkin Enterprises, a property and land management company. Her community involvement includes service as a member of the Board of the Mid-Alabama Cancer Society, the Board of Directors of Alabama Green Industry Training, and the Board of Directors of the Business Council of Alabama, and as vice chairman of the State Health Coordinating Council. She and her husband, Van, have three sons and three grandsons.

Debbie Long

At-Large

Now retired, Ms. Long previously was Executive Vice President, General Counsel, Chief Legal Officer and Secretary of Protective Life Corporation whose principal subsidiaries include Protective Life Insurance Company and West Coast Life Insurance Company. Prior to becoming General Counsel of Protective Life in 1992, Ms. Long was a member of the Maynard, Cooper & Gale law firm in Birmingham, Alabama, where she practiced in the areas of insurance, banking and finance, business acquisitions and mergers, and general corporate law. Ms. Long is a 1975 graduate of Auburn University, where she graduated with high honor and was a member of Phi Kappa Phi, Omicron Delta Kappa and Mortar Board, and a 1980 graduate of the University of Alabama Law School, where she was Editor in Chief of the Alabama Law Review and a member of Order of the Coif. Prior to entering law practice, she clerked for the Honorable Frank M. Johnson, Judge on the United States Circuit Court for the Fifth Circuit (now Eleventh Circuit). Ms. Long has been active in legal issues impacting the business community and the insurance industry, serving in various capacities in the American Counsel of Life Insurers, the Business Counsel of Alabama, the Birmingham Bar Association, the Alabama Bar Association, the Alabama Life and Disability Insurance Guaranty Association and the Texas Life, Accident, Health & Hospital Service Insurance Guaranty Association. She has served on the Board of Governors of the Association of Life Insurance Counsel, a ninety-three year old international bar association for life insurance lawyers and the Alabama Association of Life Insurance Companies and has served as President of these associations. She also serves on the Board of the Alabama Women’s Commission, and the Board of the Public Affairs Research Council of Alabama, and she is a member of the The Fellows of the American Bar Foundation. She currently serves as CoChair of the Judge Frank M. Johnson Institute. Ms. Long has served on the Boards of various Birmingham charitable organizations, including Big Brothers/Big Sisters of Greater Birmingham, the YWCA of Birmingham, Oasis Women’s Counseling Center, Birmingham Museum of Art, and Partners in Neighborhood Growth, Inc.

Suze Butts

Emeritus Board

Suzanne Crowley Carroll Butts was born in Atlanta, Georgia on January 7, 1950. She was adopted by Andrew Young Crowley and Dorothy Lyle Crowley and grew up in Griffin, GA, Eufaula, AL, Atlanta, GA and Ozark, AL. She graduated from Carroll High School in Ozark in 1968. Suze Butts earned a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Alabama in 1972. Upon graduation from college, she married the late Kells Chilton Carroll, Jr. from Ozark. She later married Justice Terry Lucas Butts from Elba. They have two married children, Kells Chilton Carroll III and Casey Lyle Carroll. Kells is married to the former Elizabeth Smith from Vinings, GA and Casey is married to the former Mary Jacque Carmichael from Montgomery, AL. She is the proud grandmother of three grandsons and two granddaughters. Suze is very active in her community and church, having served on The Women’s Committee for the Children’s Theatre in Birmingham, as President of the Dale County Friends of the Library, Boy Scout leader, as well as serving on the Boy Scouts of America Alabama-West Florida Council. She has served on the State Health Planning Commission. Suze is a member of the Luverne United Methodist Church. She has served her church by teaching Sunday School, by being a Methodist Youth Fellowship Leader, by directing youth plays, and as an active member of her church women groups. Suze presently serves as Chair of the Crenshaw County Housing Authority Board and is on the Board for the Luverne Library. She also serves as a member of the Alabama Women’s Commission. Suze Butts was elected and served as a Delegate Alabama State-At-Large to the 2008 National Republican Convention in Minnesota, where she also served as Alabama’s woman representative on the Convention Rules Committee.