 Sally Howell, J.D.
Executive Director
E-mail: showell@alabamaschoolboards.org
Sally joined AASB’s staff in 1986 and previously served as assistant executive director, director of public relations, director of communications and director of research and special projects. She was promoted to executive director in June 2007.
In her leadership capacity, she manages the association’s affairs, directs legislative efforts, advises the AASB membership and oversees efforts to build public support for schools and to expand learning opportunities for school board members. She also represents school boards’ positions before the Alabama Legislature, the state Board of Education and Congress and coordinates Alabama Council of School Board Attorneys activities.
The former newspaper reporter has received awards for her writing and publications from the National School Public Relations Association, the Public Relations Council of Alabama and the Alabama Press Association.
A native of St. Louis, Sally earned her bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Missouri and her law degree from the Birmingham School of Law. She was admitted to the Alabama State Bar in 2003.
She has a son and daughter.
 Ken Roberts Jr., C.P.A.
Chief Operating Officer & Director of Research
E-mail: kroberts@alabamaschoolboards.org
Ken joined the AASB staff in 2007 as chief operating officer and director of research. He previously served as the chief education financial officer for the state Department of Education and as chief school finance officer for the Autauga County Board of Education. Roberts’ career also has included stints with the state Department of Examiners of Public Accounts and as a city councilman and county commission administrator.
A licensed C.P.A., he holds a bachelor’s in accounting from Auburn University and a master’s in business administration from the University of Alabama at Birmingham.
Roberts helps coordinate AASB’s long range financial planning, day-to-day fiscal operations and facilities maintenance. He also provides training, helps drive AASB’s legislative agenda and researches education finance issues.
 LuAnn Bird
Director of Board Development
E-mail: lbird@alabamaschoolboards.org
LuAnn joined the AASB staff in 2008 after serving as board governance consultant for the Wisconsin Association of School Boards. Prior to that she served six years on the Oshkosh School Board, including two years as president. In her board development role, she links school board member training with student achievement, coordinates meeting planning and oversees AASB's School Board Member Academy.
LuAnn has expertise in governance training, team building, facilitating board retreats, visioning, strategic planning and goal setting. She has also been professionally trained to use board development techniques based on Iowa Lighthouse Project data, which identified the fundamental leadership skills exhibited by boards in high achieving school systems. A community activist, she has also served on the State of Wisconsin Legislative Council Study on Teacher Preparation and Licensing and on a variety of boards.
She is the former executive director of the League of Women Voters of Wisconsin and holds a bachelor’s degree in community leadership and development from Alverno College, Milwaukee; an associate degree in quality management from Fox Valley Technical College; and is pursuing a master’s in public administration from the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh.
She and her husband, Phil, have two children, Tom and Elizabeth.
Denise L. Berkhalter
Director of Public Relations
E-mail: dberkhalter@alabamaschoolboards.org
Denise joined the AASB staff in 2005. She is editor of AASB's flagship publication, Alabama School Boards, and writes and coordinates publication of the twice-monthly newsletter, For Your Information. She also is AASB's liaison to the state Board of Education and reports on the board's activities for AASB publications.
She handles all news media inquiries, oversees AASB's other public relations activities and assists with lobbying efforts.
Prior to joining AASB, she served as director of public and media affairs and coordinator of marketing and communications at Tuskegee University. Denise has also worked as assistant managing editor of the Montgomery Advertiser newspaper and as lifestyles editor of The Dothan Eagle. She earned a master’s degree in management at Troy University-Montgomery and a bachelor’s degree in mass communications from Jackson State University in her native Mississippi.
Denise is a member of the Alabama School Communicators Association, the National Schools Public Relations Association, the National Association of Black Journalists and Zeta Phi Beta Sorority Inc. She has a daughter and son.
Lissa Astilla Tucker
Director of Governmental Relations
E-mail: Ltucker@alabamaschoolboards.org
Experienced lobbyist Lissa Astilla Tucker joined AASB’s staff as director of governmental relations in January 2001. A former vice president of the Washington-based American Tort Reform Association, she spearheads AASB’s legislative program. She monitors the progress of legislation in both the state House and Senate and writes AASB’s weekly legislative newsletter, LegAlert. She also coordinates the work of AASB's Leader to Leader program, the Multicultural Committee and Alabama’s participation in the National School Boards Association’s national lobbying effort, the Federal Relations Network.
In addition to having served as vice president of ATRA, Tucker also served for several years as ATRA’s director of legislative affairs.
A native of New Orleans, Tucker earned a law degree from Louisiana State University. She completed her master’s coursework in public policy at Duke University and received her bachelor’s degree at the University of Notre Dame. She is married to Skip Tucker, executive director of Alabama Voters Against Lawsuit Abuse. They have one son.
Debora Hendricks
Membership Coordinator/AA
E-mail: dhendricks@alabamaschoolboards.org
Debora joined the AASB staff in 2000 as administrative assistant in the areas of membership services and governmental relations. In July 2008, her duties expanded when she was promoted to membership coordinator.
She ensures the best possible maintenance and use of the association’s database. In addition, she handles correspondence, executes plans, oversees event registration and coordinates administrative duties related to AASB’s grassroots and membership training efforts.
Prior to joining AASB’s staff, she was an accounts specialist for Trinity Industries for three years and for BellSouth for 17 years. A native of Montgomery, she holds a secretarial certificate from the Montgomery Area Skills Center.
 Mandy Fernandez
Meeting/Marketing Coordinator
E-mail: mfernandez@alabamaschoolboards.org
Mandy joined the AASB staff in August 2008 as meeting/marketing coordinator. She is the former marketing/communications coordinator for Smoothie King Franchises and has work experience in meeting planning, writing, editing, design and marketing. She most recently managed the business affairs of the mayor and city council of Moraine, Ohio, prior to relocating to Alabama. She is a magna cum laude graduate of Southeastern Louisiana University, where she majored in English and minored in technical writing.
As meeting/marketing coordinator, she works in tandem with the directors of board development and public relations. Mandy is responsible for helping to develop and execute plans for AASB’s conferences, convention, district meetings and School Board Member Academy events; for assisting with targeted marketing efforts; and for ensuring the publication of AASB’s promotional materials.
She is a wife and mother.
Donna Norris
Administrative Assistant
E-mail: dnorris@alabamaschoolboards.org
Donna joined the AASB staff in 1989. She performs administrative duties for the association and is secretary for the director of public relations.
A graduate of Robert E. Lee High School in Montgomery, she also is a serious Auburn fan and enjoys watching the Atlanta Braves.
She is the mother of one son.
Kay Shaw
Bookkeeper
E-mail: kshaw@alabamaschoolboards.org
Kay joined the AASB staff in 1987. She handles the financial transactions for the association.
She is a graduate of Hooper Academy in Montgomery and attended Auburn University at Montgomery.
She has three daughters.
Lashana Summerlin
Staff Assistant
E-mail: Lsummerlin@alabamaschoolboards.org
Lashana Summerlin joined AASB as a receptionist in September 2001 and now serves as staff assistant with special duties related to office technology.
A native of Wetumpka and a graduate of Sidney Lanier High School in Montgomery, she attended Troy State University in Montgomery. At AASB, she is responsible for answering phones, greeting visitors and overseeing association mailings. Prior to joining the association’s staff, she was a receptionist for an orthopedic surgeon.
She has three children, Kayla, Irving and Tabitha.
Tammy Wright
Executive Assistant
E-mail: twright@alabamaschoolboards.org
Tammy joined the AASB staff full-time in 1990, after briefly working here part-time. She essentially serves as office manager for AASB. She also is the executive director's secretary.
She serves as the office's liaison with the AASB Board of Directors, responding to their needs and concerns and relaying those to the executive director.
A graduate of George Washington Carver High School in Montgomery, she also holds a secretarial certificate from Auburn University at Montgomery.
She has two daughters, Stephanie and Kirsten, and a son, Michael.
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