Board Members
ACS Board of Education Members
Mrs. Beverly Malone, School Board President
Athens City Council District 5
Mrs. Malone is a 1981 graduate of Athens High School. She is a lifelong resident of the Athens community, and she loves Athens. She is married to George "Ricky" Malone, and they have two children; Dr. Christian Malone and Tyree Malone. Mrs. Malone has served on the Board of Education since May 2007. She is a member of Little Ezekiel Missionary Baptist Church in Tanner, Alabama. She is a self-taught baker, and she loves construction. Mrs. Malone loves helping students achieve above and beyond what they can imagine. She believes motivating them to be the best they can be is essential to success. She has served as the ACS Board President since May of 2021. Mrs. Malone believes serving on the board is privilege and honor and hopes her service inspires teachers, parents and the community to love and support the students of ACS to the best of their ability.
Phone: 256.232.8249 Email: malone.beverly@yahoo.com
Mrs. Shannon Hutton, School Board Vice President
Athens City Council District 1
Shannon Hutton is an Athens native and a product of the Athens City School System. She graduated from Athens High School in 1994 and continued her education at The University of Tennessee in Knoxville. She graduated in 1998 with a Bachelor's Degree in Nursing. She is married to Ben Hutton, a Huntsville attorney, and they have four children who are proud Golden Eagles, Cecilia Ann ('20), Marie ('22), Benjamin, and Sam. Mrs. Hutton has held multiple leadership roles in respective PTO's relating to her children. In addition, she has served many community and church organizations as a leader and also as an officer. Mrs. Hutton has great devotion to Athens, Alabama and strives to do what is best for the children in this exceptional school system. She has been a member of the Athens City Schools Board of Education since May 2017. Mrs. Hutton has served as Vice President since June 2023.
Phone: 256.431.4437 Email: msahutton76@gmail.com
Mr. Anthony Townsend, Board Member
Athens City Council District 3
Mr. Anthony Townsend is proud to be an Athens native and a product of the Athens City Schools system. Upon graduation from Athens High School (1973), he attended Athens State University on an athletic scholarship, where he earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Physical Education (1977). He was one of the first employees hired by Steelcase, where he retired after 35 years. Mr. Townsend is married to Lillie and they have three grandsons: Chriscean, Antonio and London. He is a member of Popular Creek MB Church, where he serves as a Deacon.Mr. Townsend has served on the Athens City Schools Board of Education since August 2022. He plans to draw from his experience as a former athlete and volunteer basketball coach to guide his decisions as a board member and will always strive for the best interest of our One Athens students and teachers.
Phone: 256.206.5921 Email: anthonytownsend828@gmail.com
Mrs. Karen Clem, Board Member
Athens City Council District 2
Mrs. Karen Clem is a lifelong Athenian, veteran teacher, and Athens Golden Eagle. Mrs. Clem graduated from Athens High School in 1984 and went on to earn a Bachelor of Science in Math Education from Athens State College. She obtained a Master of Education from the University of North Alabama ('92) as well as an Education Specialist from the University of Alabama ('03). Mrs. Clem taught thousands of Golden Eagles during her 31-year tenure at Athens High School, where she also served as the AHS Student Council Association Advisor for almost 30 years. She is still very active in SCA and holds the office of Alabama Student Council Association Executive Secretary and Southern Association of Student Councils Assistant Executive Director. Mrs. Clem was the first ACS teacher to earn National Board Certification, one of the most respected professional certifications in education. She retired from Athens High School in 2020. For the past 18 years, she has been a part-time, virtual instructor at Purdue Global University. and currently teaches math at Independence High School in Thompson Station, Tennessee. Mrs. Clem has advocated for the educational needs of our community’s children for over 30 years and looks forward to helping to build a vision that all can share in. Mrs. Clem, along with her husband, Dave ('72), and their children, David ('04), Richard ('06), Emily ('12) and James ('19), are all proud products of Athens City Schools! She has served on the ACS Board of Education since June 2023.
Phone: 256.777.9730 Email: clemkaren123@gmail.com
Mr. Toby Harrison, Board Member
Athens City Council District 4
Mr. Toby Harrison is a dedicated professional with a background in business management and software business solutions. He graduated from Auburn University in 1999 with a degree in Business Management, specializing in Management Information Systems. Throughout his career, he has held various roles including Sales Representative, System Analyst, and Software Analyst, and currently serves as the Director of Support for Emun Incorporated in Huntsville, AL. Mr. Harrison is happily married to Tonya Harrison, Controller at Yellowhammer Roofing. They have two sons, Braeden ('22) and Walker, who are proud Athens Golden Eagles!
Mr. Harrison joined the Athens City Schools Board of Education in June 2024. He believes strongly in the importance of education and is deeply committed to serving the students, and teachers of One Athens. Mr. Harrison views a strong school system as essential to the prosperity of Athens, recognizing it as the backbone of the city. With his dedication and passion for education, he is honored to contribute to the advancement of Athens City Schools.
Phone: (256) 479-2788 Email: tobyharrison.acsb@gmail.com