Mary joined the Alabama League of Municipalities staff in July 2021 as the Education Coordinator and Alabama Communities of Excellence’s Program Coordinator. The Education Coordinator is a new position responsible for curriculum oversite of the League’s conferences and events, as well as any additional training and outreach programs implemented by the League. In September 2022, the League adopted the twenty-year-old Alabama Communities of Excellence program and enhanced its outreach and support to communities with populations between 2,000-18,000. Of the 50 communities involved in ACE, the League is excited to see the growth of the program into the next 20 years. As of September 2024, Mary assumed the new title of Director of Professional and Community Development to further the continuation of ACE, CMO and educational opportunities with ALM.
As of May 2024, Mary received a Master of Arts degree from The University of Alabama’s College of Communications and Information Sciences in Organizational Leadership. She graduated with honors in the Lambda Pi Eta, Omega Nu Lambda, and Golden Key International Honor Societies.
Prior to joining the League’s team, she served as the City Clerk for Monroeville for six years where she received her Master Municipal Clerk (MMC) designation in November 2020 and in 2018 achieved the Certified Governmental Accounting Technician (CGAT) designation. During her time in Monroeville, she also chaired the Promotions Committee for Monroeville Main Street for four years. In addition, she served on the Main Street Alabama Board as the City Clerk representative and participated in the League’s FAIR and Human Development policy committee meetings. A proud Rotarian since 2013, Mary served as Monroeville Rotary President from 2018-2020.
A Denver, Colorado native, Mary graduated from the University of Colorado - Denver in 2004 with a BA in Communications and a minor in Theatre. In 2002, she completed an internship with the Walt Disney World (WDW) Resort during which she attended a Communications and Leadership course at Disney University; performed in the ‘Tapestry of Dreams’ Parade at Epcot; worked in crowd control at Hollywood Studios; and became a WDW College Program Recruiter upon her return to Colorado. Following graduation, she worked for the University of Colorado Hospital as a Care Team Specialist. During her time at the hospital, Mary attended The Art of Leadership development program and was the recipient of the University of Colorado Hospital President’s Award in 2009 for “Working Together.” In October 2010, she moved to Alabama to be closer to her family, based in Evergreen, and began working for the University of Alabama’s Graduate School as a Senior Admissions Counselor and Special Projects Coordinator.
Mary and her daughter, Jacklynn Grace, now live in Pike Road, where they look forward to supporting both the Pike Road and Montgomery communities.