Join the Membership!

Become a member of The Arc and join us to improve the quality of life for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD). Opportunities to serve on a committee, participate in fundraising, increase community awareness, and advocate for support from our local and state governments are all available to our members.

Complete this form to submit your membership registration information to The Arc of the Shoals. Membership dues are $10 per person. If you have any questions please contact The Arc at (256) 383-1472.

Our Board of Directors

Laura Wisdom, President

Laura has served on the Board of Directors since 2017.

In November 2019, she was elected to the Executive Board to serve as the Secretary. In September of 2021 and December of 2022, Laura was elected to serve as President.

Laura has three children – Whitney, Wesley, and Walker. She has a brother, Craig Meek, who began receiving services from the Arc in 1996. Her brother, Craig, currently resides in one of the residential homes by the Arc.

Greg Ezell, Vice President

Greg is extremely active in the community and has a son with exceptional needs that graduated from LCHS. Greg has volunteered for UCP and promotes gainful employment for adults with exceptional needs. We are thankful to his commitment to the Arc of the Shoals! Greg is serving his second term as Vice President.

Dustin Phillips, Secretary

Dustin was voted to the Board of Directors in June of 2021, and elected to the Executive Board in September of 2021 and December of 2022. Dustin is serving a second term as secretary.

Dustin is a proud alum of UNA. Dustin graduated in Fall 2018 with a B.S.Ed. in K-6 Collaborative Education and in the Spring of 2020 with an M.A.Ed. in K-12 Collaborative Education.

Dustin is studying to get an administration degree. His goal is to obtain an Ed.D. in Special Education from the University of Alabama.

Dustin proudly teaches Collaborative Education in a local school system. He serves as the coordinators for Night to Shine-Shoals and is a youth leader at Chapel in Florence!

Dustin is inspired by his older brother, Chad, and would like to see more opportunities provided to individuals with exceptional needs.

Dustin encourages everyone to be engaged with the Arc of the Shoals, Night to Shine-Shoals, Colbert-Lauderdale Special Olympics, and the Miracle League. Together, we can make the shoals a more inclusive community.

Rhonda Littrell, Treasurer

Rhonda has been active with our organization for many years. Her son, Alex, participates in our program and her husband currently serves on our board, too!

Rhonda was voted by the membership to be the treasurer during our September 2021 and December 2022 board meeting. We are grateful for her commitment to the Arc of the Shoals. She is serving a second term as treasurer.

Murray Townsend

Murray has been active with the Arc of the Shoals for many years and recently was voted on by the membership to rejoin the Board of Directors at the September 2021 board meeting.

Murray has a wealth of knowledge concerning the Arc of Alabama and the Arc of the Shoals. He has an invested interest in the success of the Arc of the Shoals.

We are thankful for his commitment to serving the community!

Pam Russell

Pam Russell retired in May 2019 after 30 years working in the Muscle Shoals City School district. She began her career as a district-wide paraprofessional, and later transferred to a special education teaching position at Muscle Shoals High School where she taught for 8 years. She then transferred to a special education teaching position at Muscle Shoals Middle School for 3 years. The last 12 years of Pam’s career was spent at the central office where she served as a Special Education Program Specialist, and later as the Supervisor of Student Services. Since retirement, Pam continues to advocate for exceptional students by serving as an intern supervisor for the University of North Alabama’s Collaborative Education interns. Additionally, she is a diagnostician for JB Educational Solutions where she evaluates students’ academic achievement which provides necessary data for determining special education eligibility. When she is asked why she chose special education as her career, she proudly replies, “I didn’t choose it. It chose me.”

Pam was voted to serve on the Board of Directors at the December 2022 meeting.

Chloe Johnson

Hi! My name is Chloe Johnson and I am from Madison, AL. I graduated from Bob Jones High School in 2018. I am currently studying to become a K-6 Special Education teacher. I am currently the Vice President of the Collaborative Club at UNA, where we strive to include students and young adults inside and outside of our community! I look forward to participating on the board at The Arc and bring my love of serving others!

Chloe was appointed to the Board of Directors during the October 2022 meeting.

Laiken Mann

Laiken was nominated and voted upon by the membership in September of 2021.

Laiken moved to The Shoals in 2015 to attend the University of North Alabama. During her time there, she fell in love with teaching and serving students with exceptionalities. She went on to teach life skills classes to young adults with disabilities during her Graduate Assistantship at UNA.

Laiken is currently a Collaborative Education teacher at Muscle Shoals City Schools. She graduated with her undergraduate degree in 2019, and she recently obtained her Master’s degree at UNA this past May.

Bridgett Meeks

Bridgett is married to Keith Meek and has been married for 26 years. Bridgett has 3 boys (Hunter 23, Houston 17, and Holden 15). She graduated from Rogers High School in 1994, and serves as a substitute teacher (K-12th grade). She often works in the special education classrooms and in the office while she is on campus. Bridgett has not been a stranger to exceptional needs populations. At an early age she started babysitting children with a special needs. Her husband, Keith, has a twin who receives services from the Arc of the Shoals, and her in-laws (Marvin and Linda Meek) served the Arc of the Shoals for many years advocating for people with exceptional needs within the Shoals. Bridgett is excited to serve the Shoals community.

Emari Hutto

Hi, my name is Emari Hutto. I am from Trinity, AL and a graduate of West Morgan High School. I currently am attending UNA to become a K-6 Special Education teacher. I am the current president of the Collaborative Club at UNA, where we encourage inclusion on campus for students and young adults with disabilities within our community. I am excited to participate on the board at The Arc and hope to foster a strong connection between The Arc of the Shoals and UNA.

Sharon Fuller

Sharon was nominated and voted upon by the membership in September of 2021.

“My name is Sharon Fuller. I am originally from Muscle Shoals, AL. I left the area and attended Auburn University where I obtained two degrees. I have a degree in Rehabilitation Services and my masters in Early Childhood Special Education. I am currently in my 30th year of teaching at Highland Park Elementary. Most of my career has been in the Muscle Shoals City School system.

I am married to my husband Don, who I met at Auburn, and we have three children. My daughter is in college at UNA to be a teacher and I have twin boys at Muscle Shoals High School.

My son Braden was diagnosed with Autism before his first birthday. Later genetic testing revealed Fragile X syndrome. I was an unknown carrier when I became pregnant with my boys. People often ask if I became a special education teacher because of him. Actually, I had been teaching for 13 years when Braden was born. My heart belongs to the special needs community. As I near retirement, I plan to put my focus on the adult community. I am privileged to serve on the Arc of the Shoals Board of Directors. “

Misty Phillips

Misty Phillips was nominated and agreed upon by the membership in September of 2021. She is the wife of Howard and mother to Chad and Dustin. Misty is a small business owner within the Shoals community. She recently closed her hair salon to become the secretary/bookkeeper for the family business. Misty proudly shared her testimony of being a young mother. She has navigated the realities of public education, SSI, the Medicaid Waiver, and much more. She is a valuable asset to our program and the families that we serve. We look forward to seeing what all is accomplished during her term.