Huntsville, AL, January 2021 – The Free 2 Teach Board of Directors announced today that Alison Kling, the Development Director at Free 2 Teach, will transition to the role of Executive Director of the Huntsville education nonprofit, effective January 1, 2021. Kling succeeds Eula Battle, the co-founder of Free 2 Teach, who passed away in October after leading the organization for over nine years.
“Eula loved children and teaching,” said Huntsville Mayor, Tommy Battle. “Free 2 Teach was the culmination of her life’s work, and I know she would be thrilled with this selection. I am confident Alison will lead the organization to even greater heights while protecting Eula’s legacy. I am grateful to the Free 2 Teach Board of Directors, volunteers, and staff for their thoughtful leadership during this time.”
Kling has served as the Development Director of Free 2 Teach since 2017, where she has been responsible for fundraising and communication. She worked for four years as an elementary school teacher in New York City Public Schools with Teach for America. In addition to her undergraduate work, she holds a Master’s in Education (M.S.) from Hunter College and a Master’s of Divinity (M.Div.) from Princeton Theological Seminary. She has served on the boards of several non-profits and has served on staff at a number of churches, most recently Covenant Presbyterian in Huntsville.
“On behalf of the Board we are pleased to have selected Alison to lead Free 2 Teach as our next Executive Director,” said Samantha Nielsen, chair of the Free 2 Teach Board of Directors. “She brings a wealth of knowledge from her education background and deep insight into our operations from her time learning from Eula. During her time at Free 2 Teach she has built strong relationships with our donors and volunteers and has done a wonderful job representing our mission in the community.”
Kling’s transition to the role comes after several months of planning by the organization’s Board of Directors. The current staff remains in place as Kling takes the helm: Beth Vest, Director of Operations and Grants and Jennifer Cummings, Store Manager and Volunteer Coordinator, round out the Free 2 Teach team. In 2020, the team delivered more than $850,000 in supplies to teachers and students in Huntsville City, Madison City and Madison County.
“It has been an honor to work alongside Eula for the past three-and-a-half years,” said Kling. “I have learned so much from her as a mentor and friend. I miss her wisdom, kindness and strength. She had so much love for Madison County’s children and teachers and her vision will continue to guide all that we do together. Eula understood the transformative impact that supplies have on children and she knew the sacrifices teachers were willing to make for students. I am deeply honored to be a part of this team. Together we will continue to make sure that every teacher and student has the supplies they need to succeed in the classroom and beyond.”
About Free 2 Teach: Free 2 Teach is an education nonprofit in Huntsville, Alabama that supports public school children by providing free supplies to public school teachers and students from Huntsville City, Madison County and Madison City School systems. Free 2 Teach was co-founded by Eula Battle in 2011 and has since given away over $7.2 million in supplies, impacting thousands of children in classrooms across Madison County. To learn more about Free 2 Teach go to www.free-2-teach.org.