Christie Finley is an accomplished education leader and former Superintendent of Huntsville City Schools, one of Alabama’s most prominent and rapidly growing school systems. With a career spanning more than two decades in public education, Finley has built a reputation for strong organizational leadership, student-centered decision making, and a commitment to academic excellence in diverse and high-performing communities.

Before being named superintendent, Finley served Huntsville City Schools in several key leadership roles, including Chief Academic Officer and Deputy Superintendent. In these positions, she played an instrumental role in shaping district-wide instructional strategy, improving curriculum alignment, supporting teacher development, and expanding academic opportunities for students across elementary, middle, and high schools. Her leadership contributed to Huntsville City Schools maintaining its standing as one of the top-performing districts in Alabama, particularly noted for strong outcomes in college readiness, STEM education, and Advanced Placement participation.

As superintendent, Finley oversaw a district serving approximately 23,000 students across more than 40 schools in a city nationally recognized for its ties to engineering, defense, and space exploration. Working in a community closely connected to NASA, Redstone Arsenal, and a thriving technology sector, Finley prioritized initiatives that supported workforce readiness, STEM pathways, and partnerships with local higher education institutions and industry leaders.

During her tenure, Finley guided the district through significant challenges facing K–12 education nationwide, including pandemic-era learning disruption, staffing pressures, and evolving expectations around academic performance and school accountability. She worked closely with the Huntsville City Schools Board of Education, educators, parents, and community stakeholders to navigate complex policy decisions while maintaining focus on student achievement and operational stability.

Finley is widely recognized for her collaborative leadership style, emphasizing communication, transparency, and strategic planning. Her approach has been characterized by a willingness to engage stakeholders across differing perspectives while focusing on long-term outcomes for students and families. Colleagues often describe her as thoughtful, steady, and deeply committed to the mission of public education.

Throughout her career, Finley has been an advocate for continuous improvement in teaching and learning, emphasizing data-informed decision making, professional development for educators, and the importance of building strong school cultures. Her work reflects a belief that successful school systems require both academic rigor and strong relationships between educators, families, and the broader community.

Today’s conversation explores Christie Finley’s leadership journey, lessons learned from guiding a major public school district, and insights into the evolving landscape of education in a fast-growing city like Huntsville. A native of Alabama and graduate of Auburn University, Christie is married to Kirk Finley and they have two sons.

For more information on Christie Finley and Leadership Greater Huntsville, visit https://leadershiphsv.orgHost/Interviewer: M. Troy Bye, Owner, Our Town with Troy Bye, a brand of the Our Town Company, LLC Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP5NjTsQ72k00C5n7ghLapAWatch on Spotify:https://open.spotify.com/show/0JwD62zXPncMeFeQdTVomHAudio only available in all other platforms where you get your podcasts.Follow us on social media: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/our-town-w-troy-bye-50033a234/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ourtownpodcast/

Camryn Suggs is an emerging leader in the North Alabama small business and culinary community, serving as a driving force behind the continued growth and customer experience at Valentina’s Pizzeria. Known for its commitment to quality ingredients, Valentina’s has quickly become a local favorite — and Camryn plays a key role in ensuring every guest feels part of the family.Camryn's journey to become the GM at Valentina's was very untraditional. She was a Figure Skater for much of her youth, supported by her amazing family, and then went to study Business and Cyber Security at the University of Alabama-Huntsville. She then decided to attend Law School in Knoxville, TN. She had some amazing internship and clerkship opportunities during her time in law school that really helped her to find the niche she was most passionate about - Family Law. She passed the bar and moved back to North Alabama to begin working. Camryn's transition to working at Valentina's started as just working as a server to earn some extra money to pay down school debt and to have some extra cash. However, she really enjoyed it and approached Joe Carlucci about coming on full-time in a management capacity. It was great timing as Joe had just purchased the land where they would build the larger store where Valentina's now operates. Camryn was all-in and had extensive responsibilities placed on her in the construction, design, decoration, and staffing of the new location.During this episode we also discuss Camryn's recent successes in competing at the the International Pizza Expo in Las Vegas. This year she won best traditional and non-traditional pizza for the Southeast Region. This makes the 3rd year in a row that Camryn has competed and won at the event.For more information on Camryn Suggs and Valentina's visit https://valentinaspizzeria.comHost/Interviewer: M. Troy Bye, Owner, Our Town with Troy Bye, a brand of the Our Town Company, LLC Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP5NjTsQ72k00C5n7ghLapAWatch on Spotify:https://open.spotify.com/show/0JwD62zXPncMeFeQdTVomHAudio only available in all other platforms where you get your podcasts.Follow us on social media: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/our-town-w-troy-bye-50033a234/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ourtownpodcast/

Jacob Ladner is a Decatur, Alabama–based professional whose work and life are rooted in a strong sense of purpose, growth, and community. He earned a History degree from University of North Alabama, where he met his wife, and now serves on the Board of Directors of the UNA Foundation.

Professionally, Jacob has built his career in a specialized industry of Financial lending called Factor Lending. Before forming Thirdmark Capital, Jacob spent the majority of his career with Interstate Billing services where he rose through the ranks and learned the business of Factor Lending. Additionally, Jacob was elected to the City Council in 2020 and served as the Chair of the City Council for 5 years before stepping down last year. Jacob is proud of the work that the and his fellow council members completed in leading several key development projects that have contributed to a stronger and better Decatur.

Drawing from both his educational background and real-world experience, Jacob brings a practical and insightful perspective to the table. In this episode, he shares his journey, the lessons he’s learned along the way, and how his experiences in Decatur and beyond have shaped his approach to work and life.

Learn more about Jacob Ladner and Thirdmark Capital by visiting Website: https://thirdmarkcapital.com/

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/thirdmarkcapital/

• 
  

  Host/Interviewer: M. Troy Bye, Owner, Our Town with Troy Bye, a brand of the Our Town Company, LLC

  Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP5NjTsQ72k00C5n7ghLapA

  Watch on Spotify:https://open.spotify.com/show/0JwD62zXPncMeFeQdTVomH

  Audio only available in all other platforms where you get your podcasts.

  
  

  Follow us on social media:

  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/our-town-w-troy-bye-50033a234/

  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ourtownpodcast/