Meet the School Board Members

Erin Skipper resides in Fleming Island with her husband, Joshua, and their two girls Kannyn and Ansleigh. Erin is a lifelong Clay County resident having been born in Clay County and a graduate of Middleburg High School. Her roots run deep with both of her parents being long time Clay County residents and her mom spending more than 30 years teaching in Clay County Schools.  

Erin graduated with honors from Oklahoma City University, with a B.S. in Nursing. As an Emergency Room Nurse at St. Vincent’s Medical Center and Mayo Clinic, Erin has dealt with issues that will transcend into her role as a School Board member. Good management and organizational skills, how to work as a team, critical thinking, assessment of needs, dealing with families in crisis situations, and working under pressure at a fast pace, to name a few. Most importantly, it has taught her how to be a champion for those most vulnerable. Erin is proud to serve as an advocate to ensure that parents have a strong voice, that our teachers have a strong voice and most importantly our children have a strong voice.

Mary Bolla is serving her second term on the Clay County School Board. She is currently the Board Vice-Chair and has served as chair and vice chair for the past two years. Mary came to the board from the classroom. She was an elementary teacher in Clay County for 17 years, and was honored as Teacher of the Year at two of the elementary schools where she worked. Prior to her teaching experience, she was the director of admissions at the University of North Florida. Her husband of 37 years, Wayne Bolla, is a Clay County commissioner. Their children are products of the Clay County school system. 

As a board member, Mary has been involved with the Clay Education Foundation and was presented the Star School Board Member Award from the Consortium of Florida Education Foundations in 2020. She volunteers at many of the schools throughout the county and enjoys attending the various activities that showcase our excellent education opportunities. 

Mary believes in continuing education, and has been a certified board member with the Florida School Boards Association since 2018. She is also a member of various organizations in the county. Feel welcome to contact Mary at any time!

Beth Clark began her service on the Clay County School Board in November 2020.  A native of northeast Florida and growing up in a military family, Beth attended Duval and St. Johns County schools before her graduation from Robert E. Lee High School.  She obtained a degree in Business from Jacksonville University and, in 1983, moved to Clay County based on Clay's high quality graduation.  Upon her husband's retirement from computer programming, he served Clay County as a bus driver for about a dozen years.


Beth served as a Business Partner of Orange Park Elementary and on the School Advisory Council for both Orange Park Elementary and Lakeside Junior High.  She is also a member of many local organizations.  With her long background in accounting, including self-funded health insurance, she brings those business skills to the board and its processes.  A realtor since 2005, Beth witnesses weekly the growth that is coming to Clay County.  Desirable communities come due to safe neighborhoods and great schools.  Clay has both.


While Clay offers such programs as an outstanding Career and Technology Education (CTE) with currently 33 different programs, Beth would like to advocate for more of the Fine Arts as well.  She believes that music is the key to so many opportunities, in addition to teaching teamwork and listening skills.


Beth is honored to serve as a School Board member and will always advocate for Clay County's children.

Michele Hanson is passionate about education, having served the children in Clay County Schools for the past 20 years. She began teaching in 2003 earning a Masters degree in Special Education with a certificate in Educational Leadership. She currently holds eight teaching certifications, but spent most of her years teaching English and Intensive Reading from 4th - 10th grade. While teaching, Michele was blessed to receive the Florida Agricultural Teacher of the Year (TOY) in 2016, Clay County school-level TOY three times, Clay County top 5 TOY, Walmart TOY, and was appointed to the State Curriculum Advisory Commission for three years. 

As a teacher leader and mentor, she developed a love for creating curriculum designed to meet the needs of every child and building professional relationships that positively impact student achievement. Michele is a strong advocate for Exceptional Student Education and after teaching Agriculture for four years, she learned the value and importance of providing quality career & technical education pathways for students.

Michele lives on a small farm in Middleburg with her husband John who served in the United States Army for 24 years. She has been married for 39 years and together they have three children that graduated from Ridgeview High School.  In addition, her two granddaughters currently attend Clay County Schools. Having a daughter that followed in her footsteps to become a teacher is one of her proudest moments as a mother. 

Ashley Hutchings Gilhousen resides in Green Cove Springs with her husband, Adam, and their three sons Aiden, 12, Brantley, 9, and Caleb, 8, who attend Clay County schools. Adam currently serves in the Florida Air National Guard. They are active members of Hibernia Baptist Church, and Ashley is a founding board member for the Clay County chapter of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes and has served as a mentor at Bannerman Learning Center. 

Ashley was born and raised in Green Cove Springs where she attended Charles E. Bennett Elementary School, Green Cove Springs Junior High School, and was the third generation of her family to graduate from Clay High School in 2003. She attended the University of Florida following graduation where she obtained her A.S. degree and completed her Bachelor’s of Science in Nursing at the University of North Florida. 

Ashley is currently serving as Board Chair in her third term on the Clay County School Board and is personally vested in the future of our district's performance. Her heart for service and love for her community as well as her educational and professional background in science and nursing have been instrumental in her decision making and problem-solving during her tenure on the board, especially through the recent challenges of 2020-2021. 

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Equal Opportunity Employer 

The School District of Clay County is an Equal Opportunity Employer.  We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, sex, marital status, age, national origin or disability.  Employment of personnel in Clay County is in compliance with Federal and State Laws regarding nondiscrimination and preference. Individuals with disabilities are encouraged to apply. Any person who believes he or she may need reasonable accommodations during the application, testing or interview process should notify the appropriate department or school office in advance.