Ashley Aldridge Wilson

Nolan Elementary School
Hamilton County Department of Education
Signal Mountain, Tennessee
wilson_ashley@hcde.org

Dr. Ashley Aldridge Wilson has served as an elementary administrator for a total of 14 years, the last two of which have been at Nolan Elementary School. Throughout her career as a principal, Wilson has been a fervent leader, always working toward excellence for her students and her staff. In 2012, when she was chosen to lead Jack Anderson Elementary, she independently elected to become one of the first Tennessee schools to be STEM-certified, requiring significant research and persistence on the part of Wilson. She formed a STEM leadership team composed of faculty, community members, and business partners. She created a STEM lab, built an outdoor classroom pavilion and an art gallery, and privately funded a STEM teacher to be onsite. She has since been appointed to serve on the Tennessee Department of Education’s STEM Leadership Council. Jack Anderson went on to become a finalist for FETC’s National STEM Excellence Award. Wilson is deeply committed to student achievement but also prioritizes mentorship and growth of new talent within the field. Wilson has been elevated to the role of Principal Mentor, in recognition of her deep experiences and her ability to help the professional growth of her peers. Wilson holds an Ed.D. in Learning and Leadership and a B.S. in Early Childhood Education from the University of Tennessee, Chattanooga, as well as an Education Specialist and M.A. in Instructional Leadership from Tennessee Technological University.