Hollie Cost

Mayor of Montevallo

Biography

Hollie C. Cost is the Mayor of the City of Montevallo and Professor of Special Education at the University of Montevallo. Mayor Cost is committed to supporting an active lifestyle for community members of all ages and ability levels through establishing unique arts, recreation, sustainability and youth initiatives.

Through her city and university positions, Dr. Cost served key roles in the development of the nationally recognized Montevallo Parks Trail, Montevallo Junior City Council, Montevallo Sister City Commission, Montevallo Artwalk, the University of Montevallo Service Learning and Community Engagement program and the Collaborative Teacher program. Most recently, Mayor Cost and her team oversaw the completion of the the Montevallo Streetscape project, focusing on both accessibility and beautification for Main Street and Middle Street.

Mayor Cost has participated in learning exchanges and professional development through David Mathews Center for Civic Life, The Kettering Foundation, The Aspen Institute, Leadership Shelby County and Leadership Alabama. She joined the University of Montevallo in 2000 and the City of Montevallo as a City Council member in 2004, serving two terms on the city council before being elected to her first term as mayor in 2012.

Dr. Cost earned a Ph. D. in special education from Auburn University. Her honors include the Outstanding Service-learning Collaboration in Higher Education Award, UM Commitment to Service Award, Academy for Civic Professionalism Award, Outstanding ACE Mayor Award and the 2018 Vulcan Game Changer Spear Award. She and her husband Andrew and their sons Eli and Campbell enjoy biking and spending time outdoors.