Governor Kay Ivey has appointed longtime law enforcement officer Hal Nash as the new chair of the Alabama Board of Pardons and Paroles, following the departure of former Chair Leigh Gwathney. The appointment, effective immediately, places Nash, a veteran of the Jackson and DeKalb County Sheriff’s Offices, at the helm of the three-member board responsible for granting and denying parole in Alabama.
“In 2019, we amended the law to ensure that the Board of Pardons and Paroles’ paramount duty will always be to ensure public safety, and Hal Nash is well-equipped to maintain the Board’s effectiveness in performing that task,” said Ivey. “He has a law enforcement perspective, and he has assured me he will approach each decision fairly and with that top goal in mind, which is to keep the people of Alabama safe.”
Nash currently serves as chief corrections deputy at the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office and has worked in a wide range of law enforcement roles.
His past service includes work with the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office, the U.S. Marshals Service Fugitive Task Force in Huntsville and the Chattanooga Police Reserve. In DeKalb County, he held leadership roles in narcotics enforcement and criminal investigations.
“I am humbled by the appointment… and look forward to working with the other board members as we serve Alabama in this important public safety role,” said Nash in a statement. “While remembering that people can choose to change for the better, this task will require weighing the safety of all the citizens of Alabama first. I pray for the wisdom to recognize both as I strive to serve the very best I can.”
Nash’s civic leadership experience includes serving as international vice president of the Jaycees and chairing both the Chattanooga/Hamilton County Air Pollution Control Board and the Jackson County Hospital Authority.
Jackson County Sheriff Rocky Harnen praised the appointment, calling Nash “a wealth of experience in law enforcement, both on the enforcement and corrections sides,” while Jackson County District Attorney Jason Pierce said Nash brings “character, integrity and discernment” to the role.
Cam Ward, director of the Alabama Bureau of Pardons and Paroles, which operates separately from the Board but supports its operations, also voiced support for the governor’s decision.
“The Bureau functions separately from the Board, but we enjoy cooperation with its members and work to promote the safety of our state’s citizens while providing meaningful paths to reentry into society for formerly incarcerated Alabamians,” said Ward.
Nash succeeds Leigh Gwathney, a former Jefferson County prosecutor who had chaired the Board since her appointment in 2019. Gwathney became the first board chair under reforms passed that year, which required the governor to choose appointees from a list of law enforcement-focused candidates submitted by a nominating committee of legislative leaders. The changes aimed to refocus the board’s mission around public safety amid rising concerns about violent crime and early releases.
During her tenure, Gwathney was known for her cautious approach to parole grants, and her leadership aligned closely with the Ivey administration’s tough-on-crime philosophy.
“We appreciate former Chairman Leigh Gwathney’s service to our state and her commitment to answering the call to serve Alabama in various capacities for more than two decades,” said Ward.
Nash’s appointment comes as the board continues to navigate the balance between public safety, rehabilitation and prison overcrowding.
Board members serve staggered six-year terms, and the chair is selected by the governor from a list of five nominees provided by the lieutenant governor, speaker of the House and Senate president pro tem.
Nash, who entered law enforcement at age 40, said the opportunity to lead the Board is deeply meaningful to him.
“This is not a position to be taken lightly,” he said. “A safe Alabama is our goal.”
