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Laurie Riley, the newly-hired staff coordinator for the Missouri River Conservation Districts Council, hopes that her unique background will help her achieve some big goals.

Years ago, Riley was a stockbroker in the Washington D.C. area when she decided to make a change.

She quit her job, enrolled in the University of Montana's Wildlife Biology Program and has been working with natural resources ever since. Prior to being hired by the Council, she served as the executive director of the Bitter Root Water Forum for more than three years.

Some of her goals for her new role include helping minimize the area's noxious weed problem and helping local landowners enhance their own lands for wildlife through grant funding.

Riley explained, "I have a business background, I have a finance background, and a wildlife biology background and a background in ecological restoration, and working with a lot of different teams and councils and committees. So, I think it's a really good package to put me where I am now."

The Missouri River Conservation Districts Council represents 15 counties along the Missouri River in the state.

Riley replaces Vicki Marquis, who served in the position for five years.

Click here to visit the Council's website.