Montgomery, the assistant vice president for Research and Program Development at Eastern New Mexico University and a current member of the New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science Board of Trustees, was appointed to the State Parks Advisory Board.

How did you come to be appointed to the State Parks Advisory Board?

You have to be nominated. Basically, individuals who are already with the State Park Advisory Board looked for regional opportunities and called me and asked if I would be interested. If you're interested, you have to fill out a multi-page application which is then sent to the governor. The governor's office will then review all of those things and make the decision.

What will your duties be on the board?

We have all sorts of offices, and typically they'll align that office with a group from the public, chosen by the governor, that advises them. It doesn't tell them what to do, per se, but it advises them on policy issues, admission rules, strategic planning, funding, those sorts of things. Think of it as a committee of individuals around the state with a commitment to helping the people of New Mexico have the best parks. Our role, of course, is to hear the public and say, ‘You're not hearing people in Mora County. They're concerned about the state of their park.' That's how input is made. As a group we listen to and seek comment, information, perspective, and we represent the people of New Mexico and their interests in these various things.

In your opinion, what makes your appointment important?

Like my other appointments, regionally, I would like to see folks in New Mexico understand that it isn't just the river that dominates what we do. Various parts of the state I would like to represent in terms of heritage values, recreation, interpretation and state parks are a huge basis for that, because frankly, people like to go out and go to parks because it's outside, it's New Mexico. There's a great state park system; I just think it could be greater. We wanted to showcase places like Oasis State Park, which has been here quite a long time, and has tremendous potential. I've worked with that park with various activities with Blackwater Draw. People in New Mexico need to understand, there's a lot to do in state parks, and there's a lot to do in state parks in the eastern half of the state.

What makes you excited about your appointment?

The excitement is actually being able to make a difference, being able to understand and work with state government officials for the betterment of the people of New Mexico. You don't get very many chances to do that, and I have a passion for getting people involved in New Mexico, whether it's heritage values, recreation values, interpretation values, education values. These are parts of our future, of our kids' future, and that's what makes it so important. I have a stake in the future.

— Compiled by Staff Writer Eamon Scarbrough