Meet

Xavier Montoya will serve as Acting State Conservationist of West Virginia, effective November 26, 2006

J. Xavier Montoya started his career with SCS as a co-op student in the Albuquerque Field Office in New Mexico. From there he continued as a co-op student in various locations throughout the state.

Xavier graduated with a degree in Range Science from New Mexico State University. He accepted his first full time permanent position with NRCS in Window Rock, AZ as the Rangeland Management Specialist for the Navajo Nation and Window Rock Field Office. From Window Rock, AZ he moved to Lordsburg, NM as the Rangeland Management Specialist for the field office there.

After a few years he was selected as District Conservationist for the field office in Douglas, AZ. Upon arrival there in late 1998, he was asked to accept collateral duty assignments to serve as the Hispanic Emphasis Program Manager (HEPM) for Arizona, and he also served as the HEPM for the West Region.

In November of 2000 Xavier became the National HEPM for NRCS. He worked closely with all the NRCS HEPM’s, and NRCS Management to help increase the representation of Hispanics and all minority groups in NRCS, and USDA.

In October of 2002 Xavier was asked to serve an extended detail as Resource Conservationist on the Technical Service Provider group, to help the group develop the rule, policy, and other related materials. A couple of his primary assignments on the Technical Service Provider group were: development of Memorandums of Understanding for Recommending Organizations; and to be able to present and share information about, and related to, the Technical Service Provider process.

In March of 2004 Xavier accepted assignment to the Deputy State Conservationist position in Indiana, where he enjoys working with other NRCS staff and the Indiana Conservation Partnership to provide assistance to local land owners and land users in conserving natural resources on Indiana’s working lands.

Xavier has been married for eight wonderful years to Anita and they have two daughters and a little boy. He is very dedicated to his family, loves spending time with them, and enjoys the outdoors.

Ben Collier, District Conservationist

I am now calling Parkersburg my new home as I have moved here from Flatwoods, WV. I’m a native of Barbour County where I grew up on a small-scale beef cattle farm that my grandfather had purchased in the 1960’s. I attended West Virginia University where I majored in Agricultural and Environmental Education. While at WVU, I worked one summer with NRCS in Kingwood as a Nutrient Management Aid. I began my student training for NRCS after my junior year in college. I received my bachelor’s degree in agriculture in May of 2003, and I immediately moved to Summersville, West Virginia, where I was a Soil Conservationist with NRCS. After working one year in Summersville, I transferred to the Gassaway field office and worked over two years there. I was then very fortunate to receive the District Conservationist job here in Parkersburg in August.

Currently, I am engaged to Kristen Carnahan of Washington, Pennsylvania, and our wedding will take place June 30th of 2007. My hobbies include hunting and fishing, and I would like to start raising some livestock again. I also enjoy working with a friend in Waynesburg, Pennsylvania that has a rodeo company producing bull riding shows all over the east coast.

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