Fallon grad, Stacy Montooth named to state post

  Staff Report —  Stacey Montooth, a Churchill County High School graduate, has been named by Governor Steve Sisolak as the new director of the Nevada Indian Commission. She replaces longtime director Sherry Rupert, who resigned earlier this year to become director of the American Indian Alaska Native Tourism Association. Previously, from 2009-2013, she served as the Indian Education Liaison for the Churchill County School District. Sisolak said she has extensive experience in tribal relations in Nevada and a thorough understanding of the issues facing Nevada’s 27 tribes. “Stacey … has extensive experience in tribal relations in Nevada and understands first-hand the multitude of issues, including health services and K-12 education, facing the 27 tribes in our state,” Sisolak said in a statement. “I am grateful for her past outstanding work in Nevada and look forward to her continued service to the Native American community.” She also holds several communications certifications, including the Advanced Public Information Office Endorsement from the Federal Emergency Management Agency. “The opportunity to work for all 27 Nevada Tribes has always been my dream, yet the change is not easy because there are so many dedicated, good people here,” Montooth wrote in an email this week to the community. “However, I’ll be just 45 minutes down the road, and I am confident our paths will remain connected.” She has served as public relations officer for the Reno-Sparks Indian Colony since August 2013. A graduate of the University of Missouri’s School of Journalism, Montooth has spent two decades working in community relations, primarily in higher education and college athletics. Montooth, who grew up in Fallon and graduated from Churchill County High in 1984, served as the assistant commissioner of the Missouri Valley Conference as well as the Sports Information director at both McKendree and Columbia colleges. At the Olympic Games held in Atlanta in 1996, Montooth was also a summer intern at the Lahontan Valley News. Montooth was the press center manager at the softball venue. She was also the media coordinator for the 2005 NCAA Men’s Final Four and the assistant media coordinator of the 2001 Women’s Final Four basketball championships She is a member of the Walker River Paiute Nation, and will begin her new duties on September 1st.     Support local, independent news – contribute to The Fallon Post, your non-profit (501c3) online news source for all things Fallon. Never miss the local news -- read more on The Fallon Post home page.