Jeanne Hamilton,
Northern Plains Regional Representative

Jeanne Hamilton grew up in a small agricultural community in northeast Montana. She found a passion for agronomy through FFA in high school and became familiar with the local NRCS office as they worked with her team to study and prepare for competitions. As she approached graduation, she applied for a Student Career Experience Program position (now known as Pathways).

Jeanne worked in 5 offices across Montana during the summers while pursuing her bachelor’s degree in Plant Sciences at Montana State University. After graduation, she became a full time Soil Conservationist and worked in 3 more locations before advancing into an Area Resource Conservationist for Programs position in central Montana. A few years later, she accepted a District Conservationist position in Flagstaff, AZ and learned about agriculture in a whole new topography and climate and was able to expand her experience to include snow survey, work with multiple conservation districts, RC&D’s and Tribes. Jeanne returned to Montana and after a detail to the state office in Colorado as the Financial Assistance Program Manager, she applied for and accepted that position full time in the Montana State Office. This provided opportunities for her to serve as the State Appeals and Equitable Relief Coordinator and in turn to serve on the National Appeals Cadre. She also took the opportunity to participate in the Tri-State Leadership Development Program. Those opportunities allowed her to expand her network across the country and to grow as an employee. A few years later, Jeanne took a detail to the Assistant State Conservationist (ASTC) for Programs in Boise, Idaho and eventually applied for and accepted the ASTC for Field Operations in Pierre, South Dakota where she has been for the past 3 years.