Hermina Harold, Executive Director
Hermina is Trust Montana’s first Executive Director. She has been working at the North-Missoula Community Development Corporation (NMCDC), Montana’s longest-running community land trust organization, for the majority of the past decade — co-managing the development of NMCDC’s commercial food hub building, establishing Burns Street Center’s neighborhood food programs, and working with home owners in the 47-unit CLT housing program. During this time, as an NMCDC employee, she also helped to establish Trust Montana.
Hermina grew up in the Flathead Valley and attended the University of Montana, where she graduated with a Bachelors Degree in Social Work in 2009. She has attended community land trust conferences in Georgia, Vermont, Washington, and Utah. She is passionate about securing land for affordable housing and farmland in order to build more vibrant and equitable Montana communities. Email her at hermina@trustmontana.org.
Kristin King-Ries, Legal Counsel & Program Developer
Kristin started her career in farmland preservation as program manager for land use policy at the Community Food and Agriculture Coalition. She served on the boards of the Clark Fork Farmer’s Market and Garden City Harvest. Prior to moving to Montana, she practiced in the area of criminal law for several years and ran the Office of the Public Defender for the Quinault Indian Nation in the State of Washington.
Kristin holds Masters Degrees from Stanford University and the University of Montana. She received her law degree from Washington University where she was on Law Review and was chosen to represent her class as the student speaker at Commencement. She clerked for the Honorable David McDonnell of the U.S District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri. She is currently on the board of the Roxy Theater/International Wildlife Film Festival. Email her at kristin@trustmontana.org.
