The Flathead Valley Community College Board of Trustees on Monday appointed Kelly Dowling Stimpson of Bigfork to fill a vacant trustee position.

Before relocating to Bigfork 10 years ago, Stimpson served as the administrative counsel for the Tupelo Public School District in Tupelo, Miss.

Previously, she was in private practice where she defended school districts and municipalities and provided general legal advice to school districts. Stimpson also practiced civil litigation in Mississippi, California and Ohio and focused on insurance defense, banking and securities fraud litigation.

She holds a Juris Doctorate from the University of San Diego School of Law and a Bachelor of Arts from Brigham Young University.

An active community volunteer, Stimpson has served on the board of directors of Kalispell Lakers Baseball, as an America Reads volunteer for School District 5 and as the founding president of the Flathead High School parent group.

“I have a love for education and a great respect for those who work within school systems, so diligently and selflessly,” said Stimpson. “I have a sincere desire to contribute to the continued excellence of Flathead Valley Community College.”

Stimpson succeeds longtime trustee John Phelps, who resigned recently.