Barb Riley

Barb RileyBarb Riley

Barb has served as trustee to the Columbia Falls School Board since May, 1995, and has held officer positions during her tenure. She serves on the board of directors to the MT Schools Unemployment Insurance Program, first elected in 2000, and has held officer positions during her tenure. In October, 2005, Barb was elected to the MT School Board Association Board of Directors, representing Region One (Flathead, Lake & Lincoln counties), and currently serves as President. In September, 2008, Barb was elected as the National School Board Association Western Region representative for the Policy & Resolutions Committee. She was also appointed as an advisor for the NSBA Leadership Conference.

Barb has earned recognitions for long-term participation with MTSBA’s trustee training programs, including a multi-year Marvin Heinz Award Winner. She served as a panel member to the Augenblick & Meyer Professional Judgment Study of School Funding in 2002, as well as the only trustee member of the State’s Panel of Experts formed to review information related to the 2005 Legislature’s Quality School Interim Committee Work. She has also served on all committees of the Columbia Falls’ board during her tenure as a trustee.

A native to Montana, Barb owns a real estate brokerage, as well as an accounting and business services company. She and her husband, Russ, have two married children, Keyna and Terin, and one granddaughter, Brylea. Barb enjoys golf, travel, gardening, puzzles and visiting with friends. Aside from a career and school board service, she also serves with a non-profit organization, Log Jam, to provide financial assistance to families in Montana who have lost loved ones in timber related accidents.

Her service to schools started as a high school student body representative to her local district’s board. Although a non-voting member, the experience served as a catalyst for her involvement and dedication to providing and protecting public education for all students.

Personal Philosophy:
I am very proud to serve as a school board trustee for the Columbia Falls School District. I feel privileged for the opportunities that were provided to me throughout my educational journey, and want to protect and provide similar opportunities for the children in our community and state. I feel very strongly that K-12 education is the backbone of society, and it is our job as trustees to work with our communities to provide the best quality education for our children so they are prepared to meet and accept the challenges they will face in the future.