Gov. Bill Richardson plans to announce the appointment of Maggie Hart Stebbins to the Bernalillo County Commission later this morning.

In a telephone interview, Richardson said Hart Stebbins "assured me she would be a conservationist. That's very important to me."

He said the other candidates for the appointment were strong but that Hart Stebbins stood out. Richardson wanted a woman for the job to bring "gender balance" to the County Commission, which includes four men.

Hart Stebbins will replace the only woman on the commission, Deanna Archuleta, who left to join the Obama administration in Washington, D.C.

"Maggie is a new face," Richardson said. "I think we need new, young faces in New Mexico politics. Her character is outstanding."

Hart Stebbins is a Harvard graduate who works for the Mid-Region Council of Governments.