The Snake River Alliance, a prominent nuclear watchdog group, has named Andrea Shipley as its new executive director.

Shipley replaces Jeremy Maxand, who left the organization last summer, at a critical point for the group. Plans are in the works for Idaho's first commercial nuclear power plant, and the Idaho National Laboratory is about to begin a new phase of nuclear waste cleanup.

"We're at an energy-crossroads," she said. "It's a critical time."

Shipley came to Idaho in 2003 from Montana, where she worked as a community organizer. She most recently was development director at the Lee Pesky Learn-ing Center in Boise.

She has a degree in English from the Univ-ersity of Montana, an associate degree in journalism from Northwest Community College and graduated from the Western State Center's Western Institute for Organizing and Leadership Development.

"I've been involved with the Snake River Alliance peripherally since I was young," Shipley said.

The organization's program director, Beatrice Brailsford, said she's happy to welcome Shipley.

"Andrea has proven her ability to turn thought into action," she said.

"She can see the big picture, which is critical to the work ahead. She'll be a wonderful asset as we work toward a solution to nuclear waste and nuclear power in Idaho."