Well-known Riverland Centrelink officer Maria Patterson has been appointed for six months as the State Government's Riverland Response Co-ordinator.

The role entails co-ordinating drought and recovery programs, assistance and information.

Maria takes over from Jim Cawthorne who has decided to take six months off to spend with his family.

Employed at Centrelink in Berri since 1991, Maria took on the role of Rural Service Officer (RSO) in July 2007 and eventually co-ordinator of the RSOs across South Australia.

That role brought her into contact with the State Drought Support programs where strong relationships were forged.

She has worked collaboratively with all the Drought Co-ordinators for the Riverland and in particular with Jim, from whom she has developed a keen understanding of the role.

Maria says she hopes that her appointment will further enhance the working relationships between Centrelink and the State Government.

"Working as the Riverland Response Coordinator will be a wonderful opportunity to be able to continue working for my community with a new perspective. I am a Riverlander, my parents were Greek migrants who came here in the 1950s and I grew up on a fruit block," Maria said.

"Jim has done an outstanding job of coordinating people, organisations and programs in the region and bringing all the relevant stakeholders together, and I look forward to keeping up the good work."

Maria will be on secondment from Centrelink from January and will be based at the Riverland Response Centre.