Happy has served as the Forum’s Executive Director since 2024. She came to the role with previous nonprofit experience and an extensive background in K12 and higher education. Happy earned her BA in Spanish from Duke University and completed her MA and doctoral work in US History at the University of Montana, where she specialized in native-newcomer relations and the environment of the American West. Born and raised on a chain of lakes in central Florida, spending college summers on the Merced and Tuolumne Rivers of Yosemite, and adulting at the nexus of the Blackfoot and the Clark Fork in Montana, Happy has always been deeply connected to water. Upon moving to Spokane in 2013 with her four children and husband Greg, Happy was immediately drawn to the Spokane River and its tributaries.

Sophia started at the Spokane River Forum in September of 2025. A graduate of Gonzaga University, she earned a BA in Environmental Studies. Sophia values her work at the Spokane River Forum because she is passionate about outdoor education, public access to lands and waters, and environmental stewardship. Growing up in the Inland Northwest cultivated a deep appreciation for the region. In her free time, Sophia enjoys hiking, camping, and running rivers with family and friends.