After years of showing up for the Spokane River community, organizing hundreds of cleanups, and helping people build a deeper connection with the river we all love, we are celebrating an important transition: Liv is moving on from her role as River Cleanup Lead at Spokane Riverkeeper to begin an exciting new chapter. While we are sad to see her leave this role, we are incredibly grateful for everything Liv has given to Spokane Riverkeeper, our volunteers, and the river itself.
Liv first joined Spokane Riverkeeper in 2023 to support our River Cleanup program and public outreach efforts. She came to us through Eastern Washington University’s Outdoor Recreation program, which requires an internship of sorts to graduate. We quickly realized that we could build a program around her guiding and on the water skills. In addition, I saw the way many people, especially girls and young women stared in awe at her strength and leadership on the river-a look that said-”I want to be like her when I grow up”.
Over the last couple years, Liv has been a driving force behind Spokane Riverkeeper’s cleanup efforts, helping create opportunities for people to connect with the river and take action to protect it. She has welcomed new volunteers, supported longtime river stewards, worked alongside community partners, and helped make river care something everyone in the community can participate in.
Her work has always been about more than removing trash from the river. Liv has helped people build relationships with the Spokane River, with one another, and with the larger movement to protect the places we love.
Early in her tenure we took her out on her first on the water cleanup with our raft. We paddled across the river from Redband Park to be met with a seemingly insurmountable pile of garbage, bagged by the City. We were more than slightly worried that this stinky mountain would turn her off to the job, but as we started stacking the boat higher and higher with sodden and gross bags, she got a twinkle in her eye that seemed to say “this is my job? Awesome!”. Since then she’s floated over 55,000 pounds off the river, all with the same sparkle in her eye.
And although those numbers are jaw dropping, the totals are even more amazing. She’s organized approximately 360 cleanups with 8,502 people, and removed 195,000 pounds of trash from the river and river banks. Not only is this river protection, the community engagement brought these people to places along the river many had never been, all in the name of giving back to the community and river.
Whether she was organizing a cleanup, getting dirty along the riverbank, or encouraging someone to show up for the first time, Liv brought enthusiasm and a genuine commitment to making a difference for the Spokane River.
None of this could have been without her eye for organization and efficiency and steady personality, all motivated by opportunities to get on the river. Under her leadership she instituted DIY cleanups and web sign up forms, giving volunteers easy and seamless ways of requesting cleanups and volunteering. She leveraged relationships with the Mountaineers to cleanup hard to reach areas, and started an on the river cleanup program where we float with the public, among other work.
When we asked Liv to reflect on her time with Spokane Riverkeeper, she shared:
“The highlight of these years with the Riverkeeper has been getting to engage with so many community members from so many walks of life. One thing I’ll miss the most is getting to interact with the public and see how much this community cares about the river.”
Liv’s work has left a lasting mark on Spokane Riverkeeper and the broader river community. We are so grateful for the time, care, and passion Liv has shared with this organization. While her time in this role with Spokane Riverkeeper is coming to an end, we know she will continue to be a champion for the places and communities she cares about.
Thank you, Liv, for everything you have done for the Spokane River. We cannot wait to see what comes next.
