Mariah McKay is a serial entrepreneur, sustainable housing professional and public health advocate. She is the Founder and Director of Dynamism at the Spokane Independent Metro Business Alliance (SIMBA) which organizes values-driven business owners and consumer leaders to create a more resilient and equitable economy. Through SIMBA she created the Live Local INW education campaign to create a competitive edge to help support our locally-owned businesses through the pandemic. With several partners she is now launching Live Local Dollars, a loyalty rewards payment system that keeps our money circulating locally and improves entrepreneurial opportunities.
Prior to her work in economic development Mariah served as a public health educator at the Spokane Regional Health District and has over a decade of organizing and advocacy experience working on business issues ranging from tax reform and health care, to immigration reform and transportation. She has worked statewide for Lisa Brown in the State Senate, the Win/Win Network and Washington CAN! In Spokane she has worked for KYRS Community Radio, Matrical, Inc. and Community-Minded Enterprises.
Mariah is the founder and community facilitator behind the Spokane Shrinking Violet Society, helped serve with the National Organization for Women, and co-founded the Terrain annual art and music festival. Recently she completed six years on the board of Spokane’s University District and previously was a regular columnist for the Inlander weekly newspaper.
As a small business owner, Mariah helps to manage Our Natural Homes LLC, a sustainable coliving rental company in Spokane. With her husband Jim Dawson and two other families, she co-founded and helped to successfully develop Haystack Heights Cohousing, the first cohousing neighborhood in the Inland Northwest.
