New mom takes on leading role at the Spokane Valley Chamber of Commerce

May 27-Jessica Laughery spends her mornings like many mothers: getting her child ready for preschool.

Jack, who is 3, goes to the Montessori program at Saint Aloysius, where Laughery drops him off every morning at 8:30. He's a blessing Laughery says she wasn't sure would happen, so every moment with him is precious. After dropping Jack off, Laughery heads to her new job.

In April, the Greater Spokane Valley Chamber of Commerce announced that Laughery will be the new CEO - which is undoubtedly changing her every day life, but only in a way that Laughery is prepared for.

The shift in leadership could mean a lot of things for the chamber, according to Staci Nelson, the principal of Nelson Stevenson Consulting.

"The exciting part about having Jessie come on is the chamber is well positioned to continue evolving and supporting small and large businesses in the Valley area," Nelson said.

Laughery, 33, grew up around livestock and wildlife nestled in the crook of the Snake River on the edge of the Washington -Idaho border in Clarkston, Washington. Her parents are small business owners in Clarkston and had several foster kids living with them while Laughery was growing up.

"I was raised around kids, chaos and love," she said.

Laughery will be tasked with supporting and keeping businesses in the Valley instead of hopping across the state line to Idaho, Nelson said. Washington state has made it difficult for chambers and economic development entities to support local businesses, Nelson said.

"We have to be actively engaging with businesses and that will be a big task. What do those businesses need, and how do we get those resources in place for them to stay here?" Nelson said.

She now lives on the South Hill in Spokane, where she attends Summit Church with her husband, Alex. The two have been married for 12 years and both have a passion for giving back to their community, especially to kids. Alex is a paraeducator in Central Valley School District.

"Jessica shined from the moment I met her," said Jim van Löben Sels, vice chair of the chamber.

Laughery's personality, confidence, experiences and poise made her stand out, he said.

"She is consistent," van Löben Sels said. "You never questioned whether or not she was the right person for the job ... personality and traits and culture are super important."

After obtaining her bachelor's degree in public relations, Laughery began working for former Congresswoman Cathy McMorris Rodgers, diving into federal case work and talking to people within the district, which encompasses cities including Spokane, Pullman and Walla Walla.

"One day you had to be an expert in veterans affairs and navigating agencies, and the next day you were talking to farmers on the Palouse. So you really got to see the best of our district, but also the biggest challenges that people face," she said.

Laughery got her master's in business administration from Whitworth University in 2020 and earned several certificates since then including one that focused on women in leadership last spring.

From the congressional office, Laughery began working for Hutton Settlement, a local nonprofit that focuses on providing kids with places to live. She was the director of community engagement and stewardship for seven years, running the fundraising program and developing Hutton Settlement's first annual giving program. She helped raise $9 million in one campaign for the organization before she left to continue working for kids at Joya Child and Family Development, where Laughery worked in strategic initiatives and programing.

"I've been so fortunate to work for organizations that put value on life outside of work. The chamber embraces that. It's no different from a small business owner deciding to spend time with family over certain job demands," she said.

Laughery wasn't a stranger to the work Lance Beck did while he was CEO of the Valley chamber.

"I worked with Lance a decent amount when I was at Hutton," Laughery said. "The best advice that he gave me was your membership is counting on you, the Valley is counting on you to be their voice."

She's taken that to heart and carried it with her during her first few weeks on the job.

"People choose to come do business here and to live and work in the Valley, because they seek a connection," she said. "When you're a business owner, or you're running a business with a large employer, the Walmarts of Spokane, there are so many opportunities, but they do find those opportunities to invest locally. It shows a commitment to the Valley."

Laughery said she is going to do what she can to continue to promote the pro-business environment that both the chamber and Spokane Valley City Council have been prioritizing.

"Strong communities are built on strong businesses, and strong business helps provide quality of life," she said.

As she attends various meetings and talks with local stakeholders about how to continue making Spokane Valley a place where small businesses thrive, a tattoo on her forearm reminds Laughery of how much she can give to her job, her family and those in need: "Always more." It is inspired by an Ephesians verse in the Bible.

"It talks about there's always more through Christ," she said, tears glinting in her eyes.

"Always more stories, more joy, more compassion, more energy when I'm exhausted. I apply it to a lot of different things."

And that line of thinking, Laughery said, is right in line with the culture in Spokane Valley. She described the Valley as a place of authenticity, intentional actions and relational focus.

"People have told me the Valley is a place to work, play and pray," Laughery said, smiling.

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This story was originally published May 27, 2026 at 8:03 AM.