Darya Pilram (she/her) is an economic development strategist and an Economic Recovery Corps fellow serving Eastern Washington and North Idaho, where she leads initiatives that bridge arts, economic development, and community vitality across rural and urban communities. In this role, she became the the founding Executive Director of the Hillyard Creative District and co-founder of the Living Lake Project.

Drawing on her unique background as the first female faculty member at the U.S. Army's University of Foreign Military and Cultural Studies, Darya brings expertise in translating complex policy challenges into practical solutions. Her decade of experience with the Department of Defense as a field anthropologist in conflict zones informs her human-centered approach to community development.

Through her time as an ERC fellow, Darya has also founded the Spokane Creative Mornings chapter, she co-leads Spokane's Creative Placemaking Roundtable, and partners directly with urban and rural communities and planners on adaptive reuse projects that breathe new life into vacant historic spaces. Her work focuses on helping municipalities implement cultural initiatives that strengthen economic resilience while preserving community identity.

When not championing creative economy development, Darya practices traditional Japanese Kintsugi repair, sails competitively, and explores the region's outdoor landscapes. She holds a Master's in Public Health from George Washington University and degrees in Anthropology and International Studies from UCSD.