Robin Kelley may have changed careers, but her passion for protecting Issaquah’s salmon population has not altered.

After 26 years at the Issaquah Chamber, Robin Kelley left on Aug. 31 to become executive director of Friends of the Issaquah Salmon Hatchery (FISH). But the new position won’t take her too far from what she did before — as festival director for the chamber, Kelley worked closely with FISH to coordinate Salmon Days and celebrate the arrival of the salmon in town every year.

“Festival director and FISH director are both complicated jobs … and both are really strategic and important,” Kelley said. “They collaborate really well and highlight something that’s really special about Issaquah.”

Both the chamber and FISH bring something unique to the salmon scene in their own way, Kelley explained. In running the salmon hatchery, FISH focuses on public outreach and education, especially for local students, all year long, with the busiest season being the autumn months of salmon migration through Issaquah Creek.

Teaching the community, in particular the younger generations, how to respect the environment for the salmon is necessary “to make sure they do come back” every autumn, Kelley said.

With Salmon Days, in contrast, the chamber condenses salmon appreciation into one weekend, but does so in a way that brings people to town from near and far.

“It’s a tourism drive … one more way people are attracted to the community,” Kelley said, explaining that every year, tourists who hadn’t been to Issaquah for a long time — or perhaps even ever — tell her that now that they’ve been here, they will definitely revisit.

Kelley said that she thinks the reason Issaquah appeals so much to visitors is that there is such a variety of activities in and around the city to suit every personality, from hiking trails to professional theatre performances to a salmon hatchery in the middle of town. She called it a “trickle-down effect” when people come to Issaquah for Salmon Days but discover a whole host of other exciting features.

“We have a lot of different things to offer,” she said, adding that with Issaquah’s proximity to Seattle, the town is “close and handy.

“People can take advantage of [Issaquah’s activities] in a much more convenient way [than]…spend[ing] the weekend going three or four hours away,” she said.

Kelley’s favorite part about working at the chamber was without a doubt the people, she said.

“I can hardly imagine a position that allowed you to work with so many diverse people and groups,” she said. A notable highlight was meeting residents of Issaquah’s sister city, Chefchaouen, Morocco, who come to the city every Salmon Days.

Lucky for Kelley, she’ll still get to work with the Salmon Days organizers, along with a whole new crew of volunteer docents at the hatchery. In fact, the thing Kelley is most looking forward to at FISH is learning from her colleagues.

“I don’t even know what I don’t know yet!” she laughed.

Even if she hasn’t yet acquired all of their knowledge, however, passion is certainly something Kelley shares with her new colleagues. Born and raised in Issaquah, Kelley grew up visiting the hatchery and developed a strong awareness for the salmon.

“I’m blessed with a core group of trained experts that I’m looking forward to learning from as well,” she said. “What a blessing to be surrounded by people who care so much about common goals and passions.”

As Kelley moves forward into a new position, she leaves behind a legacy at the Issaquah Chamber that will not be forgotten.

“What most people don’t realize is that Salmon Days has grown into the success that it is because of Robin, and she truly deserves the credit,” said Brian Twiggs, who is taking over Kelley’s chamber position in the interim. “So much of the preparation for Salmon Days is in the details that no one ever notices, but it’s those things that she instilled in all of our processes and philosophies that will ensure Salmon Days will continue to thrive for a long time. I’m grateful for the opportunity to have learned from her.”