Bio

Happy’s expertise encompasses municipal, provincial and federal politics, health, labour, union issues, transportation, municipal and community relations, accessibility, strategic planning, crisis communications management, and the not-for-profit sector. 

As a sought-after presenter, trainer, and strategic organizer, Happy brings over 25 years of public affairs, crisis communications, start-up, and campaign experience. Prior to joining Crestview, Rob served at Queen’s Park as the Deputy Executive Director of PC Caucus Services. He oversaw research and political operations for the Ontario PC Ford government caucus and has worked on Parliament Hill and at Queen’s Park for Niagara Region based elected officials. 

During the pandemic, Rob successfully lobbied the Ontario Government to announce $3.7 million for accessible transportation to vaccination sites, and it was the first item introduced in the 2021 provincial budget. 

Working with the Alzheimer Society of Ontario, Happy oversaw the 2022 Roadmap Towards a Renewed Ontario Dementia Strategy which led to the Ontario Government announcing $120 million in funding for dementia services in the 2022 provincial budget. 

Rob also worked directly with Ontario’s Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development to ensure that “Naloxone in the workplace” was introduced in the province’s Working for Workers Act 2023 for higher risk workplaces. In a rare instance of someone saying thank you in politics, the then-Minister wrote Rob a hand-written note of thanks for suggesting this idea and helping to see it to fruition. 

As a fundraiser, Happy has overseen over $10 million in donations and the creation of three sponsorship department and played a leadership role with a national car-sharing and technology start-up company from launch to thirty-four markets across Canada. As an experienced coalition-builder, Rob is a former Executive Director of an association dedicated to accessibility rights. 

With the-then Mayor of St. Catharines, Rob played a leadership role in introducing and growing the annual Raising the Roof Toque Tuesday campaign in the Niagara Region. Rob grew up on a working turkey farm in the Niagara Region and graduated as student council president at South Lincoln High School in Smithville. 

Rob currently serves on the Board of Governors for George Brown College and advisory board for ParaGolf Canada. He has a degree in English Literature and Language from Brock University and graduated as the elected president of the Brock University Students Union.