Long-time PBG publicist and marketing consultant Rachael Brister to lead the organization into the future
PROVINCETOWN, MA (November 21, 2024) – The Provincetown Business Guild (PBG) is proud to announce the hiring of Rachael Brister as the organization’s new Executive Director. Rachael will begin her new role on January 2, 2025. All Provincetown community members are invited to meet Rachael at a Meet & Greet event Dec. 12th hosted at 5PM at The Canteen.
“For almost seven years, I have had the honor to serve as the publicist for the Provincetown Business Guild,” said Rachael Brister. “This work has taught me so much about the town’s history and significance to the regional, national, and international LGBTQ+ travel landscape. I am thrilled to continue working with the PBG in this new capacity and bring my experience supporting and uplifting LGBTQ+ and allied small businesses to this role. I am looking forward to working with the PBG staff, board, members, and sponsors, as well as local leadership, to further the mission, vision, and goals of the Provincetown Business Guild to ensure Provincetown continues to be the travel destination for the LGBTQ+ community and a place where every LGBTQ+ person feels safe and welcome.”
Rachael has devoted over 25 years to working and volunteering in the LGBTQ+ community. For the past 20 years, Rachael has lived in Seattle, WA, a city she moved to, for the role of Executive Director of Three Dollar Bill Cinema, the non-profit organization that produces The Seattle Queer Film Festival and The Seattle Transgender Film Festival (which Rachael founded along with the Gender Odyssey Conference). She was very involved with GSBA, the largest LGBTQ+ chamber of commerce in the country, serving on their board of directors for five and a half years and then joining their staff as VP of Marketing & Tourism. After almost four years in this role, Rachael was selected to help start the LGBTQ+ marketing practice at GreenRubino, an integrated marketing agency where she helped clients authentically and honestly reach and engage LGBTQ+ audiences.
In 2018, Rachael founded RCB Communications, a boutique agency focusing on public relations, community relations, and marketing strategy. Her work focused on working with organizations and small businesses to reach their goals of activating and engaging audiences, storytelling, amplifying voices, promoting events, and raising brand awareness and visibility. Also, in 2018, Rachael started working with the Provincetown Business Guild as the organization’s publicist. That year, she helped launch Provincetown Pride and, since then, has been promoting LGBTQ+ tourism to Provincetown and the PBG’s events. Rachael has also worked with other clients in Provincetown, including the Crown & Anchor, the Great Music on Sundays @5 concert series, the Washashore Festival, and Live at the Art House.
“Rachael’s long working history with the PBG and her many Provincetown clients uniquely equips her with a foundational knowledge of the organization as well as how to best tell the story of LGBTQ+ Provincetown,” said Trevor Pittinger, outgoing executive director of the PBG. “She will be a strong leader that the community can trust to proudly carry forward the mission of the PBG through what may prove a very difficult time. Leaving the role is made easier knowing that someone as passionate about queer community as Rachael will be leading the charge.”
Trevor Pittinger is stepping down after serving as the organization’s associate director for two years and executive director for the past year.
“The PBG has benefitted tremendously from Trevor’s leadership and experience over the past three years,” said Jill Rothenberg-Simmons, PBG Board President. “Rachael has big shoes to fill, but we are confident with the experience she brings to the table and thrilled to have her leading the PBG.”
About the Provincetown Business Guild
Founded in 1978, The Provincetown Business Guild (PBG) is a nonprofit organization that promotes Provincetown as the Travel Destination for the LGBTQ+ community. The PBG cultivates and elevates the queer identity of Provincetown, drives LGBTQ+ tourism, and supports local businesses, including retail shops, galleries, restaurants, lodging establishments, attractions, and more. The PBG’s goal is to bring people to Provincetown to stay, eat, shop, and experience the specialness of a destination where they are both celebrated and safe to be themselves. One way the PBG promotes Provincetown is by producing world-class events, including Provincetown Pride in June, Carnival in August, and Holly Folly & First Light in December, which help attract over a million visitors annually. The PBG also oversees the operations of the Provincetown Pride Center at 115 Bradford St., Provincetown, MA 02657. For more information about the Provincetown Business Guild, visit ptown.org and on Instagram @VisitPtown.
