-Courtesy of Bryan Buttler Media Relations, LLC
The Valley Forge Tourism & Convention Board (VFTCB) has announced staffing leadership promotions to the organization’s marketing team. This award-winning, all-female group will oversee the organization’s strategic communications, marketing, and public relations efforts.
“We are thrilled to announce these promotions,” said Mike Bowman, President & CEO of the VFTCB. “Rachel and Samantha are strategic thinkers who have helped solidify Visit Valley Forge as the state’s premiere tourism board. I cannot wait to see how Samantha’s creativity, combined with Rachel’s proven leadership, and support from an already stellar team will help our organization continue to raise the bar.”
Currently AVP of Communications & Visitor Experience, Rachel Riley is being promoted to Vice President of Marketing & Communications to assume all responsibility over the marketing team, including media buys, creative and web. She will continue to supervise communications, public relations, social media, arts and culture, government relations, and visitor services, including the VFTCB’s visitor experience space at Valley Forge National Historical Park.
In addition to overseeing social media and supporting PR, Samantha Cole is being promoted from Director of Public Relations to Senior Director of Marketing & Media Relations to take on overseeing the website, as well as assist with marketing projects.
A former award-winning multimedia journalist with more than 20 years of experience in the news and tourism industries, Riley has been with the VFTCB since 2017. In her almost seven years, she has been promoted from manager to director to senior director to associate vice president. An instrumental member of the senior leadership team through COVID, Riley helped launch many firsts for the VFTCB including Crave, and arts and jazz initiatives. Riley’s direction over PR has supported 7,000 editorial mentions for a reach of 5 billion for the VFTCB over the years. And, she leads the charge for the organization’s Freedom from Hunger drive, which has collected the equivalent of more than 300,000 pounds of food to date. In 2022, Riley was named one of Metro Philadelphia’s Power Women. She was also one of the Philadelphia Business Journal’s 2021 40 Under 40, and a PR News’ Top Women in PR in 2019. A graduate of Holy Family University, she also serves on the Montco Anti-Hunger Network board.
A graduate of Bloomsburg University, Cole has been with the VFTCB since 2018. Over her time with the group, she’s been promoted to Social Media Manager, Associate Director of Public Relations, and Director of Public Relations. Recognized as an award-winning social media marketer, she has grown the VFTCB’s social media following by more than 85,000 followers and generated more than 15 million video views. Cole is also an integral part in making the VFTCB’s annual Valley Forge Revolutionary 5-Mile Run a successful event, generating virtual and worldwide/international participation. In 2019, she was named a 2019 Rising Star in social media marketing by PR News.
More information can be found at valleyforge.org.
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