About Rachel Harrison Communications PR Agency

Rachel Harrison

Founder

Rachel Harrison has over 25 years of marketing and communications experience creating unique partnerships and campaigns for some of the biggest brands in the industry. Together with her talented team, Rachel has helped clients achieve global awareness, transformative growth, and coveted awards from The World’s 50 Best to the Hot List.

Before founding Rachel Harrison Communications, Rachel was the co-founder of the award-winning Lion and Lamb Communications. She helmed the agency for six exciting years, achieving Inc Magazine’s “Fastest-Growing Private Companies in America” award.

Rachel’s broad and well-heeled background includes previous roles as Chief Marketing Officer for Chris Blackwell’s Island Outpost Resorts, Director of Marketing and Communications for Andaz by Hyatt (where she led the communications strategy to bring Hyatt public), and Senior Vice President at Dan Klores Communications.

A Salem, Massachusetts, native with 20 years in New York and four years in London and Northern Ireland, Rachel travels the world, exploring and uncovering what people are looking for next.

Lauren Webster

MANAGING PARTNER

Lauren leads RHC’s UK office. Prior to co-founding RHC UK with Rachel, she ran her own boutique marketing and PR agency in London for four years, working across drinks, hospitality, and lifestyle brands, including Portobello Road Gin, Four Pillars Gin, Soho House & Living Ventures.

Amanda Watenberg

MANAGING DIRECTOR, Spirits

Amanda brings over a decade of experience within the spirits and hospitality industries. She has extensive experience leading PR campaigns and creative programming for Jose Cuervo Tequila, PUBLIC Hotel, Herschel Supply Co, KITH, Coca-Cola, and more.

Amber Appelbaum

MANAGING DIRECTOR,
Operations & Business Development

Amber oversees our agency operations, business development and recruitment. She brings almost fifteen years of experience across spirits, CPG, retail, outdoor and hospitality brands as well as large scale events with brands within the following portfolios: Bacardi, Campari, LVMH, Richemont, along with retail brands like Arc’teryx and Bombas, and managed event activations at the Golden Globe awards, TIFF, US Open, Art Basel, NYFW and more.

Lauren Ryback Hurth

MANAGING DIRECTOR, Travel

Lauren oversees the agency’s Travel and Hospitality division. She has an extensive background in travel and tourism with a focus on the luxury space, having overseen successful campaigns for notable brands including Black Tomato, Ritz-Carlton, Viceroy, Park Hyatt, Bermuda Tourism Authority, and more.

Lucy Ballantyne

MANAGING DIRECTOR, Lifestyle

Lucy is an expert in the luxury and lifestyle sectors. She has launched dozens of hotel properties and created new ideas to keep hospitality clients top of mind. Originally from Melbourne, Australia, she completed her communications and film degrees in Australia and Italy.

Sarah Hermalyn

MANAGING DIRECTOR, Culinary

Sarah has vast experience leading campaigns for high-profile chefs and New York Times bestselling authors. She’s worked with Ample Hills Creamery, Chef Amanda Cohen, Chef Wylie Dufresne, the Marcus Samuelsson Group, and more.

Robyn Percy

PR DIRECTOR (UK)

Robyn Percy has been publicising and communicating within the hospitality industry for over 15 years, both in the UK and the Middle East. Robyn’s hospitality, retail and FMCG experience includes The Blend by Beam Suntory, London Cocktail Week, Brooklyn Brewery, Warner’s Distillery, Ritz-Carlton Hotels, Aldi UK, Heinz and SCHOFIELD’S BAR.

Nick Papa

VP CONTENT & STRATEGY

Nick heads RHC’s digital and social media division. He brings over a decade of experience in creative strategy for global brands, including Atlas Obscura, Booking.com, Park Hyatt, Rosewood Hotels & Resorts, Viceroy Hotel Group, and Virgin Hotels.

Cass Lovett

VP MEDIA RELATIONS

Cass has worked in tourism and luxury travel marketing and PR for over a decade. Her experience includes the City of Cape Town, the Tourism Authority of Thailand, and W Hotels. Cass has lived overseas in Thailand, Bali, and Mexico.

Sacha Bell

VP MEDIA RELATIONS

Raised in the UK’s Lake District, Sacha graduated from London’s Goldsmiths College and worked in marketing for one of the UK’s leading cocktail bar groups before moving to the States to join Rachel and her team in 2015. Sacha works across RHC’s spirits, bar and travel clients spanning both the UK & US markets.

Bea Chew

SENIOR DIRECTOR (UK)

Beatrice joins our UK team with over a decade of experience in communications, executing campaigns and partnerships for FMCG and major consumer brands both in the UK and Australia. Her extensive background covers luxury hotels, hospitality groups, tech businesses and food and drinks brands including London Cocktail Week, Unilever, Marriott, Tabasco, Nobu & Cadbury.

Kaitlin Egan

SENIOR DIRECTOR

Kaitlin brings more than a decade of lifestyle and hospitality experience as a Senior Director at RHC. Based in Los Angeles and has worked with an expansive list of notable chefs, restaurants, hotels, bars and hospitality groups including a variety of Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants, Manuela, SBE concepts such as Umami Burger and Katsuya, Valor Hospitality Group, Casa Del Mar and many more.