Women in Leadership Advisory Member

Rachel Spates

Active Term: 09/2022 - 09/2023

Areas of Expertise

• Pillars of Positivity
  
• Inspiring Emotional Intelligence
  
• Winning Work-Life Balance & Mentoring
  
• Improving Communication Habits
  
• Driving Ideas, Intellectual Growth & Transformation

Director, Communications

Sun Life U.S.

A native of Derby, Vermont, Rachel Spates is the Director, Communications for Sun Life U.S. A digital marketing communications professional with extensive experience in the sports and financial services industries, Rachel’s specialties include event management, integrated marketing, sponsorship activation, social media, executive communications, business continuity and crisis communications, and employee engagement.

She also plays a lead role in supporting Sun Life’s sponsorship and philanthropy initiatives and is actively involved in the company’s DE&I efforts. Rachel is currently in her third term as a member of the University of Massachusetts, Amherst Alumni Association Board of Directors, where she serves as President-Elect.

She has previously held positions at Major League Lacrosse and the Boston Celtics. Rachel holds a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science from Boston University and a Master’s degree in Sport Management from the Isenberg School of Management at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst.

When not working, she’s either skiing, rowing, hiking, biking, or surfing, and she completed a successful summit of Mount Kilimanjaro in 2018. She is also currently working towards obtaining her private pilot’s license.

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