The city of Valdosta has a new Main Street Program Coordinator, Valdosta native, Rachel Thrasher.

Thrasher isn’t new to the downtown scene. During her college years at Valdosta State University, she worked at the original City Market when it was open. That’s where she fell in love with the downtown atmosphere.

Rachel spent many years working in the local marketing and advertising world. Her job allowed her to continue building relationships and friendships with downtown Valdosta business owners. She saw this position as a perfect fit, already having the love and desire for downtown Valdosta and all it has to offer. “Rachel’s wealth of experience, knowledge of marketing, and ties to downtown have already made her a key addition to Valdosta Main Street and the downtown community. It is very fortunate that we were able to find someone of Rachel’s caliber to fulfill this role. I’m confident that she will be crucial in bringing downtown Valdosta to the next level in downtown development and community events,” says Ellen Hill, Main Street Director.

Her plans as Main Street Program Coordinator consist of, growing relationships with business owners and driving traffic and new people into the area. “One of my goals is to get even more people downtown to shop locally, shop small and know that this area has so much to offer that you can’t find over on the mall side of town. Downtown definitely has its uniqueness, and it’s artistic and really cool,” said Thrasher. She hopes to incorporate new events and keep the focus on the families in Valdosta.