Rachel Yost is a Managing Partner at S.I.R. and the firm's leading expert in placemaking and tourism development. She is known for helping communities formulate strategic plans that bring together multiple stakeholders around a shared vision and translate that vision into practical action.
Rachel has led strategic planning and positioning efforts for cities, regions, tourism organizations, and state agencies. Her work often sits at the intersection of economic development, quality of place, and long-term competitiveness—helping regions clarify not only what they want to be, but how they can realistically get there through aligned priorities, partnerships, and implementation.
She played a central role in shaping the Blue Ridge Innovation Corridor (BRIC) as Virginia's "fourth economic engine," helping craft the data-driven argument for why cities and counties in Southwestern Virginia should align and invest together. Rachel now serves as the de facto executive director of BRIC, supporting the 501(c)(3) organization advancing the megaregion. That work requires balancing politics, economics, identity, and implementation—skills Rachel brings to every engagement.
Rachel also leads S.I.R.'s national tourism practice. She has worked with destinations ranging from historic homes and sites (including Monticello and Montpelier) to cities (including Charlottesville, Virginia Beach, and Portsmouth) to statewide tourism organizations (including the Virginia Tourism Corporation), helping clients conduct visitation research and develop comprehensive tourism master plans.
Outside of work, Rachel is focused on her newest and most important chapter—newly married and raising one-year-old identical twins. She is also a leader in an international Christian faith-based initiative focused on connecting communities through shared values of caring for other
Adventure Is Worthwhile
In college, I studied abroad in Spain. I remember when I first arrived — I was in a hotel room with my new roommate before we were off to meet our host family. The program had given us a map and a pocket guide. I remember poring over them, wanting to learn as much as possible about the city I would call home for the next couple of months. My roommate looked at me like I was the biggest nerd.
But that’s what I do. I love cities. I love learning them. I love learning what makes them tick, what makes them unique, how the locals live and work and get around. At the time, I didn’t know about firms like S.I.R., but when I landed at S.I.R. shortly after graduation, I knew I found the place for me.
I absolutely love the work we get to do in partnering with communities — whether that’s helping identify their unique story, assessing the talent pipeline of today and tomorrow, understanding who comes to visit and what they want to experience while there, or how to make the community a better place for all to live, work, and play. Using data to peel back the layers and uncover insights that can help drive a community forward is what I get to do day in and day out. Today, it’s more critical than ever. With the ever-changing demographics, competition for workers, residents, and tourists, it is fiercer than ever. The joy that comes with helping our clients navigate these challenges is one of the many reasons I’ve stayed at S.I.R. for over 15 years