Pride Toronto has created new staff positions—and new volunteer opportunities—in an effort to secure sponsorship and generate revenue for the 2009 Pride Week festival, which is set to run June 19 to 29.
Ryan Lester is taking on the role of sponsorship and resource development manager, and new volunteer positions are being created to help secure corporate sponsorships and plan the Pride gala, which adopted a Grecian-theme for the 2008 fund-raiser held at the Fermenting Cellar.
Pride Toronto has also hired a handful of new employees, reports executive director Tracey Sandilands, who recently arrived from South Africa—where she spent five years in Pride leadership positions with the Johannesburg and Cape Town festivals—to head the organization. "The last few years have seen tremendous growth in the annual festivals," Sandilands said. "The incredible successes of 2007 and 2008 caused burnout, which has taken its toll, and several people left as a result."
Only two of the original staffers—Raluca Alexe, finance manager, and Lisa Duke, who is responsible for event logistics—remain with the organization. Tamara Madden is taking on the role of general manager of the festival, and Jason Washington is the new site logistics assistant. Other newcomers include arts and entertainment program manager Mary Zondanos, volunteer program manager Rebecca Gallant, and office administrator Emily Gibson.
Pride Toronto members will vote on the 2009 theme at January's general meeting. The organization received 39 submissions for next year's theme and has narrowed the choice down to "Can't Stop, Won't Stop" and "Believe."
