Sundance Institute Names Tracy Brady Marketing and Communications Chief Ahead of Historic Boulder Move

Tracy Brady (Photo Courtesy)

Sundance Institute Names 

Tracy Brady Marketing and Communications Chief Ahead of Historic Boulder Move

The veteran entertainment and corporate communications executive joins Sundance as the film festival prepares to leave its longtime Utah home for Colorado in 2027.

The Sundance Institute has named Tracy Brady its new chief marketing, brand and communications officer, bringing in a veteran entertainment and corporate communications executive as the organization prepares for one of the most consequential transitions in its history: the Sundance Film Festival’s relocation from Park City, Utah, to Boulder, Colo., in 2027.

Announced Tuesday, October 20, the appointment places Brady at the center of the nonprofit’s efforts to establish a unified identity across its filmmaking programs, public events and international communications. She will report directly to Sundance Institute Chief Executive David Linde, join the executive leadership team, and be based in Boulder.

The move comes as Sundance prepares to introduce its flagship festival to a new city while maintaining the relationships with independent filmmakers, industry professionals and audiences that have helped define the event for decades. Brady will oversee the Institute’s marketing, media relations, brand reputation and digital communications, with a mandate to bring its year-round artist development initiatives and the festival under a coordinated strategy.

“Tracy is a visionary, strategic and results-oriented marketing and communications leader,” Linde said in announcing the appointment. “As we transition to our new home in Boulder and embrace the evolving future of independent cinema, we need a trusted voice to bring our community, artists and global audience together.”

Linde pointed to Brady’s experience in storytelling, brand marketing and strategic communications, as well as her longstanding commitment to the arts.

From Hollywood Publicity to 

Global Brand Strategy

Brady brings experience spanning film studios, advertising agencies and corporate communications. Earlier in her career, she worked in publicity, awards campaigns and marketing strategy at Fox Searchlight Pictures, Sony Pictures Entertainment and Turner Broadcasting, establishing a foundation in the entertainment industry and independent filmmaking.

Her career subsequently expanded into executive communications and brand management, advising chief executives, leadership teams and boards during periods of organizational change and growth.

Most recently, Brady served as senior vice president of communications and social impact at Green Thumb Industries, overseeing companywide communications and social impact initiatives. Before that, she built and expanded global communications operations for Curaleaf, a publicly traded multistate cannabis company.

Her advertising agency background also connects her directly to Sundance. As senior vice president of corporate communications and marketing at Hill Holliday, Brady directed sponsorship and experiential marketing strategies involving the Sundance Film Festival and other cultural events. Her clients included Bank of America, Dunkin’, Planet Fitness, Merrell, Liberty Mutual, and Cadillac.

Earlier, as vice president at Arnold Entertainment and Arnold Brand Promotions, she led partnerships and sponsorship strategies for major brands, including initiatives associated with the festival.

That combination of Hollywood publicity, corporate communications and festival sponsorship experience is particularly relevant to Sundance’s next chapter. The organization must introduce the festival to Boulder while maintaining its broader identity as a year-round supporter of independent artists.

Sundance Film Festival’s 2027 Boulder Move Brings New Leadership Priorities

Brady’s responsibilities extend beyond promoting the annual festival. She will oversee communications connecting the Institute’s artist labs, grants, mentorship programs and digital initiatives, including Sundance Collab, with its wider public presence.

The assignment comes during a period of change for the entertainment industry, with independent filmmakers navigating an increasingly complicated environment for financing, distribution and audience engagement.

Brady said the opportunity to join Sundance during its relocation was particularly meaningful.

“I am thrilled and honored to join the Sundance Institute during a transformative moment,” she said. “As a lifelong fan of independent filmmaking and a dedicated storyteller, I have always believed in the power of artistic expression to shape culture and forge connection.”

She emphasized the importance of maintaining a sense of community as the festival moves to Colorado.

“As we move toward the 2027 Sundance Film Festival in Boulder, my focus will be on bringing our entire community together, both inside the Institute and out,” Brady said.

Her stated priorities include aligning the organization’s communications and marketing efforts, adapting to changes within the entertainment business, and strengthening Sundance’s support for independent filmmakers internationally.

A Communications Executive With a Creative Background

Beyond her corporate career, Brady is a published novelist and essayist, an award-winning humorist and the founder of Wit & Word, a live event series featuring independent artists and writers.

She graduated magna cum laude from Fordham University with a bachelor’s degree in communications and studied French language and civilization at Sorbonne University. She has also been recognized among PRNews’ Top Women in PR.

Founded in 1981 by Robert Redford, the Sundance Institute has played a significant role in developing independent filmmaking through its labs, grants, mentorship programs, and annual festival. Its artist programs have supported projects including “Reservoir Dogs,” “Fruitvale Station,” “Love & Basketball,” “Pariah,” “CODA,” “The Farewell,” “Summer of Soul (…Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised)” and “A Thousand and One.”

Filmmakers whose early careers received support through the Institute include Quentin Tarantino, Paul Thomas Anderson, Ryan Coogler, Gina Prince-Bythewood, Nia DaCosta, Boots Riley, Chloé Zhao, A.V. Rockwell and Lulu Wang.

For Brady, the immediate assignment is to help carry that legacy into Boulder, where the 2027 Sundance Film Festival will mark the beginning of a new chapter for one of independent cinema’s most influential institutions.

Additional information is available at the Sundance Institute.