Who is Stacey Viera?
Stacey Viera has established her expertise in communications through a variety of roles in the Washington, D.C., policy arena – as a seafood industry spokeswoman, Capitol Hill press secretary, public affairs agency account executive, and currently, at the helm of Best Light Communications, LLC.
At Best Light Stacey works with companies in the food and beverage community and with a government relations firm. Stacey’s primary expertise lies in media relations — including strategic planning, writing and submitting opinion editorials, and securing top-level reporter meetings and media placements. Just months after starting the business, she obtained coverage for clients in The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, Jungle Magazine, Politico, Grocery Headquarters News, and other publications.
Prior to founding Best Light Communications, Stacey ran the public affairs department for the National Fisheries Institute (NFI), the leading seafood industry trade association, as its senior-level media relations expert. She worked from ground up to establish a suite of communications materials for the organization’s new press shop and developed creative strategies to educate the public about seafood.
During her tenure at NFI, Stacey capitalized on and created news hooks to establish NFI as the leading source for seafood information in the U.S. by maintaining positive contact with a variety of top-tier press. Among other national coverage, Stacey’s diligence led to front-page Wall Street Journal stories on two separate occasions – in December 2006 and February 2007.
Stacey also built long-term relationships with leading researchers and scientists in the areas of seafood and health, sustainability, and aquaculture. She obtained a highly competitive scientific session on seafood benefits and risks at the 2007 American Dietetic Association Annual Meeting for three prominent university researchers and worked with groups such as the American Institute for Cancer Research and American Public Health Association to establish synergistic partnerships.
Stacey is also skilled in crisis communications and spearheaded public affairs efforts to address emerging seafood import and ongoing contaminant issues. In addition to strategically placing stories and sources in national and Inside-the-Beltway publications, she also positioned NFI members and spokesmen with reporters from The Washington Post, CNN, Fortune, The Christian Science Monitor, USA Today, Congressional Quarterly, Politico and othersto provide seafood industry perspective at the onset of crisis in effort to mitigate negative perceptions.
Before joining NFI, Stacey was a senior account executive at Dittus Communications (now FD Dittus,) a leading Washington public affairs agency. She developed and implemented local and national communications strategies on various policy issues by utilizing grassroots advocacy, media relations, and her writing and editing expertise. At Dittus, Stacey landed a story on CNN Headline News for a national public awareness campaign. The story aired on CNN and local affiliate stations more than 250 times. This achievement helped earn the team a prestigious award for excellence in media relations.
Prior to joining Dittus’ public policy practice, Stacey served as press secretary to U.S. Rep. Eric Cantor (Virginia). In this role, she managed all of the media relations for both the local and national press, including administering media interviews and serving as the congressman’s spokesperson. Prior, she worked as deputy press secretary in the office of U.S. Sen. Michael Crapo (Idaho) and as staff assistant to former U.S. Rep. Bob Riley (Alabama).
Stacey is also an editorial expert; while at The Heritage Foundation, an opinion-editorial that she authored ran in more than 20 publications nationwide and is now published in a McGraw-Hill textbook.
Stacey offers the following services: media relations, issues management, crisis communications, message development, short- and long-term public relations planning and counsel, and writing and editing. She also has relationships with a network of professionals skilled in design work, broadcast services and media training.
