Crisis Communications: Stefani Green of EVG PR On The 5 Things You Need To Create A Highly Successful Career In Crisis Communications

An Interview With Dina Aletras

Experience happens on the job. There is no shortcut to first-hand experience and the growth it provides. As you grow in your PR career, expose yourself to opportunities where you can listen and learn from those with historical knowledge.

Crisis communications is a vital field that helps organizations navigate and manage challenging situations, protecting their reputation and maintaining public trust. The role requires a unique blend of strategic thinking, quick decision-making, and effective communication skills. What does it take to excel in this high-pressure field? How do professionals prepare for and manage crises effectively? As a part of this series, I had the distinct pleasure of interviewing Stefani Green.

Named to Direct Selling News’ inaugural 40 Under 40 list in 2023, Stefani took a leap of faith leaving the comforts of “Corporate America” to follow her passion. In the summer of 2024, Stefani launched EVG PR, a communications firm founded in Orange County, CA. Stefani brings 20+ years of experience in Public Relations and has worked in-house for organizations including Mattel, Inc., Chipotle Mexican Grill and Forever 21.

Thank you so much for your time! I know that you are a very busy person. Can you tell us a story about what brought you to this specific career path?

Thank you for the opportunity to share my story. I have always loved reading, writing and communicating to an audience, big or small. I grew up admiring news anchors and their ability to tell serious, compelling stories. In fact, my childhood dream was to become a news anchor. During my freshman year of college, I took a Journalism 101 class and discovered PR. I knew this was my path to a career of longevity in communication where I could use my skills and passions to fuel corporate, brand and executive storytelling.

Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you began at your company?

Contributing to this interview is the most interesting thing that has happened since starting my company. As I am still in the early stage of building my business, I have realized that just important as building my client’s reputation and visibility, I also need to focus on myself and my own brand which I have been building for decades, just not publicizing it.

Can you share a story about the funniest mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?

When your job is public facing there are not many opportunities for funny mistakes. I misidentified a person in a photo caption that was submitted to media outlets early in my career. This is in no way funny, but it was an honest mistake, and it taught me so much about fact checking and being cautious when sourcing information. It also reinforced the importance of owning and sharing mistakes to help others learn and grow from it too. Once I realized the misstep, I immediately told my boss who was incredibly supportive which was another great lesson for my future as a manager. Despite my supervisor’s understanding, I lost a lot of sleep over that name and I will never forget it.

What are some of the most interesting or exciting projects you are working on now?

Wow…I founded EVG PR to work with leaders and brands who inspire me, so I take everything as interesting and exciting — the challenge of securing opportunities for clients and the reward of seeing your hard work come to fruition is the most amazing feeling. One of my clients has hired me for brand partnerships and I love connecting with my past coworkers and colleagues to pitch a collaboration.

You are a successful leader. Which three-character traits do you think were most instrumental to your success? Can you please share a story or example for each? Honesty, Ambition and Energy.

• HONESTY: Being real with myself, maintaining my values and practicing honest communication with my co-workers, bosses, clients, and colleagues. I’ve also used my honesty as a guide for practicing crisis communication, steering business to take ownership with consumers, media, etc.
• AMBITION: I have always been goal-driven and self-motivated.
• ENERGY: I am a naturally energetic person and earlier in my career it was a challenge to remain energetic and positive without being seen as ‘young and green’ however, my energy is one of my superpowers and it helps me navigate life as my unique self.

Ok super. Thank you for all that. Let’s now shift to the main focus of our interview. What essential skills and qualities do you believe are necessary for success in crisis communications?

Crisis communication requires strong problem-solving skills with the ability to analyze and process potential perception and reality at a fast pace. Maintaining composure and communicating with impact are qualities that are necessary for crisis communications as you need to carefully analyze situations and provide strategic direction, often on the spot.

Can you share a specific crisis you managed and the strategies you used to address it effectively?

I have managed several challenging situations that required careful handling, strategic communication and cross-functional collaboration. One instance had potential to negatively impact the organization’s reputation, however because of our regular team meetings the issue was flagged and mitigated accordingly. After the initial realization, we went into research mode to better understand the breadth and scope of the issue. Once we understood the issue, we identified and weighed the potential risks to create a comprehensive communication plan rooted in transparency and customer satisfaction. Working with business unit leaders we maintained constant communication to ensure the potential issue was managed with consistency and integrity and it became a non-issue.

How do you stay prepared for unexpected crises in an ever-changing media landscape?

It is important to stay up to date with news and trends from different platforms and sources. I find it valuable to connect with those in a different generation than myself — both older and younger.

What role does digital media play in modern crisis communication strategies?

Digital media allows for information to be disseminated at a rapid pace on a global scale. However, this platform also can allow for misinformation to be shared simultaneously. A modern crisis communication plan should rely on a multi-platform strategy to ensure that accurate information can be deployed to stakeholders in the proper tone and manner.

How do you measure the success of a crisis communication plan?

It is critical to evaluate tactics after any crisis or proactive launch. I like to simplify this into three questions:

1. What worked?
2. What didn’t work?
3. How could we improve?

Answering these questions will help create future plans that are rooted in experience and best practices.

Ok super. Here is the main question of our interview. Based on your opinion and experience, what are your “5 Things You Need To Create A Highly Successful Career In Crisis Communications” and why. (Please share a story or example for each.)

1. Experience happens on the job. There is no shortcut to first-hand experience and the growth it provides. As you grow in your PR career, expose yourself to opportunities where you can listen and learn from those with historical knowledge.

2. Stay proactive. Keep strong relationships and in constant communication with leaders across the business to help mitigate potential issues before they arise. Stay ready!

3. No response is a response. Have perspective and provide a voice to ensure your company or brand’s narrative is being told accurately and (if needed) with the appropriate accountability.

4. Provide equality to inquiries. Despite the level of influence you (or your company) may put onto a media outlet, during a time of crisis it is critical to give each reporter inquiry the time and energy for a proper response.

5. Educate employees. Ensure a strong media policy is in place to help streamline media inquires proactively and field responses to the appropriate spokesperson. Many employees may not understand the scope of an issue and can lack context yet feel empowered to speak with media without approval.

Because of the role you play, you are a person of great influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. :-)

Kindness. This concept is not unique to me, as I have heard many great leaders I admire share the same principal but I thoroughly agree and wish there was more kindness in this world.

This was really meaningful! Thank you so much for your time.

About the Interviewer: Dina Aletras boasts over 20 years of expertise in the corporate media industry. She possesses an in-depth understanding of growth, strategy, and leadership, having held significant roles at some of the UK’s largest media organizations. At Reach PLC, the UK’s largest tabloid publisher, she served in various director capacities. Additionally, she held leadership roles at The Independent Magazine Group and DMGT. Her extensive knowledge spans editorial, digital, revenue, sales, and advertising.

Upon relocating to Switzerland, Dina took on the responsibility of managing and promoting the international section of Corriere del Ticino — CdT.ch pioneering the English page “onthespot.” She also was the Co-Editor of Southern Switzerland’s first official Italian and English bilingual magazine.