Neilia Stephens
Background
Neilia has extensive experience in economic development and travel marketing. She began working with DCI in 1999 and has led marketing programs for more than 15 states, regions, cities and countries, including Alabama, North Dakota, Newark, NJ, El Paso, TX/Juarez, Mexico, Greater Charlotte, NC and Greater Louisville, KY. Neilia’s expertise goes beyond media placements. She has conducted media training sessions, implemented perception analysis surveys, secured speaking opportunities and coordinated location advisor events in New York, New Jersey and Chicago on behalf of her diverse range of clients. Neilia also heads DCI’s internship program.
Neilia’s Passion for Places
Neilia takes great pride in marketing places. Job creation, increasing the national and international awareness of a community, handling crisis communication, correcting misconceptions and boosting heads in beds are just a few of the rewarding factors Neilia finds in this niche field.
Notable Results
- Holds a track record for securing high-level print media placements in a host of publications such as The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg BusinessWeek, The Economist, and Financial Times. In addition, Neilia has placed many broadcast stories on CNN, CNN en Espanol, Fox & Friends, Fox Business Network and Bloomberg TV.
- Arranged editorial board meetings at The Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg News and Newsweek for former North Dakota Governor John Hoeven, former Alabama Governor Bob Riley, and Mayor Cory Booker of Newark, NJ.
- Secured media tours in every major national media market (New York, Washington D.C., Chicago, Atlanta and Los Angeles) and in international markets including South Korea, Japan, Paris and London.
- Worked closely with the Foreign Press Center to arrange press trips with more than 50 international writers to places such as El Paso, TX, Phoenix, AZ, and Newark, NJ. Also arranged numerous media briefings with the FPC in New York.
Up Close
Neilia comes from a family of travelers. She had a passport long before she could talk (which probably contributed to her love for travel) and continued this tradition with her own children.
Neilia has visited many Caribbean islands such as Jamaica, Barbados and Grenada and countries in Europe including England, Germany, Austria and France. In addition, business and personal travel has allowed Neilia to visit about half of the states in the U.S.
Where You’ll Find Neilia on the Weekend
If she’s not traveling to favorite hot spots like Miami, Atlanta or Washington D.C., you can bet that Neilia is spending her weekend whisking her little ones off to ballet, soccer, baseball or football (depending on the season). And if she’s not doing any of those things…she’s SHOPPING!
Places that Neilia has Called Home
Brooklyn, New York
Buffalo, New York
Long Island, New York
Jamaica, West Indies
Surprising Facts about Neilia
A Childhood Star
Yep, that’s right…one might call Neilia a childhood star. She is a World Double Dutch (jump rope) champion and appeared in a McDonalds’ commercial, on the “Today Show” and on the local news many times. Neilia and her teammates, the “Devastating Jumpers,” held the record for the fastest jump roping in the world. She also met Oprah Winfrey and many others during her double dutch days.
It’s All About Relationships
Let’s see if you can follow this…Neilia was introduced to DCI by her best friend’s husband’s sister who once worked at DCI. Now Neilia’s best friend also works at DCI and is the director of the administrative team. It doesn’t stop there. Neilia’s sister works in DCI’s finance division.
Think Twice Before Telling Neilia to “Break a Leg”
Neilia is the only person in the company’s history to break a bone while visiting a client. Immediately following an investor meeting in El Paso, Texas Neilia slipped and broke her ankle. About a year before that while traveling in Huntsville, Alabama she fell and sprained that very same foot. Lesson learned: When Neilia is going to visit a client area for meetings wish her well or good luck, but don’t tell her to break a leg because she just might!
