Virginia Stefan

Virginia Stefan believes that listening to employees and leaders is the key to successful communication. “Throwing spaghetti at the wall and hoping it will stick won’t achieve the results you need,” she says. “Using research to get input and gain insights is the best way to create a successful communication strategy.”

Virginia is a consummate communications professional with expertise in executive and employee communications. Prior to joining the ROI team, she led the global executive and employee communications teams at Verisign and Xilinx and served as head of internal communications at Pacific Gas & Electric. She began her career in publishing with Miller Freeman, which included a five-year stint in their Brussels, Belgium office leading the company’s European and Asian marketing operations.

“Internal communications can help create a better work experience for employees, which has never been more important given the ongoing changes and challenges in the workplace,” Virginia says. “It starts with research to understand the needs and priorities of your organization and team members, and then tailoring the communications strategy to align with your culture and meet your goals.”

Virginia is a graduate of the University of California, Berkeley, where she earned degrees in English and political science. When she’s not working with ROI’s clients, Virginia enjoys tending to her perennial garden; constantly experiments in new styles of cooking and baking; serves on the board of the Berkeley YMCA; and studies acting and improv at the renowned Berkeley Repertory Theatre.

Improv has helped her become a more effective communications professional because it teaches you to listen and embrace diverse perspectives and possibilities. “In improv, you never shut down an idea – the door is always open and you keep building on each person’s contributions to achieve the best outcomes,” she says. “That’s also key to internal communications, because we want people to engage and share their ideas.”