MEET REDSTER STACEY FEDEROFF, A SENIOR ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE WITH A BACKGROUND IN JOURNALISM, MASTER’S DEGREES IN BOTH PUBLIC RELATIONS AND BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION AND A VINYL-COLLECTING HOBBY THAT TRAVELS WELL.
Hometown:
Sutersville, Pa. (south of Pittsburgh; no red lights)
Currently resides in:
Forest Hills, Pa. (east of Pittsburgh; several red lights)
Favorite hobby:
Collecting vinyl records. Specifically right now I’m into horror movie soundtracks, exotica and ’80s pop and electronica. My dad had a record collection from college that I got into in high school, and I started by raiding his classic rock LPs before wanting to get into other genres and find more offbeat things. Physically handling that 12-inch square cover, absorbing the artwork and liner notes, then dropping the needle on the record as part of the listening experience are what I love about collecting them. Plus, they lend themselves to listening with other people, and any time I have guests, I can’t help but play DJ for them. I have taken to seeking out record stores and digging for new and interesting things any time I’m traveling. Places like Dusty Groove in Chicago, Amoeba in San Francisco, or Grimey’s in Nashville make the experience even more fun when I get home. Putting the vinyl on the turntable, I love recalling when and where I found it. This year, I’ve been enjoying a new way to play my 45 singles: A 1977 Rockola jukebox featuring a design with some very cool psychedelic ladies. It’s been a mechanical marvel helping me spread more musical joy.
If you could start a movement, what would it be?
Speaking of joy, I couldn’t imagine any kind of movement that I would want to lead that didn’t involve joy in some way. While I was growing up, I was very close with my late maternal grandmother, Nancy Barbera. She died when I was 15 after a long battle with breast cancer. “Joy” was not only her favorite word, but also a way of experiencing life that she shared with me (and everyone she met): Singing in church, sending cards in the mail and volunteering in the community are a few of the things I learned first by seeing her give and receive joy from them. Because of her, I am grateful to have carried with me an appreciation of not only the big moments in life, but also the small miracles that we have the privilege to experience every day. If I led a movement to enourage more joy, it would be inspired by her.
What’s something inspiring you right now?
I recently listened to a lecture by one of my favorite musicians, mandolinist Chris Thile of the Punch Brothers, from the Chautauqua Institution (think TED Talks, but with a spiritual bent). In addition to discussing music, he emphasized how important it is to engage with people who are open-minded while remaining open-minded yourself. As a former journalist, I deeply believe that staying curious and open to other people’s observations can bring us closer together. A sense of place and community are very important to me, which is why I enjoy volunteering. To develop that community, we have to be open to letting others into our lives as much as we ask them to let us into their lives.
What part of your job brings you the most joy?
Regarding work-related joy (I’m glad it became a theme!) and building community, media relations is the part of my work that energizes me most, allowing me to build relationships with journalists. As a former journalist myself, I appreciate being able to connect our clients with news and trade outlets to share information and tell stories. Then, those stories reach the audiences who can benefit from them. In the best case scenario, our work inspires people to take action to learn, improve or grow. Being the conduit to help someone else means the most to me and makes my work meaningful.