ABOUT ANASTASIYA BOLTON

Bios typically start with me, me, me…  

Here, I want to focus on what I can do for you. 

During 22 years as a broadcast journalist covering difficult, multi-faceted, emotional, high-profile events, I’ve seen wins, failures and shortcomings from every angle: from journalists, organizations, public relations professionals and leadership of public, nonprofit and for-profit entities. If you can imagine a challenging scenario, I've worked through it. There are also probably ones you can’t imagine. Frankly, that’s good for your soul.

While each situation is unique, the fundamentals don’t change.

Who needs to know?

Why do they need to know? 

What do they need to know?

Where do they need to hear it (email, broadcast, social media)?

When do they need to know?

How does it need to be presented (a statement, in person, press conference, pre-recorded, a personal note, quick bullet points)?

You’ve seen all these before. But what I bring to the equation, are real life experiences in complex, high pressure situations. 

I can quickly assess and effectively navigate these questions: determining both internal and external stakeholders, what matters most to them and how to effectively communicate.

I think if you knew how something becomes a story, what journalists want, when and why they want it, as well as the optics of your response, life would be easier: a difficult one-day story, wouldn't drag on for a week, a report about a complicated criminal case would have context, and your next very important bond election could be covered in a way everyone understands its gravity.

Interviews and public statements are super important. How you handle them, if you choose to do them at all, can impact your organization in many ways. Not everyone is a big fan of public speaking. If you're uneasy, we can work on your speaking and interviewing skills. Oh, and before you say, "but we have so much we can't talk about since it's under investigation," there are things you can say that will help inform your community and not jeopardize a criminal case. 

If you deal with complex issues and want a video, I’ve spent 20 years in visual storytelling. Won many awards for it, including several Emmys. I have a knack for making topics understandable and relatable.

I’ve told stories from Siberia, Moscow Russia, Amarillo, TX, Birmingham, AL, Denver, CO, Houston and along the Texas-Mexico border.

I’ve covered the Olympics in Sochi, Russia.

I’ve reported on hurricanes, including Katrina.

I’ve covered high profile disappearance cases, like Natalee Holloway.

I’ve shared the voices of communities impacted by mass shootings, including the Aurora, CO movie theater, the Sutherland Springs, TX church tragedy and the Santa Fe, TX school shooting.

Most recently, I covered the crisis at the Texas-Mexico border.

I’ve been to my share of school board and city council meetings, covered end-of watch stories, stood outside to tell everyone it was snowing or flooding, showed viewers "life-changing" video of a chicken flying competition, where the birds were shot out of a cannon to see which would fly the furthest. No chickens were harmed.

So, I've had fun days, hard days, bad days, days I wish I weren't knocking on someone's door, but I also really loved the work. I still feel grateful to all the people who trusted me with their stories, meeting them was a true gift. 

In 2022 I started ViKSTORY Media LLC. I named my company after my grandfather Viktor, a life-long journalist in the former Soviet Union, where I was born.

I had an upbringing rich with experiences and my own stories. 

I grew up partially in Africa at a Soviet Embassy, partially in Moscow. Together with my grandpa Viktor, we watched Mikhail Gorbachev talk about “perestroika.” (I later got to interview Gorbachev for my university newspaper. Talk about INCREDIBLE.)

I lived through two coups. Yes, before you ask, I stood in lines for bread. 

I came to the U.S. at 17. Lucky.

While in college in Dallas, I finally figured out how to properly channel my never-ending curiosity, talking to strangers everywhere I go (no joke, my husband is tired of it) and asking questions that are not always welcome. I became a journalist.

I already mentioned my Emmys. What I must also point out - I didn’t win them alone. Journalism is a team sport and I’ve had the best partners! 

It’s time to grow that list.

So what should we work on today?