Welcome
Alia Strategic Group (ASG) was founded by longtime public relations and public affairs professional Alia Faraj-Johnson. ASG helps businesses and organizations advance their priorities and achieve their goals by providing public affairs, crisis communications and media relations services. The firm also provides strategic counsel to executives, elected officials and political candidates helping them navigate through high-stakes public policy issues.
ASG has helped guide clients through the legislative process, and has a deep understanding of the executive branch, cabinet and state agencies.
With experience working inside many of these same institutions and offices, ASG holds strong relationships with Florida’s influencers and delivers unique and valuable insights to clients.
As client needs arise, Alia Strategic Group will build the right team around each project to ensure it is meeting and exceeding client objectives.
Services
Public Affairs & Strategic Counsel
Political Campaign Consulting
Crisis Communications
Legal Communications
Media Relations
About Alia
Alia is a longtime public relations and public affairs professional with almost 30 years of experience. She specializes in public affairs, legislative initiatives, crisis communications and the media. She is a skilled professional spokesperson and has outstanding crisis management skills, having represented a host of state agencies and a broad cross-section of national clients including those in the healthcare, environment, agriculture and insurance sectors. She is sought after for her strategic counsel and helps clients in crisis navigate through day to day matters. Additionally, she has managed several statewide issue campaigns in Florida. Alia has extensive relationships with Florida influencers, the media and throughout state government. Prior to founding Alia Strategic Group, she served as the managing director of Hill+Knowlton Strategies’ Florida public affairs practice from 2014 to 2019. She also served as executive vice-president of a Florida-based public relations and public affairs firm from 2007 to 2013.
Before that, she served as Governor Jeb Bush’s press secretary and communications director from 2002 to 2007. In her role as chief spokesperson for Governor Bush she also managed communications at 18 state agencies including the Department of Children and Families, Department of Corrections and Department of State. Alia also served as the chief crisis communications spokesperson during the unprecedented 2004 and 2005 hurricane seasons in Florida. As a former television news producer and reporter and former Gov. Jeb Bush’s longest-serving communications director, Alia has covered the capitol and legislative issues for almost three decades.
She is a multiple Emmy award-winning producer, a 2009 winner of the national PR News Legal PR Award for Media Relations During Litigation or Crisis and winner of the 2009 Bronze Bulldog Award for Best Crisis Communications. Alia was also recognized by Influence Magazine in 2017 as one of the “Great Communicators” and in 2018 as one of the 100 most influential people in Florida politics. She also twice served, from 2008 to 2015, as a gubernatorial appointee on the Florida Elections Commission. Alia holds bachelor of science degrees from Florida State University in political science (emphasis on Middle Eastern studies) and psychology. She also is a member of Leadership Florida, Class of XXVI.
Testimonials
“Alia is the rare type of communications strategist that has helped others navigate nearly every type of terrain in the ever-changing media landscape. I found her guidance through many challenging policy and crisis communications decision points to be invaluable. Her experience in the media as a former member of the Capitol Press Corps and now as a corporate communications consultant makes her among the best in the business.”
“This was perfect timing on Alia’s part. I work with her on a number of accounts, and our clients value her communications counsel and guidance. I really like Alia’s steady hand and calm demeanor. In the face of the high stakes issues we deal with on behalf of our clients, Alia will continue to be a force in her new firm.”
“Alia adroitly does her work without the interminable attention-seeking and spotlight-craving that define so many people in the political arena. She is thoughtful, calm and precise. While her skills in crisis management are among the best in the business, her clients know they can count on her to manage the message from the beginning and avoid the crisis altogether.”