CHRYSSA ZIZOS

Chryssa Zizos tells her staff to aim to succeed or fail spectacularly — but whatever they do, don’t be average.

“Average is the kiss of death,” Zizos says. “Anyone can be average. Special people do more.”

Twenty-five years ago, Zizos started her own media and communications firm in her Alexandria home. Since then, Live Wire Strategic Communications has grown to 10 employees representing over 100 clients, nearly half of which are Fortune 500 firms. Last year, the firm grossed about $3.65 million in revenue.

Live Wire has assisted JBG Smith Properties with crafting a successful public relations campaign to persuade Amazon.com Inc. to select Arlington County for its HQ2 East Coast headquarters. It also advised more than a dozen former members of the U.S. Women’s National Soccer Team with publicity, speaking engagements and management of their personal brands — something Zizos is familiar with through her wife, Briana Scurry, a two-time Olympic gold medalist in women’s soccer and assistant coach of the Washington Spirit.

For 17 years, Zizos has been an adjunct professor at American University, where she also earned her master’s degree in public communications. On the first day of class every semester, Zizos announces she’ll offer an internship or job to the top performing student, and she has funded more than 50 scholarships to journalism students at Eastern Kentucky University. 

Zizos is also a passionate LGBTQ+ advocate and offers pro bono services to mission-oriented and philanthropic organizations.

Read more about the 2023 class of Virginia Business Women in Leadership Award winners.