Melanie Santostefano

I am a public relations and communications strategist with over two decades of experience helping individuals, organizations, and public-facing leaders tell their stories with clarity, credibility, and impact. I am the Founder and President of St. Steven Public Relations, a firm I established in December 2022, where we represent clients through thoughtful, strategic consulting that puts them in front of the right audiences. We are intentional about who we partner with—vetting each client to ensure our work aligns with a shared commitment to serve others and deliver messages that educate, enlighten, motivate, and inspire. Our firm specializes in public relations and public information campaigns, crisis communications and media training, political consulting, and supporting individuals in writing and shaping their own books.

I am also the Founder and President of Vicarious Multimedia, a company I have operated since January 2004, where we take a true multimedia approach to crafting and delivering messages that resonate across platforms. We proudly serve businesses, nonprofits, and local government organizations, offering a full suite of communications and digital services including writing and editing for websites, social media, print and digital newsletters, website development and management, and full-scale video production from TikTok content to comprehensive organizational overview videos.

Earlier in my career, I worked as a Reporter and Editor at Patch.com, helping to build strong community relationships and providing solid news coverage for the villages of Arlington Heights and Palatine, Illinois. I also served as a Writer, Reporter, and Broadcaster at Metro Networks and Shadow Broadcasting, reporting news and traffic for Chicago area radio stations including News Radio 780 WBBM and WLS 890 AM, and writing for the MetroSource News Wire service. I began my broadcasting career as a Writer, Reporter, and Broadcaster at NowDecatur in Decatur, Illinois, where I served as an on-air news anchor, writer, and reporter covering local government, state news, and elections.

I hold a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology, Criminal Justice, and Communications from the University of Illinois Chicago, where I was also involved in the Metropolitan Area Child Study and tutoring.

Across my career in public relations, multimedia communications, and journalism, my work has been driven by a commitment to helping clients communicate with purpose and navigate the public arena with confidence. Whether I am shaping a crisis communications strategy, producing a video, or writing a book, I bring a strategic mindset, a collaborative approach, and a dedication to delivering messages that educate, enlighten, and inspire. I am proud of the work I have done and excited to continue serving clients through St. Steven Public Relations and Vicarious Multimedia.