Stephanie Cepak
Chattanooga Mayor Tim Kelly has appointed Stephanie Cepak, an award-winning journalist and strategic communications professional, to the role of press secretary.
Ms. Cepak has lived in Chattanooga with her family since 2020.
Mayor Kelly said, “Like many people who migrated to the area during the COVID-19 pandemic, she took advantage of EPB’s world’s fastest internet to work remotely. This included roles at two creative agencies specializing in strategic communications planning and tactical execution for issue advocacy and candidate campaigns.
Cepak oversaw media relations for multiple state and local ballot initiatives and clients across sectors. She’s also worked as a freelance communications consultant and writer.
“Chattanooga has a tremendous talent bank and we’re excited to welcome someone with the level of strategic communications experience that Stephanie possesses. She will build on the city’s continued efforts to communicate clearly and consistently with residents, business owners, and everyone who contributes to making the Scenic City a great place to live, work, and play.”
Ms. Cepak previously lived in Michigan, where she oversaw communications for the Honors College at Michigan State University. In that role, she led a research-based rebranding initiative and helped raise a historic amount of money for the Honors College during the university’s capital campaign.
Her husband, Anthony, is an assistant professor at the University of Tennessee Chattanooga. Together, they are raising two children who attend Hamilton County Schools.
Ms. Cepak loves exploring Chattanooga and meeting people who call this place home, including lending her professional skills to local organizations such as the League of Women Voters and Forward Tennessee, along with co-leading her daughter’s Girl Scout Troop.
She holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Michigan State University, and cut her teeth as a newspaper reporter covering local government and business news in Frankfort, In. That is where she met her future husband. When the two moved to Michigan, Ms. Cepak worked as a staff writer covering state politics and policy for an online news organization. During that time, she won multiple awards from Capitolbeat, and was named one of the best state-based political reporters by readers of The Washington Post.
Ms. Cepak will join the city’s communications team, led by Senior Advisor Eric Holl.
“We’re very excited to have secured a candidate of Stephanie’s talent and experience, and we know she’ll be an asset to the city as our press secretary,” Mr. Holl said. “Her experience reporting and providing commentary for print, digital, radio, and broadcast news outlets, and working in public relations for two decades will bring just what we need to the team.”
“I want to thank the mayor for appointing me to serve as press secretary for the great city of Chattanooga,” Ms. Cepak said. “I love the power of stories and how they communicate so many things – our wants and needs, how we seek to change the world around us, and how we are successful at making an impact. I look forward to helping tell the next chapter of Chattanooga’s story as we implement Mayor Kelly’s One Chattanooga vision.”
This article was originally published by a www.chattanoogan.com . Read the Original article here. .