Chicago-based PR firm expands its offerings with personalized media training, public speaking coaching and executive presence development
CHICAGO – After nearly a decade of shaping narratives for brands, executives and organizations, award-winning agency, Mekky Media proudly announces the launch of Elevated by Mekky Media, a sister company specializing in personalized media training, public speaking coaching and development. Designed to meet the rising demand from professionals and organizations seeking to communicate with authenticity and impact, Elevated empowers leaders and teams to unlock their full potential and communicate with confidence.
Elevated represents a natural evolution of Mekky Media’s mission. The company combines the firm’s deep expertise in media and communications with the growing need for executives and organizations seeking to lead, present and connect more effectively — both on and off camera. Led by veteran journalist and Mekky Media founder, Michelle Mekky, Elevated delivers customized programs tailored to each client’s goals, ranging from intensive one-on-one coaching to multi-day group workshops. Each engagement begins with a personalized consultation to identify needs and objectives, followed by a strategic training plan built to strengthen media readiness, public speaking, leadership communication and on-camera performance.
Drawing on more than 25 years of experience as a broadcast journalist, senior news producer and award-winning communications executive, Michelle brings deep storytelling expertise and proven leadership to Elevated’s coaching philosophy. Her background includes years at Fox and NBC, where she produced live television, shaped coverage of major news events and developed on-air talent. Since founding Mekky Media in 2016, Michelle has guided hundreds of clients through media training, messaging refinement and high-stakes public appearances – work rooted in the authenticity, composure and storytelling precision that come from real newsroom experience. This expertise now serves as the foundation of Elevated’s methodology.
Elevated’s leadership also includes David Viggiano, another former TV journalist as well as longtime communications strategist, whose extensive on-air and media coaching background adds a dynamic dimension to the company’s training approach. A former Fox Chicago reporter, host and entertainment contributor, David has spent more than 20 years helping executives, entrepreneurs and public figures refine their presence and simplify complex messages.
“In today’s world, communication can make or break a message, a moment or a mission,” said Mekky. “Elevated gives professionals the tools to show up with confidence, lead with impact and represent their organizations with strength and authenticity. ”
Mekky Media has long offered media and presentation training to both existing and outside clients, helping hundreds of professionals refine their voice and presence. Today’s explosion of social-media video has made strong on-camera communication a necessity for leaders at every level, driving a significant increase in demand for expert training. To address this need, the agency launched Elevated as a dedicated sister company, allowing for deeper focus and expanded programming for executives, leadership teams and organizations nationwide.
Elevated’s approach is rooted in real-world media experience and decades of coaching expertise. The company has worked with national organizations such as the American Library Association and financial institutions like ABOC, earning praise for its hands-on, confidence-building workshops and measurable results.
Elevated by Mekky Media is now accepting clients for customized individual and group training programs. To learn more or schedule a consultation, visit elevatedbymm.com.
About Mekky Media Relations, Inc.
Mekky Media Relations, Inc. is a boutique public relations agency dedicated to delivering powerful publicity for a diverse roster of business and nonprofit clients in Chicago and beyond. Michelle Mekky, a veteran, award-winning broadcast journalist and PR executive, launched the agency in 2016, to provide clients with PR strategy, media relations, media training, event promotion, social media strategy and influencer outreach. To meet demand, the agency has added integrated digital and PR programs, personal branding and internal communications, and has increased its media training capabilities. The agency emphasizes personal attention and creative storytelling and has been widely recognized for its tremendous growth and success in its first eight years. In 2024, Mekky Media earned a Golden Trumpet Award and a PRSA Chicago Skyline Award for Hyde Park Summer Fest 2023. In 2022, the agency received the Publicity Club of Chicago Golden Trumpet Awards for client work for Adalina and Abt, as well as a Bronze Stevie Award for Media Relations PR Campaign of the Year for Abt. Honors in 2021 included Gold and Silver Stevie’s for PR Agency of the Year and PR Campaign of the Year, as well as Ragan’s Workplace Wellness Award. In addition, Michelle Mekky was named PRSA Chicago Skyline Awards 2023 Professional of the Year, Niles West High School’s 2022 Distinguished Alumni, a 2020 PR News Top Women in PR Honoree and a 2019 Crain’s Chicago Business Notable Entrepreneur, and she won the 2023 Daily Herald Entrepreneurial Excellence Award along with a 2018 Bronze Stevie Award for Women in Business, in the Entrepreneur of the Year category. Mekky Media is a member of the Forbes Agency Council, Women’s Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC) and International PR Network (IPRN). Based in Chicago, the agency has a team of nearly 20 PR professionals who come from top firms and leading media outlets. To learn more, visit www.mekkymedia.com.