Stephanie Bechara

Stephanie Bechara has been a multimedia journalist since 2010. As a former reporter, she's enjoyed the opportunity to meet new people and put herself in the shoes of others, every single day… For it is storytelling that moves people. 

 

Bechara received her master’s degree from the University of Florida (Go Gators!). Having grown up in a Hispanic household, Bechara is fluent in both English and Spanish. Bechara’s exposure to diverse people with unique backdrops is what ignites her spark for communicating.

 

When it comes to hard-hitting news, Bechara covered the murder of Nicole Montalvo in 2019, the case of a young St. Cloud mother who was burned, dismembered and later buried. In 2021 she covered this court case from gavel-to-gavel, in which Montalvo’s estranged husband and father-in-law were sentenced to life in prison. Bechara exclusively interviewed the Montalvo family before the trial began as they embarked on a journey to fight against justice. Telling the stories of how the community rallied to raise awareness on domestic violence, is something Bechara will never forget. 

 

Bechara has taken part in the University of Central Florida’s communications and marketing team, helping share and promote stories about the university's research, faculty and its students. Her main goal was to identify stories that aligned with UCF's strategic priorities and determine how to best obtain media coverage, all while working to protect and promote the university's reputation. 

 

Bechara has immersed herself in local government helping establish strong public relationships built on a foundation of trust within the City of Kissimmee. Bechara has worked in cross-functional communications to create internal and external digital content, public programming, and marketing. Developing and implementing communication strategies to ensure the City Commission’s goals and initiatives are accurately reflected while successfully creating a consistent brand for all departments across the board. 

 

Bechara's journalism background gives her an edge in the world of public relations. Her reporting is particularly valuable as she now collaborates with different outlets to share a compelling narrative. Bechara has solid interpretation and conversation skills. She has worked on a broad range of communications and public affairs issues. She knows how to foster long-term and positive ties with the media and the people alike, while being able to amplify the message. 

 

Bechara is resourceful and creative when it comes to planning, enterprising and delivering storytelling. She has received several awards from the Florida Associated Press, one of them highlighting her as Best Mobile Journalist. Bechara was also nominated for an Emmy by the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences for the Suncoast Chapter. Additionally, Bechara was recognized for her work on immigrant-related stories by the Central Florida chapter of the American Immigration Lawyers Association. Most recently, in 2023 her name was entered into the Congressional Record, recognizing her service to Central Florida. 

 

On any given day you may find Bechara at her favorite restaurant in the area, Falafel & Kabab. It’s a  quaint restaurant in Kissimmee that serves Middle Eastern cuisine. The food reminds her of her roots, as her paternal grandparents were Lebanese. Bechara has fallen in love with Central Florida and is proud to call Osceola County home. Stephanie lives in Kissimmee with her husband Ray and is the proud mother of their toddler, Zion and little girl Starlett.