Steven Caplan

Steve Caplan is a strategic communications executive with nearly 25 years of experience in public policy, crisis management, and brand communications. As Founder and Principal Strategist of Message, a Los Angeles-based strategic communications agency, he specializes in navigating complex policy challenges at the intersection of entertainment, media, and public affairs.
Steve's award-winning work includes leading crisis mitigation strategies for Fortune 500 companies, spearheading Comcast's Internet Essentials program that reached nearly 10 million Americans (earning the People's Choice Award at the 2022 SxSW Innovation Awards), and raising over $8 million in COVID-19 relief funds for entertainment industry workers during his tenure as Chief Strategy Officer at Gonring, Lin, Spahn.
His executive leadership experience includes serving as Executive Vice President of the Association of Independent Commercial Producers, where he represented over 270 production companies in the $5 billion commercial production industry, and as a partner at GMMB, one of the nation's largest cause marketing firms, where he led campaigns for the Motion Picture Association of America and the acclaimed "Me Not Meth" campaign.
Steve has taught at USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism since 2021, developing and instructing courses including Introduction to Advertising, Political Advertising in the 2024 Election, Social Media Advertising, and Advertising/Media Planning. He began his career in political campaigns and served in the administration of former Philadelphia Mayor Edward G. Rendell.
Steve holds a master's degree from the Fels School of Government at the University of Pennsylvania and a Bachelor of Arts from UC Santa Barbara.