About Steve Caplan

Steve is a strategic communications leader whose career spans the intersections of politics, entertainment, and education. His unique journey - from managing presidential campaigns in Iowa to working with the world’s leading production companies and building his own agency, Message - has shaped his conviction that strategic thinking drives success across all domains.

As founder of Message., a strategic communications firm, Caplan advises organizations navigating complex challenges in an AI-driven world. His award-winning client work includes developing strategic frameworks for Fortune 500 companies, crafting messaging for high-impact social change campaigns, and leading innovative campaigns for organizations like Comcast NBCUniversal.

Caplan currently teaches at the USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism, where he developed the school's first political advertising course and pioneered new approaches to social media marketing education. His academic work focuses on helping the next generation of leaders develop strategic thinking capabilities that will remain valuable in an AI-augmented future.

A recognized thought leader in strategic communications, Caplan's analysis appears regularly in major media outlets including The Guardian, USA Today, and Spectrum News.

His upcoming book, "Strategy First: A Leadership Framework for the AI Age," explores how human strategic thinking becomes more crucial, not less, as artificial intelligence reshapes decision-making across industries.

Drawing on insights from his political background, entertainment industry experience, and academic research, Caplan helps organizations and leaders maintain strategic advantage amid constant disruption. His "Strategy First" framework emphasizes the enduring value of human strategic thinking in an increasingly automated world.