Sep 2, 2026
As the Communications Director at Explore Steuben, Mikenna Pierotti is responsible for storytelling, media relations, and public-facing communications for one of New York's premier travel destinations. Her mission is to promote the people, places, experiences, and hidden gems that define Steuben County.
Explore Steuben is the destination’s official storyteller. They share the best kept secrets, so no one misses out. They’re the ones hollering, far and wide, about the astonishing and, sometimes life-changing, innovations happening in small towns people may have never heard of, but probably should. Their intention is simple. They wants to show people the wonderful ways they can make the most of life.
Mikenna is a writer, editor, and strategic storyteller who deeply understands the interconnected processes that go into creating effective content that builds brands and inspires audiences. She has more than a decade of experience crafting messaging for purpose-driven organizations—from higher education to media to tourism. She holds a master's degree in English, focused on professional writing and editing, rhetoric and persuasion, place-based writing, and ecocriticism.
"Personally, I live to turn the vaguest wisp of an idea into a story that resonates with everyday people."
In her free time, Mikenna has written and published 200-plus articles now appearing in national and international publications, multiple blogs, and websites covering travel, culture, design, food, sustainability, and lifestyle storytelling. She is also a boy mom, a world-traveler, an avid reader, an amateur poet, and a seeker of great food, drink, music, and conversation.