By Townhall Chicago News Staff
Thom Serafin is one of Illinois’ most seasoned public affairs strategists — a familiar voice on political television and radio and the founder and CEO of Serafin & Associates, Inc. For decades, his firm has advised businesses, government agencies, and nonprofits on strategic communications, crisis management, and reputation-building across the state and beyond.
Serafin’s career began in journalism. He worked as a network radio correspondent covering the Illinois statehouse before moving into political consulting, where he served as press secretary for several U.S. Senate campaigns and a presidential campaign. He subsequently joined the staffs of U.S. Senator Alan Dixon and U.S. Representative Dan Rostenkowski, serving in Chicago and in Washington, D.C. Those experiences — combining the reporter’s instinct for a story with the strategist’s command of message and audience — form the foundation of the consultancy he has led ever since.
At Serafin & Associates, his approach is rooted in the belief that no client challenge is beyond reach. “We don’t use the word can’t at our firm,” he has said. The firm is widely sought for its counsel on public affairs, media advising, and crisis communications, and Serafin’s high profile as a television and radio analyst is itself considered an asset to his clients.
A University of Illinois alumnus, Serafin earned his degree in Communication in 1973 and a graduate degree in Public Affairs Reporting in 1993. He has served on the UIS Campus Alumni Advisory Board since 2006, chaired it during the 2010–2011 term, and was honored with the William E. Winter Award for Outstanding Advocate Leadership from the University of Illinois Foundation.
Serafin was featured in a Fox 32 clip Tuesday to offer analysis of the Illinois millionaires’ tax advisory referendum and the broader Election Day political landscape, continuing a role he has held in Illinois political media for years.
