Steffi Roche grew up in Grosse Pointe Shores, Michigan a suburb in metro-Detroit.

From an early age, Steffi loved to perform.

Her parents were both music lovers— her father loved bands like “The Beatles” or “The Rolling Stones,” while Steffi’s mother introduced her to jazz, musical theatre, and American Song-Book legends like Judy Garland, Barbra Streisand, Liza Minnelli, Frank Sinatra, Mel Tormé, Ella Fitzgerald, and Vic Damone. While she was a toddler, Steffi became mesmerized by early Judy Garland MGM musicals like “Meet Me in St. Louis.”

At age 3, when her grandma would take her to the park, Steffi would run to the top of the hill and belt “The Sound of Music” for the park-goers to hear.

Steffi also loved to tell stories— either to her family, friends, or classmates. She loved to captivate her listeners through creative storytelling and through her performance.

As Steffi grew up, her love for both storytelling, singing, and performing stayed with her.

Steffi began singing professionally at the age of 7 at the Andiamo Celebrity Showroom in Warren, Michigan.

At age 8, Steffi became a Disney Script Tester for iTheatrics in New York City.

While in the second grade, Steffi began vocal training in NYC under Joyce Hall, former MET Opera singer, and vocal coach to legends like Julie Andrews and Sutton Foster.

Steffi acted in commercials for “Little Caesars,” modeled for Neiman-Marcus, and began performing regularly with big-jazz orchestras in metro-Detroit.

At age 10, Steffi was part of the Michigan Opera Theatre Children’s Chorus (MOTCC) at the Detroit Opera House. She performed in five operas while a part of MOTCC, including La Bohemé, iPagliacci, Carmina Burana, H.M.S. Pinafore, and The Nutcracker.

At the age of 12, Steffi was the opening act for Regis Philbin’s nightclub show.

When she was 14, Steffi was named the Detroit International Jazz Festival’s “Youth-Diva” and “Youth-All Star” and performed on the main stages of the festival in front of thousands.

Throughout her high school years at Detroit Country Day School, Steffi had lead roles in high school musicals and dramas including Vivienne in “Legally Blonde”, Hodel in “Fiddler on the Roof”, Nell in “Ain’t Misbehavin’”, Rosalind in William Shakespeare’s “As You Like It,” Velma in “Hairspray,” Molly in “Peter and the Starcatcher,” and Janet in “The Drowsy Chaperone”.

Finding her true love: journalism

While Steffi is a singer and performer by nature, she decided she did not want to study music or theatre in college when she was a senior at Detroit Country Day School.

In high school, Steffi interned for Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan and took an interest in politics.

At the same time, Steffi was an entertainment and fashion reporter, as well as senior editor for the award-winning “Day Times” newspaper at Country Day. While a reporter, Steffi enjoyed interviewing students about their fashion choices or writing witty film reviews. While it was not hard-news, Steffi liked the process of interviewing her peers and she learned the basics of writing for news (i.e. AP style).

Steffi loved watching the news her whole life, and during her senior of high school, she realized broadcast was the perfect career option for her— it combined her three interests, politics, writing, and performance.

She began looking at the best broadcast programs across the country and ultimately chose to attend the University of Missouri’s (aka “Mizzou”) Missouri School of Journalism (aka “the J-School”) in Columbia, MO.

Roche the Reporter

Steffi began working at the NBC affiliate station, KOMU 8 News, in Columbia on her first day of college.

She worked her way from a production assistant, to a reporter, then to an anchor.

Steffi believes reporting is the key to giving a voice to the voiceless. While working for KOMU 8 News, she developed an interest in covering politics and investigations.

She graduated Summa Cum Laude from MU and accepted a job with KHQ, the legacy NBC and Fox-affiliate station in Spokane, WA. At KHQ, Steffi reports and anchors.

Within her first year at KHQ, she started an investigative series into euthanasia practices at a Spokane County animal shelter, was the first reporter on the scene of the devastating Gray Fire, and broke a story about a Spokane County Sheriff’s Office sergeant who was placed on administrative leave after being accused of beating a man in a Spokane Valley park’s parking lot.

For this story, she received a NATAS Northwest Emmy Nomination in the Daily News (Single Shift) category.

Steffi loves that every time she goes into a reporting shift, she knows her day will be an adventure. She loves going into a different community, meeting new people, and telling their stories everyday.

Passions continue…

Outside of her reporting and anchoring shifts, Steffi continues to sing professionally.

She took a semester to study abroad and intern in London. While in London, she performed on the West End at the “Phoenix Arts Club.”

When not reporting, anchoring, or singing, Steffi loves to travel, ski, kayak, play tennis, and do pilates. She enjoys attending comedy shows with friends and trying new restaurants.

The Reporter who Sings

Age 1- standing on laundry basket pretending it was a stage.

Age 8- modeling

age 11- carmina burana with cirque du soleil

AGE 14- DETROIT INTERNATIONAL JAZZ FESTIVAL

AGE 16- DCDS’ PRODUCTION OF “FIDDLER ON THE ROOF” (PLAYING HODEL)