Stefanie Sgroi: Chief of Staff

When Stefanie Sgroi joined Channel 9’s flagship program 60 Minutes in 2016, it was not only the realisation of a long-held ambition, but recognition of an already impressive career in radio and television current affairs.

From her school years and throughout university, Stef had always wanted to be a journalist, and after landing her first job at Sydney radio station 2UE, she knew she’d made the right decision.  For four years from 2006, she worked in a variety of roles on different programs and timeslots, ending up – not surprisingly – on 2UE’s most important and demanding shift, the breakfast program. For almost two years she worked as a Producer for radio veterans Mike Carlton, John Stanley and Sandy Aloisi. 

In 2010 Stef added pictures to her broadcasting skills when she became an Associate Producer at Channel 9’s A Current Affair.  For anyone working on it, a daily TV tabloid news program is a never-ending, exhausting mix of super-competitive reporting and high-pressure deadlines, which is precisely what Stef loved about her job.

Over six years she covered an incredible range of stories across Australia and around the world, from Oscar Pistorius’ murder trial in South Africa, to the birth of Prince George in London. 

In 2013 Stef was appointed to the prestigious role of Producer for ACA’s Walkley Award winning host, Tracy Grimshaw, and together they reported some of the program’s standout stories.  For Stef the most memorable ones included the trial of Hey Dad star Robert Hughes, convicted of the horrific sexual abuse of four young girls; and a world exclusive story about the birth of conjoined twins, Faith and Hope – Australian sisters born with craniofacial duplication, meaning they shared a body but had two heads.    

Along the way, Stef also schmoozed her share of celebrities from Hugh Jackman to Kylie Minogue and the Queen of daytime television, Oprah Winfrey.

 Stef’s final role at ACA was as the Sydney Bureau Chief, an office-bound position she thoroughly enjoyed until she was offered the chance to be a Producer at 60 Minutes.  Stef says there wasn’t a moment of hesitation – how could she refuse to work with Australia’s best TV reporters, camera crews and editors?