Elisa Distefano

Elisa DiStefano is an award-winning journalist with over a decade of experience in entertainment reporting and lifestyle features. As News 12 Long Island's senior lifestyle correspondent and morning traffic anchor, she regularly covers red carpet events, celebrity interviews (including Justin Bieber, Rihanna, and Bill Murray), and produces food/fashion segments. Her career expanded into entrepreneurship through co-owning MO’NELISA Italian Restaurant and The Point Ale House & Grill with her husband. A passionate health advocate, DiStefano survived life-threatening endocarditis and postpartum preeclampsia, experiences that led her to work with the American Heart Association's Go Red for Women campaign as a 2025 Woman of Impact nominee. She maintains a strong community presence through weekly pet adoption segments and fundraising events like the Sneakers and Sandals Beach Ball.