CHICAGO – Steve Patterson of Schererville, a former Northwest Indiana reporter and writer, has joined Res Publica Group, a strategic communications firm in Chicago.

Patterson, 38, was named vice president. Most recently, he was communications director for Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart, where he worked on high profile issues including foreclosure evictions, shutting down human trafficking on Craigslist and the Burr Oak Cemetery investigation.

He also has worked at the Chicago Tribune, the Gary Post-Tribune and the Chicago Sun-Times.