Zita Ballinger Fletcher (also known by the pen name Zita Steele) is an award-winning author, journalist and military history writer. With a background in art, she designs and illustrates her published work. Her work as a journalist has included international reporting, analysis, features and breaking news from foreign countries. She lived abroad in Europe for over a year and has reported news from Germany, Scandinavian nations and Asia. She has also written U.S. national news. Her December 2019 military history article on Field Marshal Bernard Law Montgomery ("Monty Crosses the Rhine") won a 2nd Place award in the National Federation of Press Women's 2020 nationwide writing contest.

Zita is fluent in German and studies Russian. She has done research on location at many historic war-related sites in Europe and the U.S., including museums, institutions and former battlefields.

Born in Los Angeles, she was named after Empress Zita of Austria. Zita attended the Honors College at the University of South Florida. She graduated Magna Cum Laude with an Honors Degree in Social Sciences, with concentrations in Criminology and International Studies.