Scott Summerfield is an expert in public agency strategic communications with nearly two decades of award-winning public information/public participation experience, along with tenures at several organizations focused on community issues. Scott specializes in assisting organizations with their communications plan development and training programs, overseeing all research activities and supervises SAE Communications’ San Francisco Bay Area activities from his Pleasanton office.

Scott is the former Public Information Officer for the City of Newark and managed the largest grant program in League of California Cities history, supervising a team of nine communications consultants throughout the state who worked with local communities to implement public education and public participation projects.

Community meeting facilitation and structuring of public input processes are a cornerstone of his municipal background, and Scott’s public participation approach of identifying all possible affected audiences and creating a communications program to reach each audience member has served his organizations well.

Scott also served as Director of Communications for the Oakland Chamber of Commerce. The Oakland native is a graduate of San Diego State University with a bachelor’s degree in Telecommunications/Film.

Scott is a past president of the California Association of Public Information Officials (CAPIO) and recipient of their Lifetime Achievement Award; Dean of Instruction at the California Specialized Training Institute (CSTI); grants chair of the Bay Area Sports Hall of Fame; a former executive board member of the City-County Communications and Marketing Association (3CMA); board member of the Bay Area Cable Excellence Awards; and a guest lecturer at the University of Southern California, Annenberg School for Communication in Los Angeles and San Jose State University.