In a surprise announcement at the 2025 CAPIO Conference, outgoing President Tom Christensen revealed that one of the year’s top honors in government communications will now bear a new name: the Scott Summerfield Communicator of the Year Award. The announcement came during his final moments as President.

Scott is a seasoned expert in strategic communications for public agencies, with nearly three decades of award-winning experience.  A former Public Information Officer and Director of Communications, Scott is widely respected for his inclusive public participation strategies and deep community engagement expertise. He currently serves as Principal at SAE Communications. A past CAPIO President in 1994 and recipient of CAPIO’s Paul B. Clark Lifetime Achievement Award, Scott continues to be a valued mentor and contributor—this year leading his always-popular on-camera training sessions, which quickly sold out.