About SAE Communications

SAE Communications was founded in 1991 to assist public and private agencies prepare and implement strategic communications programs. Since that time, we've helped dozens of cities, counties, special districts, state agencies, and corporations to define their goals, set clear objectives and strategies, train their staffs, implement effective communications plans, and measure their effectiveness. Our principals have extensive experience in numerous municipal program areas; this unmatched experience allows us to thoroughly understand the complexities of communicating complex issues to the public and to develop effective feedback mechanisms.

This desire to bring the process of public relations to public agencies has driven our goal of blending the tools and techniques of the private sector with the unique needs and demands of public agencies. Applying public relations in the public sector requires a passion for the needs of local and state agencies to continually educate, inform, and involve citizens and businesses. Government officials and staff are dedicated to making decisions for the betterment of their city, county, or region. We wholeheartedly believe in this commitment and want to help the public appreciate this desire to make tough decisions that benefit the greater need of the society in which they reside.

SAE's Principals

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 other organizations focused on community issues. Scott specializes in assisting organizations with their communications plan development and training programs, and supervises SAE Communications' Northern California and Nevada 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 consultants throughout the state who worked with local communities to implement waste prevention 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 then 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; a board member of the Bay Area Sports Hall of Fame; a former executive board member of the City-County Communications and Marketing Association (3CMA); a board member of the Bay Area Cable Excellence Awards; a guest lecturer at the University of Southern California, Annenberg School for Communication in Los Angeles; and is a crisis communications instructor at the California Specialized Training Institute.


Sheri Benninghoven, APR, President/SAE Communications, is the former Communications Director for the League of California Cities, and one of the nation's most experienced public relations professionals in helping state and local governments develop strategic public communications programs.

Sheri has extensive experience and working knowledge of journalism, local government operations and finance, public relations and public affairs, State government, crisis communications, and communications research. A graduate of California State University, Fullerton with a degree in Communications and Public Relations, she also graduated from the Public Sector Marketing series from Public Technology, Incorporated (PTI) in Washington, D.C.

In addition to her consulting services, Sheri is a member of the adjunct faculty at the University of Southern California, Annenberg School for Communication in Los Angeles. She joined the private sector in 1991 to start her own consulting firm after nearly two decades in local government public communications and media relations, specializing in helping state and local governments identify messages and communicate effectively with target audiences. She is a former Vice President/Group Manager for Ketchum Public Relations (Los Angeles/ Sacramento), the world's fifth largest public relations firm. She founded their Public Sector Marketing Group and also created their California Technology Practice Group. Sheri also served in Ketchum's renowned Media Training Unit, which trained corporate executives from around the world in media relations.

Sheri also served as Public Information Officer for the City of Anaheim, preparing and implementing communications plans for the city and each city department, including Anaheim Stadium, the Anaheim Convention Center, the Anaheim Redevelopment Agency, and two city-owned golf courses. She developed an award-winning crisis communications training program, which was adopted by the California Specialized Training Institute. She also authored portions of the State's Multi-Function Hazard Response Plan and has counseled the California Office of Emergency Services.

Sheri is a past president of the California Capital Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America, from which she's accredited; a member and past board member of the California Association of Public Information Officials (CAPIO) and a recipient of their Lifetime Achievement Award; is a founder/past board member of the City-County Communications and Marketing Association (3CMA); and received California State University, Fullerton's prestigious alumni award.


Jennifer D. Floto, ABC, is a 30-year public relations veteran with 10 years of state and city government marketing experience. As group vice president/creative director for Ketchum Public Relations, Floto led the Public Sector Marketing Group that created marketing/image campaigns for the cities of Orange and Pomona, and for the Antelope Valley Regional Marketing Association. Floto was also actively involved in the strategic planning for the New Los Angeles Marketing Partnership (NLAMP), the City of Brea and the State of California Department of Trade and Commerce.

Prior to joining Ketchum, Floto spent nine years at Manning, Selvage & Lee as group vice president. While at Manning, she was actively involved in developing and implementing programs for CalTrans, the California Department of Forestry, the California State Bar Association and the California Lottery.

Currently a professor at the University of Southern California and special projects director for the Annenberg School for Communication, Floto has produced award-winning image and marketing campaigns for a wide array of organizations/products, including Knott's Berry Farm, Mattel/Barbie, Acura Automobiles, GTE and Xerox Systems. Floto spent more than a decade as communications services manager at TRW Information Services where she and her staff won numerous awards for their innovative internal and external communications programs.

An accredited business communicator, Floto was named Communicator of the Year by the International Association of Business Communicators in 1982 and is a frequent speaker at marketing and public relations forums.