At Ulupono Initiative, I experience a unique alignment of my values, passions, and daily work. This role allows me to embrace my personal kuleana to champion sustainability and community well-being. I am so grateful to be a part of an initiative that keeps pono in mind.
Summer Begnaud is a specialist of communications and community at Ulupono Initiative. She is responsible for the management of digital communications, including the creation and execution of social media strategy, website management, coordination of sponsorship opportunities, and providing overall support of the communications strategy.
She most recently served as the Digital Media Specialist for the City and County of Honolulu: Office of Economic Revitalization (OER), where she played a key role in managing OER’s social media campaigns and website, publishing the Small Business Newsletter, and helping to establish and create a brand identity for the Oahu Business Connector program. She brings creative branding expertise, content creation experience, and an understanding of how to share information impactfully with the community.
Prior to her role at OER, Summer co-founded a boutique, creative agency in Austin, Texas, working with nonprofits, small businesses, women-owned businesses, and queer-owned businesses to launch and build their brands. She has extensive experience in branding, marketing, social media management, and website design. She has a proven track record of helping organizations effectively communicate their messages and engage with their audiences.
She was raised in Lafayette, LA, and Houston, TX, and is now an honorary Austin ex-pat. Summer earned a Bachelor of Arts in Geography with a minor in Communications from the University of Texas at Austin.
Outside the Office
Summer loves to tap into her creative side and has become an amateur ceramicist; miniatures are her favorite to craft. You can also find her floating in the waves on the weekends – she loves to be held by the water.