Employee Spotlight: Kaitlyn Vitez, Senior Community Engagement Manager

We are excited to welcome Kaitlyn Vitez to the Summer team as our new Senior Community Engagement Manager!

Kaitlyn brings deep experience working alongside cities, labor organizations, and community-based groups to help residents access complex public benefits and financial relief. Her career has focused on turning policy into action, building trust with frontline organizations, and driving participation in programs that materially improve people’s financial lives. At Summer, Kaitlyn is leading efforts to expand resident engagement across municipal and community partnerships, ensuring that more people can successfully access student loan relief, college planning support, and long-term financial stability.

Her background and commitment to public service make her a powerful addition to our team as we continue to partner with cities and organizations working to improve economic outcomes for their communities.

What drew you to Summer’s mission and this role?‍

My background is community organizing - first with students and labor, and more recently at the U.S. Department of Education. I’ve worked across a broad range of issues over the years, from civic engagement to environmental protection, but nothing has been as gratifying as helping student loan borrowers access lower payments and eventually see their student loans cancelled. In today’s economic and political environment, the stakes have never been higher for borrowers to successfully navigate the student loan system. I’m excited to work at Summer because our products help people cut through the red tape and demystify their student loans, and because of our work helping local leaders empower borrowers. 

From your experience working with cities and community organizations, what makes resident engagement successful?‍

Working with already-trusted partners and networks is critical for success here. It’s important to authentically engage existing coalitions and channels used by civic leaders and community organizers to communicate with the public. It’s our job as organizers and borrower advocates to make it easy for partners to take action in ways that make sense for them, whether it's simply sharing information in an existing communication or a more resource-intensive event.

What are some of the biggest barriers residents face when trying to access student loan or education benefits?‍

Because of the complex nature of student loan repayment, people find all sorts of reasons to self-select themselves out from pursuing student loan relief. One of the most impactful things we can do in our outreach is share content that breaks down those barriers. Whether it is a success story from someone at the same organization, a direct message from a supervisor confirming staff’s eligibility for PSLF, or invite-only programming to let team members ask direct questions with an expert, it is important to consider unique communities and their circumstances to build trust.

What excites you most about building partnerships with city agencies, unions, and local organizations at Summer?‍

With the rapid pace of federal policy changes and challenging economic conditions, many people miss opportunities to lower their payments or get debt relief. When I was at the U.S. Department of Education, I saw firsthand how critical it is for student loan borrowers to hear from trusted friends and connections before they take action on their student loans. Summer’s partnerships with cities are an incredible opportunity to help at-risk borrowers access life changing advising, tools, and benefits at scale.

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