Hugh Esten
Member of Board

is Director of Communications for the President of the Los Angeles City Council.  He leads the Council President’s communications team, editing the office’s communications on all platforms, and conducting relations with the news media. He was associate producer of the award-winning documentary, Your Los Angeles City Hall.

As a freelance speechwriter, he has scripted high-profile events such as American Prairie’s Ken Burns American Heritage Prize, the National Portrait Gallery’s American Portrait Gala, the Thelonious Monk International Jazz competition at the Dolby Theater in Hollywood, and the Kennedy Center Living Legends of Jazz Awards. 

He scripted host’s continuity and awards ceremonies for 20 international conferences of the Academy of Achievement, an educational foundation based in Washington, D.C., while editing the Academy’s website.    From 2005 to 2017 he was a contributing reporter to Classical KUSC’s Arts Alive program, producing and presenting radio features on the arts in Southern California.