Summer Knowles

Summer Knowles is an award-winning journalist, who co-anchors WESH 2 News at 4, 6 & 11. She joined WESH 2 News in January of 2015.

Since arriving in Central Florida, Summer has landed multiple high-profile interviews including but not limited to former US Rep. Corrine Brown before she was convicted of fraud, Stacey Abrams, local Congresswoman Val Demings, Vice President Mike Pence and Presidential Candidate Joe Biden (shortly before the presidential election).

Summer is most proud of her work in the aftermath of George Floyd’s death on the Project Community: Crusade for Change news documentary. It was awarded an Edward R. Murrow award in 2021 (her second such award). She is equally proud of her short series spotlighting COVID-19’s impact on local prisons and their families in the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic.

Summer came to Central Florida from Miami, where she was a Reporter/Fill-in Anchor for CBS 4 News. While in Miami, Summer covered several high-profile national stories, including the 2014 Florida Gubernatorial debate between Gov. Rick Scott and Gov. Charlie Crist (now often referred to as Fangate), the release of Alan Gross and the US’s intent to normalize US/Cuba relations as well as the George Zimmerman trial. Shortly after the trial ended, Summer scored the first local TV interview with Rachel Jeantel (the teenager who was on the phone with Trayvon Martin the night he died).

Summer began her career in Charlotte, North Carolina where she worked as a News Writer and Overnight Producer for NBC News Channel before landing her first on-air reporter job in Charlottesville, Virginia. After Charlottesville, Summer moved on to report at KTVI in St. Louis, WPEC in West Palm Beach, and KSLA News 12 in Shreveport, Lousiana, where she also anchored the morning and afternoon newscasts.

Summer's parents are retired Army officers, so she has lived all over and doesn't have a "hometown" per se, but the Sunshine State has always been in her heart. Her grandparents, whom she visited every summer growing up, lived in Miami, Florida, where her father was born and raised.

Summer is a proud graduate of the University of North Carolina (UNC)-Chapel Hill, where she majored in Journalism and minored in Spanish. She is a member of the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ), Investigative Reporters and Editors (IRE) and a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.

Summer enjoys moderating and hosting events ranging from The Women’s Summit on Intersectionality to the African American Chamber of Commerce Eagle Awards.

She has served on the YMCA Achievers Board of Directors and worked with public school literacy programs, but most enjoys speaking with and mentoring young journalist and those aspiring to become journalists.

When she is not at work or volunteering in the community she enjoys weight training and spending quality time with her husband (college sweetheart) and their two young daughters.