Amplify A|E|C wouldn’t be possible without the incredible support of our sponsors and partners. These organizations are champions of innovation, leadership, and progress in the AEC industry—and we’re proud to have them alongside us as we shape the future of marketing and business development.
Interested in becoming a partner? Download our partnership prospectus for additional information, or reach out to Chief Growth and Marketing Officer, Nandi Rice, for additional information.
Data Mirrors Culture: Behind Every Metric Is a Human
Courtney Kearney, CPSM Owner/Founder CKearney Consulting
CRM failures and bad data are rarely technology problems. They are people and culture problems. This session explores how human behavior, shared expectations, and firm-wide data culture drive the success of CRM systems and the quality of business intelligence. Through a real-world firm story, participants will learn how shifting from blame to curiosity, creating a shared language of data, and clearly defining data ownership transformed messy records into trustworthy insights. Attendees will leave with practical first steps to audit their firm’s data culture, assign clear data roles, and build habits that support transparency, accountability, and reliable marketing and business development data.
Learner Outcomes
Audit your firm’s data culture to identify which processes, communications, and attitudes are leading to bad data and CRM failures.
Center CRM and data efforts around the people in your firm by assigning data roles, introducing the shared language of data, and replacing punitive measures with positivity and curiosity.
Conduct training and create clear, effective communication to build a healthy data culture founded on transparency, accountability, and empathy.
B2C to AEC: Marketing Moves Worth Swiping from Consumer Brands
Tim Asimos, CPSM Chief Marketing Officer Timmons Group
This session examines how AEC marketers can look beyond industry norms by drawing inspiration from consumer marketing strategies. Designed for in-house marketing professionals, the session explores how proven B2C approaches such as brand storytelling, customer experience, creative campaigns, and audience engagement can be thoughtfully adapted to the built environment. Attendees will gain practical examples of how leading consumer brands capture attention and build loyalty, along with actionable ideas to translate those tactics authentically for AEC clients and prospects. Participants will leave with fresh perspectives and tools to elevate their firm’s marketing, break away from formulaic approaches, and deliver more engaging, differentiated brand experiences.
Learner Outcomes
Understanding how leading consumer brands connect with their audiences.
Identifying transferable tactics that can be customized for professional services.
Structuring implementation in a way that aligns with firm culture, client expectations, and resource constraints.
Decoding the Deal: What Today's A/E/C Buyers Really Want
Karl Feldman Managing Partner Hinge
This session examines how the A/E/C buyer landscape has shifted and what those changes mean for today’s marketing strategies. Designed for A/E/C marketers and business development professionals, the session explores current buyer priorities, how service providers are evaluated, and the evolving role of RFPs and relationships. Drawing on newly released research, attendees will gain data-backed insights into buyer behavior across the decision-making journey and learn how to adapt messaging, plans, and relationship-building efforts to meet modern expectations. Participants will leave with practical strategies and clear takeaways to strengthen relevance, build trust, and align their marketing approach with how buyers make decisions today.
Learner Outcomes
Recognize how AEC buyer priorities and evaluation behaviors have shifted, using current research to understand what influences selection decisions today.
Analyze the modern buyer journey, including how digital engagement, relationships, and RFPs factor into firm shortlisting and selection.
Apply data-backed strategies to adapt marketing and business development plans, ensuring messaging and outreach align with what buyers value most.
This session examines how photography and video can move beyond basic headshots to become powerful tools for differentiation in AEC branding and recruiting. Designed for AEC marketing professionals, the session explores how visual storytelling shapes first impressions, strengthens employer brand, and attracts both clients and talent. Attendees will gain insight into the creative and practical considerations behind photography and video, including production trade-offs, budget realities, and emerging trends such as short-form video and AI-enhanced workflows. Participants will leave with a clearer framework for planning modern, authentic visual content and making a compelling case to leadership for investing in people-focused brand assets.
Learner Outcomes
Differentiate your firm’s brand by using headshots and videos that authentically reflect your team culture and values.
Evaluate when to use photo, video, or both to maximize impact, efficiency, and storytelling potential.
Plan and advocate for a visual refresh with clear creative direction, budget rationale, and alignment to firm-wide brand goals.
How to Craft a Winning Proposal When You're the Underdog
Wendy Simmons Founding Principal Middle of Six
This session examines how AEC marketers can make smarter, more strategic go/no-go decisions when their firm is the underdog. Designed for professionals involved in pursuit strategy, the session explores how to assess qualifications, weigh risk versus reward, and determine when a longshot opportunity is worth the investment. Attendees will learn how to evaluate positioning, guide project teams through tough pursuit decisions, and tailor proposal messaging when pursuing work outside their traditional strengths or markets. Participants will leave with practical frameworks to strengthen decision-making, elevate pursuit strategy, and approach underdog pursuits with clarity, confidence, and purpose.
Learner Outcomes
Assess your firm’s “underdog” status with confidence by identifying the factors that create pursuit challenges—and recognizing when those challenges can be turned into opportunities.
Apply practical tools and key questions to evaluate your team’s position against competitors, clarify your firm’s unique advantages, and make more informed go/nogo decisions.
Develop targeted pursuit strategies that help marketing lead the charge—positioning the firm’s story, proposal, and team to stand out and win, even as the underdog.
From Talent to Rainmaker: Scaling Business Development
Tim Klabunde, FSMPS, CPSM Principal Growth Impact Partners
This session examines how AEC firms can intentionally develop rainmakers by equipping technical professionals with the skills and confidence needed to support business development. Designed for marketing and business development leaders, the session explores how to foster a culture where relationship-building is shared across the organization rather than limited to a few individuals. Attendees will gain practical strategies for breaking down internal barriers, coaching technical staff, and implementing repeatable tools that support trust-building and outreach at every level. Participants will leave with a clear framework for enabling relationship-driven growth and positioning their firms for sustained business development success.
Learner Outcomes
Recognize rainmaker traits within technical staff and assess business development potential beyond traditional roles.
Apply a repeatable framework to coach, enable, and integrate business development behaviors across teams and project workflows.
Develop strategies to reduce cultural and operational barriers to business development and build a firm-wide rainmaker culture that supports sustainable growth.
From Resistance to Readiness: Building Culture That Thrives Through Change
Rohan Jawali Founder and CEO Joist AI
GinaRenee Autrey Director of Marketing & Strategic Impact Kleinschmidt Associates
Rawle Sawh Director of Operations Technology Gilbane
Edward Benes, PE, Esq Chief Executive Officer LEO A DALY and Lockwood Andrews & Newnam
This session examines how AEC firms navigate transformation by focusing on the human side of change, including culture, communication, and trust. Designed for professionals at all levels, the session brings together AEC leaders to share real-world experiences guiding teams through uncertainty, evolving tools, and shifting expectations. Attendees will gain insight into what inspires adaptation, how trust is built during disruption, and the role curiosity and clear communication play in moving organizations forward. Participants will leave with practical perspectives and actionable takeaways to help influence change, strengthen collaboration, and contribute meaningfully to their firm’s future during times of transformation.
Learner Outcomes
Recognize how culture and communication influence trust, resilience, and adaptability during periods of organizational change.
Apply leadership insights and real-world examples to support teams through uncertainty and evolving business conditions.
Identify ways to influence and contribute to meaningful change within their own role, regardless of title or position.
The Art of Staying Chosen: Relationships That Outlasts the Pursuit
Lynn Murphy Associate Vice President Facilities Planning UK HealthCare
Samir Patel, PE Associate Vice President for Clinical Infrastructure The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center
This moderated panel session examines what it takes to move beyond winning work to earning long-term trust and loyalty in the AEC industry. Featuring perspectives from industry end users and national business development professionals, the discussion explores the critical transition from initial pursuit to sustained partnership. Attendees will gain insight into the consistent, intentional strategies that help relationships remain strong over time, including delivering ongoing value, communicating proactively, and adapting to evolving client needs. Participants will leave with a clearer understanding of how trust is built, renewed, and maintained, ensuring client relationships endure well beyond the first win.
Learner Outcomes
By attending this session, the participant will create a client development plan that will ensure enduring client relationships that transcend the initial pursuit phase.
The participant will learn the key tools required to transforming client relationships from transactional to long term trusted partnerships.
Through the perspective of two prominent national end users the audience will gain invaluable perspective on how to build and maintain trusted relationships that transcend the pursuit. Through anecdotal storytelling from the Healthcare Owners they will shared lessons learned on what has worked and what to avoid.
High Stakes, Smart Moves: Elevating Your Win Rate with AI
Troy Parkinson Principal SagePresence
Kristin Kautz, FSMPS, CPSM AI Strategist | Consultant | Speaker | Trainer JAM Idea Agency
Winning shortlist interviews still depends on human connection, even as AI transforms how teams prepare. This dynamic session explores how AEC firms can blend proven business development strategy, storytelling, and artificial intelligence to gain an edge in high-stakes interviews. Participants will learn how to integrate AI tools across each phase of the shortlist process, from research and message development to rehearsal, delivery, and follow-up. Through real-world examples and live demonstrations, attendees will discover how AI can surface client insights, streamline preparation, and support more confident, authentic performance, turning shortlist interviews into a data-informed, insight-driven advantage.
Learner Outcomes
Identify practical ways to use AI throughout the shortlist process to accelerate research, message development, and team preparation without losing authenticity.
Apply a repeatable framework that blends AI-generated insights with human storytelling and presence to create more personalized, persuasive client communication.
Strengthen your role as a strategic advisor by leveraging AI tools and data-driven insights to improve win rates and position your firm for future growth.
From Crisis to Credibility: Navigating a Media Storm with Integrity
Katie Weber, CPSM Associate, Director of Marketing Moriyama Teshima Architects
This session examines how an architecture firm navigated an unexpected, high-profile public controversy with professionalism, integrity, and strategic communication. Designed for AEC marketing and communications professionals, the session explores Moriyama Teshima Architects’ response to the sudden relocation and closure of Toronto’s Ontario Science Centre, a landmark project deeply tied to the firm’s legacy. Attendees will gain insight into how to balance advocacy with diplomacy, respond effectively under media and political pressure, and protect firm reputation without a dedicated PR team. Participants will leave with practical lessons and a replicable framework for proactive communication planning that strengthens credibility, aligns messaging with firm values, and builds trust in complex, fast-moving situations.
Learner Outcomes
How to respond authentically to unexpected media crises while aligning public statements with firm values and tone of voice.
How to transform a negative narrative into thought leadership, reinforcing a firm’s expertise and social responsibility.
How to build future readiness through proactive communication planning, relationship-building, and message alignment across leadership.
Navigating Change in Short-List Interviews
Margaret Winch President Communication Resources Northwest, LLC
This session examines how changes in project delivery, client expectations, AI tools, and competition have reshaped shortlist interviews in the AEC industry. Designed for marketing professionals who coach pursuit teams, the session explores emerging interview formats such as workshops, scenario-based exercises, and tightly timed Q&A, and what it takes to succeed in these environments. Attendees will learn strategies for preparing and coaching technical teams beyond traditional public speaking, with a focus on facilitation, critical thinking, and interpersonal communication. Participants will leave with practical approaches and proven processes to build confidence, improve performance under pressure, and increase win rates in today’s evolving interview landscape.
Learner Outcomes
Identify how and why AEC interview formats have changed, including the skills and behaviors clients now expect in workshops, scenario-based interviews, and timed Q&A environments.
Apply coaching strategies to prepare technical teams for high-pressure, interactive interview settings that require facilitation, adaptability, and critical thinking.
Implement practical preparation and rehearsal techniques that improve team confidence, collaboration, and overall interview performance.
The Business Behind the Business
Adam B. Kilbourne, FSMPS, CPSM President Tec Inc. Engineering & Design
Kevin Hebblethwaite, FSMPS Director, Business Development Stambaugh Ness
This session examines the core business functions that underpin successful AEC firms and the leadership insight marketing and business development professionals need to advance into executive or ownership roles. Designed for professionals looking to deepen their business acumen, the session explores how finance, accounting, HR, risk management, and operations influence strategy, profitability, and long-term sustainability. Attendees will gain practical perspective on essential concepts such as cash flow, revenue recognition, insurance, and mergers and acquisitions, and learn how these elements connect to daily marketing and BD responsibilities. Participants will leave with a clearer understanding of how firms truly operate and a stronger foundation for positioning themselves as informed, credible leaders within their organizations.
Learner Outcomes
Identify the core financial, operational, and risk management functions that impact AEC firm performance and leadership decision making.
Interpret key business concepts such as revenue, cash flow, insurance, and mergers and acquisitions in the context of firm growth and sustainability.
Connect their current marketing or business development role to broader firm operations and outline next steps to build the business acumen needed for executive or ownership advancement.
CX Mini Bootcamp: Building Client Experience Leadership in AEC
Ryan Suydam Founder & CX Evangelist ClearlyRated
This session examines Client Experience (CX) as a critical growth strategy for AEC firms looking to build loyalty, drive repeat business, and differentiate in competitive markets. Designed for marketing, business development, and emerging leaders, the session explores what CX truly means in an AEC context and why many firms struggle to define, measure, and implement it effectively. Attendees will learn how to assess their firm’s current CX approach using the CX Maturity Model and gain practical guidance for positioning CX as a driver of retention and growth. Participants will leave with actionable tools, including a CX Charter, and the confidence to lead meaningful CX initiatives within their firms.
Learner Outcomes
Discover actionable tactics for developing a client experience program at their firm: the resources, people, and tools needed for success.
Chart strategies for gaining firm buy-in and overcoming objections from key stakeholders and decision-makers to launch a CX initiative.
Document how to prove the ROI of a client experience initiative to gain more resources and continue to grow not only the CX program but firm revenue.
Prove It: Tools and Formulas to Justify Proposal Resources
Dhoreena Ventura Senior Director of Product Marketing OpenAsset
This session examines how AEC marketing leaders can demonstrate the business value of proposal operations and build stronger cases for investment in resources, technology, and staffing. Designed for professionals responsible for proposal strategy and performance, the session explores how to measure proposal ROI, assess efficiency, and translate data into leadership-ready insights. Attendees will gain practical frameworks and tools, including guidance on building a Proposal Performance Dashboard, to help move proposal management from reactive to strategic. Participants will leave with the clarity and confidence to advocate for smarter investment and position marketing as a revenue-driving partner within their firm.
Learner Outcomes
Calculate proposal return on investment using proven formulas to evaluate cost, effort, and win value.
Analyze proposal performance data to identify efficiency gaps and opportunities for improvement.
Communicate data-driven insights to firm leadership in clear, compelling business cases that support investment decisions.
Trendjacking the Moment: TSwift, the Louvre Heist & A/E/C Marketing
Deirdre M. Booth, FSMPS, CPSM President + Lead Strategist TankGirl Marketing
Emilie Austin Director of Trainings + Marketing Strategist TankGirl Marketing
This session examines how A/E/C marketers can leverage cultural moments and timely trends to build visibility and relevance without sacrificing credibility. Designed for marketing professionals navigating fast-moving digital landscapes, the session explores what makes trendjacking effective, how to assess cultural and brand fit, and when participation adds value versus risk. Through real-world examples, including viral brand moments from consumer and industrial sectors, attendees will learn how audience psychology, speed, and authenticity drive impact. Participants will leave with practical frameworks and tools to create agile, on-message engagement that helps their firms stay memorable and competitive in a rapidly changing marketplace.
Learner Outcomes
Evaluate whether a cultural trend aligns with their firm’s brand, audience, and professional standards.
Apply a structured framework to develop timely, authentic trendjacking ideas that support brand visibility and engagement.
Design a rapid-response workflow that enables agile marketing while maintaining quality and credibility.
Kendra Cabler Rather, PhD Senior Manger, People Strategy DEI Etsy
AEC professionals bring relentless hustle to demanding work, often carrying heavy personal and professional pressures behind the scenes. In a market where talent is tight and burnout is real, firms must rethink how they attract, support, and retain their people. This candid, interactive roundtable explores what it truly takes to build cultures rooted in authenticity, trust, and belonging. Through facilitated discussion and shared perspective, participants will examine meaningful recognition, flexible career pathways, and leadership behaviors that honor the whole human, not just the job title. Attendees will leave with practical ideas and renewed clarity on how people-centered cultures drive engagement, resilience, and long-term firm success.
Learner Outcomes
Identify strategies for attracting, retaining, and recognizing top talent Participants will learn people-first approaches to recruitment, recognition, and engagement that help strengthen the talent pipeline and reduce turnover in competitive AEC environments.
Apply inclusive and authentic practices to build meaningful career pathways Attendees will explore how to design flexible, transparent growth opportunities that support retention, leadership development, and a sense of purpose across diverse teams.
Evaluate their team culture through the lens of trust and belonging Using practical prompts and peer discussion, participants will assess the strength of their team culture — and leave with one actionable step to improve psychological safety, communication, or connection.
From Chance to Choice: Building Authentic Networks that Drive Results
Kristin Studabaker, CPSM Director of Business Development Carpenter Marty Transportation
Shannon Stewart, CPSM Director of Client Engagement Design West Engineering
In an industry built on relationships, the difference between casual connections and intentional partnerships can determine long-term success. This session explores how authentic relationships evolve from chance encounters into meaningful professional impact. Using a real-world case study, presenters introduce the Connection → Intention → Impact framework to demonstrate how everyday interactions can be transformed into purposeful collaborations. Through stories, discussion, and practical tools, participants will learn how to move beyond transactional networking and strengthen relationships that support business development, client trust, and career growth.
Learner Outcomes
Differentiate between transactional networking and authentic relationship-building in the AEC industry.
Apply intentional strategies to turn chance encounters into lasting professional partnerships.
Create a personalized post-conference action plan to strengthen professional networks and support business development success.
Unlocking Fast Starters, Last Minuters, and Everyone In Between
In AEC firms, marketers work at the intersection of creativity, deadlines, and structure, often collaborating with teams that approach work very differently. This keynote challenges the common narrative around procrastination and productivity, showing how different work styles, when understood and communicated, can strengthen trust, collaboration, and results. Participants will explore a simple framework for identifying their own work style, reducing internal judgment, and navigating cross-functional dynamics with greater clarity. Attendees will leave with practical tools to own how they work, improve relationships across departments, and position marketing as a strategic partner rather than a last-minute responder.
Learner Outcomes
Own Your Style Without Shame Attendees will leave with permission to stop apologizing for how they get work done, and start advocating for themselves with clarity and confidence.
Work Better with Other Types They’ll learn how to recognize and collaborate with both structured and adaptable teammates (and technical staff) by understanding the underlying patterns, not just the symptoms.
Stop Calling It Procrastination When It’s Actually Processing Reframing procrastination as a signpost, not a flaw, empowers marketers to work with their natural rhythms and still meet expectations without burnout or breakdowns.
Understanding the Essentials of Color Team Reviews
Courtney Messick, CPSM Senior Marketing Manager WSP
Stephanie Murdoch, CPSM Marketing Director, Mid-Atlantic Region WSP
Color team reviews are essential to winning work, but their success depends on more than simply scheduling meetings and collecting comments. This session provides a practical, end-to-end framework for planning, facilitating, and executing effective color reviews that improve proposal quality, ensure compliance, and drive better outcomes. Drawing from real-world scenarios, participants will learn how to select the right reviewers, align review timing with proposal complexity, and avoid common pitfalls such as insufficient planning, unclear roles, lack of structure, and weak accountability. Attendees will gain actionable strategies to lead confident, productive reviews that move teams from reactive feedback to intentional, winning proposal decisions.
Learner Outcomes
Plan and structure color team reviews based on RFx complexity, timing, and proposal objectives to improve efficiency and effectiveness.
Facilitate productive review meetings by engaging the right participants, setting clear expectations, and managing feedback with confidence and empathy.
Apply accountability and follow-through practices that ensure review feedback is implemented, compliance is maintained, and proposal quality improves from draft to draft.
The Culture Gap: Aligning Values, Behaviors & Teams During Change
Jerry Gennaria President TOKY
Dr. Will Percy Executive Vice President TeamOptix, LLC
Every firm claims to have strong values, but when the culture employees experience does not match the culture leaders describe, a credibility gap quietly forms. This “culture gap” erodes trust, engagement, and brand strength, particularly during moments of change such as mergers and acquisitions, leadership transitions, AI adoption, or talent challenges. In this session, brand strategist Jerry Gennaria (TOKY) and organizational culture and talent development expert Dr. Will Percy (Team Optix) explore how marketers and leaders can recognize and respond to misalignment between stated and lived values. Drawing on brand strategy and behavioral science, they examine how values shape behaviors, behaviors define culture, and culture ultimately drives both the employee and client experience. Through practical frameworks and interactive discussion, attendees will learn how to identify cultural misalignment, understand its impact on brand credibility, and play a more strategic role in closing the gap between what their firm says and how it shows up.
Learner Outcomes
Identify signs of misalignment between stated values and lived behaviors, particularly during periods of organizational change.
Evaluate how leadership actions, systems, and communication reinforce or weaken culture, employee experience, and brand credibility.
Apply practical frameworks that connect values, behaviors, and brand strategy to strengthen alignment, messaging, and trust.
Get Found (and Cited) by AI: The Website + Content Workshop
Josh Hanosh Vice President, Business Strategy Three29
AI is becoming the front door to discovery. Prospects are asking ChatGPT, Gemini, and Claude who to hire and what to do next, and the answers they get are shaped by what those systems can clearly understand and confidently cite. In this workshop, we’ll cover the two things that matter most for being surfaced in AI-driven research: (1) making your website easy for answer engines to interpret without guessing, and (2) writing service and FAQ content in a citation-ready structure that AI can lift accurately. Attendees will walk through a simple diagnostic, see examples of what “extractable” structure looks like, and leave with a practical checklist plus templates they can apply immediately.
Learner Outcomes
How answer engines “read” a website and what causes brands to be misrepresented or omitted
A GEO checklist for clarifying entity + service signals so AI can summarize you correctly
A repeatable writing template for service pages and FAQs that increases the chance of being cited
From Cost Center to Revenue Driver: Future-Proofing Proposals with AI
Frank Lazaro Principal AE Marketer
This session will explore how artificial intelligence is reshaping the way proposals are written, reviewed, and evaluated, often by AI on both sides of the process. As project owners increasingly use AI to assess submissions, speed alone is no longer a differentiator. Instead, consistency, clarity, and strategic alignment determine success. This session reframes common concerns about AI into a practical opportunity, showing how AEC marketers can design AI-enabled workflows that strengthen, rather than replace, human expertise. Attendees will learn how to centralize institutional knowledge, reduce reliance on billable technical staff, and produce proposals that are more consistent, defensible, and aligned with owner priorities. Moving beyond AI novelty, the session positions marketing as a driver of utilization and revenue by accelerating pursuit timelines, improving proposal quality, and supporting leadership goals in an environment where AI review is becoming the norm. Participants will leave with a clear, tool-agnostic framework for becoming indispensable as the human in the loop in an AI-enabled firm.
Learner Outcomes
Learn how to future-proof proposal workflows as AI becomes standard on both sides of the pursuit
Connect AI-enabled proposal work to utilization, billable hours, and revenue
Position marketing as a strategic contributor, not a cost center, in an AI-driven environment
Accelerating Firm Potential with Private Equity: The Marketer’s Role
John Campanella Chief Executive Officer Entro
Private equity investment is reshaping the AEC industry, creating new pathways for growth, scale, and long-term value creation. For firms considering or navigating investment, marketing leaders play a critical role in positioning the organization for opportunity and guiding the narrative through change. Presented through the lens of a CEO, this session offers practical insight into how private equity evaluates firms, what makes an organization investment-ready, and why strategic alignment and storytelling are essential before, during, and after a transaction. Attendees will gain clarity on how to position their firms to attract investment, how to shape and manage a compelling narrative throughout the investment lifecycle, and how to anticipate post-investment shifts in strategy, metrics, and expectations. The session will also explore marketing’s expanded leadership role in reinforcing culture, communicating vision, and translating performance metrics through a private equity lens to drive confidence and momentum across the firm.
Learner outcomes:
Identify how private equity evaluates AEC firms and determine the strategic role marketing plays in strengthening investment readiness.
Develop and manage a clear, compelling firm narrative before, during, and after private equity investment.
Anticipate post-investment changes in strategy, performance metrics, and leadership expectations, and align marketing efforts to support firm-wide clarity and momentum.
From Coverage to Credibility: Earned Media That Elevates AEC Firms
Jason Simms Principal Theirsay
Stacey Crawshaw Marketing Director Work Program Architects
For many A/E/C firms, press coverage is often limited to conveying the basics of a project in local and trade media. This session will explore how to bring forward press coverage that goes deeper and makes a lasting, meaningful impression.
The principal of Theirsay, a PR agency that specializes in A/E/C communications, joins the Marketing Director of Work Program Architects (WPA), a firm nationally recognized for its community-centered and resilient design projects, to break down in detail how their partnership generated top-tier media coverage for WPA that has transformed the firm’s public profile.
Drawing on three specific case studies, the presenters will walk through how each produced an outstanding result through different means: vulnerability, collaboration among stakeholders and dogged persistence. Participants will leave with a new perspective on how to approach earned media for their firms and clear, replicable paths they can pursue immediately.
Learner Outcomes By the end of this session, participants will be able to:
Identify and frame firm projects and expertise into newsworthy storylines that are built to drive exceptional earned media results.
Apply a broader range of tactics for pitching stories to journalists beyond conventional outreach.
Collaborate with project stakeholders to increase (not limit) earned media coverage.
Tech Download: What’s New, What Matters, What’s Next
Nikhil Almeida Co-Founder Joist AI
A download of the most impactful tech shaping AEC—minus the hype, plus the how.
Technology in the AEC industry is evolving at a rapid pace, and staying ahead is not about chasing every new platform. It is about understanding which innovations truly impact how firms win work, collaborate, and deliver results. In this fast-paced, story-driven session, Nikhil Almeida distills the most important technology trends shaping the future of AEC. Drawing on real-world examples and practical insight, he will cut through the noise to focus on what actually matters across digital collaboration, data automation, AI-powered insights, and client-facing technologies. Attendees will leave with a clear perspective on where AEC technology is headed and three actionable steps they can implement immediately to future-proof their workflows and make smarter technology decisions within their firms.
Learner Outcomes:
Identify the most impactful emerging technology trends influencing AEC marketing, business development, and project delivery.
Distinguish between high-value innovations and short-term hype to make more strategic technology investments.
Develop three practical actions to pilot, implement, or evaluate technology solutions within their firm.
Fireside Chat: The Questions You Wish You Could Ask AEC Leaders
Wally Hise, CPSM Senior Vice President HDR
Sarah Nolan Hoff Principal, Marketing & BD Trinity Consultants
Craig S. Galati, FAIA, FSMPS, CPSM Principal LGA Architecture
Kate Attilio, CPSM Vice President, Marketing Communications James G. Davis Construction
Have you ever left a leadership meeting thinking, I wish I understood how that decision was really made?
This interactive fireside chat invites you to ask senior AEC leaders the questions that do not always feel easy to raise inside their own firms. Through candid, audience-driven conversation, executives will share how they evaluate performance, influence, risk, growth, and readiness for advancement.
What earns trust at the leadership table?
How are strategic decisions made when priorities compete?
What separates high-potential professionals from high-performers?
What do seasoned leaders wish they had understood earlier in their careers?
Panelists will speak openly about pivotal decisions, missteps, internal pressures, and the realities of balancing growth, culture, and accountability. The goal is not polished talking points. It is clarity into how leaders think and how decisions are made.
If you want a clearer view of executive decision-making and practical insight into navigating it more strategically, this is the conversation you will not want to miss.
Learning Objectives
After attending this session, participants will be able to:
Explain how senior AEC leaders assess influence, performance, and advancement potential.
Analyze how executives balance growth expectations, risk, and culture when making strategic decisions.
Apply leadership insights to strengthen credibility, internal alignment, and strategic impact within their firms.
Kate Attilio, CPSMCraig S. Galati, FAIA, FSMPS, CPSMWally Hise, CPSMSarah Hoff
Fireside Chat: The Questions You Wish You Could Ask AEC Leaders
Have you ever left a leadership meeting thinking, I wish I understood how that decision was really made?
This interactive fireside chat invites you to ask senior AEC leaders the questions that do not always feel easy to raise inside their own firms. Through candid, audience-driven conversation, executives will share how they evaluate performance, influence, risk, growth, and readiness for advancement.
What earns trust at the leadership table?
How are strategic decisions made when priorities compete?
What separates high-potential professionals from high-performers?
What do seasoned leaders wish they had understood earlier in their careers?
Panelists will speak openly about pivotal decisions, missteps, internal pressures, and the realities of balancing growth, culture, and accountability. The goal is not polished talking points. It is clarity into how leaders think and how decisions are made.
If you want a clearer view of executive decision-making and practical insight into navigating it more strategically, this is the conversation you will not want to miss.
Learning Objectives
After attending this session, participants will be able to:
Explain how senior AEC leaders assess influence, performance, and advancement potential.
Analyze how executives balance growth expectations, risk, and culture when making strategic decisions.
Apply leadership insights to strengthen credibility, internal alignment, and strategic impact within their firms.
Kate Attilio, CPSM
Craig S. Galati, FAIA, FSMPS, CPSMSarah Hoff
Wally Hise, CPSM
Have you ever left a leadership meeting thinking, I wish I understood how that decision was really made?
This interactive fireside chat invites you to ask senior AEC leaders the questions that do not always feel easy to raise inside their own firms. Through candid, audience-driven conversation, executives will share how they evaluate performance, influence, risk, growth, and readiness for advancement.
What earns trust at the leadership table?
How are strategic decisions made when priorities compete?
What separates high-potential professionals from high-performers?
What do seasoned leaders wish they had understood earlier in their careers?
Panelists will speak openly about pivotal decisions, missteps, internal pressures, and the realities of balancing growth, culture, and accountability. The goal is not polished talking points. It is clarity into how leaders think and how decisions are made.
If you want a clearer view of executive decision-making and practical insight into navigating it more strategically, this is the conversation you will not want to miss.
Learning Objectives
After attending this session, participants will be able to:
Explain how senior AEC leaders assess influence, performance, and advancement potential.
Analyze how executives balance growth expectations, risk, and culture when making strategic decisions.
Apply leadership insights to strengthen credibility, internal alignment, and strategic impact within their firms.
