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Education

Explore the schedule

We’re excited to share a first look at the Amplify A|E|C education sessions for 2026. Sessions are currently grouped by type to help you explore what’s ahead. This page will continue to be updated as the conference schedule is finalized—please check back for the latest details.

The complete schedule with all sessions, dates and time slots will be announced soon.

Accelerating Firm Potential with Private Equity: The Marketer’s Role | John Campanella

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.

Authority, Culture, and You: Navigating Power Distance at Work​

Janki N. DePalma, FSMPS, CPSM, LEED AP | Director of Business Development | W.E. O'Neil Construction

This session examines the Power Distance Index (PDI) and its impact on how ideas, authority, and leadership are perceived within AEC firms. Designed for in-house marketing and business development professionals, the session explores how differences in comfort with hierarchy and decision-making can lead to misinterpretation, conflict, or burnout.

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.

BD Breakdown: Building Strategy, Metics, and Culture for Growth

Bonnie Shepherd | Senior Vice President, Transportation Practice Leader | Jensen Hughes

This session breaks down the business behind business development. Designed for both marketers and business developers, it will explore what the BD role actually looks like inside high-performing firms and how successful teams prioritize opportunities, track meaningful metrics, and align marketing and BD efforts around shared growth goals.

Building a High-Velocity Growth Engine in A/E/C

Liam Bickerton | Managing Director of Strategy | 829 Studios

Marketing and business development in AEC firms are evolving beyond tactical support roles and into strategic growth leadership functions. Expectations for marketing and BD leaders are rising as firms look to these teams to help guide strategy, influence decision making, and drive measurable business outcomes. Yet many organizations remain stuck in activity mode, where marketing teams are busy delivering work but are not fully engaged in shaping firm direction.

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.

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.

Did Video Kill the Photo Star?

Tyler Chartier | Commercial Photographer/Director | Tyler Chartier Photography
Josh Miles | Founder | Bold Brand LLC

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.

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.

From Coverage to Credibility: Earned Media That Elevates AEC Firms​

Jason Simms | Principal | Theirsay
Stacey Crawshaw | Marketing Director | Work Program Architects

The principal of Theirsay, a PR agency that specializes in AEC 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.

From Marketing Function to Growth Leadership: A Pathway to Business Transformation

Russell Sanford, FSMPS, CPSM | Chief Strategy Officer | Rogers, Lovelock, and Fritz, Inc. (RLF)

Marketing and business development in AEC firms are evolving beyond tactical support roles and into strategic growth leadership functions. Expectations for marketing and BD leaders are rising as firms look to these teams to help guide strategy, influence decision making, and drive measurable business outcomes. Yet many organizations remain stuck in activity mode, where marketing teams are busy delivering work but are not fully engaged in shaping firm direction.

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.

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.

Resilience in Uncertain Times: C-Suite Perspectives

Chad Heimbigner, PE | Chief Operating Officer | Coffman Engineers
Russell Sanford, FSMPS, CPSM | Chief Strategy Officer | Rogers, Lovelock, and Fritz, Inc. (RLF)

Join top executives from across the industry for a candid, unscripted conversation on how firms are responding to uncertainty while positioning for long-term growth. From capital strategy and risk management to employer brand, innovation investment, and purpose-driven leadership, this session will offer a rare look inside the strategic decisions shaping the future of AEC.

Tech Download: What’s New, What Matters, What’s Next

Nikhil Almeida | Co-Founder | Joist AI

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.

From Resistance to Readiness: Building Culture That Thrives Through Change | Rohan Jawali, GinaRenee Autrey, Rawle Sawh, & Edward Benes, PE, Esq

From Resistance to Readiness: Building Culture That Thrives Through Change

GinaRenee Autrey | Director of Marketing & Strategic Impact | Kleinschmidt Associates
Edward Benes, PE, Esq | Chief Executive Officer | LEO A DALY and Lockwood, Andrews & Newman
Rohan Jawali | Founder & CEO | Joist AI
Rawle Sawh | Director of Operations Technology. | Gilbane

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.

Path to Chief: Leadership Journeys in Marketing and Business Development

Kristin Worley Beamer | Chief Marketing Officer | McKim & Creed, Inc.
Beth Ganoe, CPSM | Vice President, Director of Marketing | ECS Limited
Devon Kurcina, CPSM | Chief Development Officer | BKF Engineers
Doug Parker, FSMPS, CPSM | Chief Marketing & People Officer | Elevation Land Solutions
Jennifer Sebranek | Principal & Chief Marketing Officer | GBBN Architects

There is no single path to the C-suite. Some careers are carefully mapped. Others unfold through unexpected detours, bold risks, setbacks, mentors, and defining moments. In SMPS Road to Chief, a panel of accomplished Chief Marketing Officers shares the real stories behind their journeys to executive leadership in the AEC industry. Panelists will also discuss the critical role of mentors, advocates, and sponsors, how to build credibility within the C-suite, and the leadership lessons they lean on most often. As industry forces such as private equity, organizational health, and evolving business models continue to reshape AEC firms, the conversation will address what it truly takes to future-proof your career and elevate marketing’s strategic impact.

The Art of Staying Chosen: Relationships that Outlasts the Pursuit

Peter A. De La Mora, CPSM | Vice President | HDR
Carrie Mandelin, CPSM | Vice President, Client Accounts | Jacobs
Sarah C. McGillicuddy | Associate Principal | BR+A
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.

The Pivotal Project Playbook: Turning a Big Win into Long-Term Brand Impact

Laura Ewan, FSMPS, CPSM | Brand Strategist | Dragonfly AEC Consulting
Melinda Hepp | Founder & Principal | Studio PR
Joel Hoekstra| | Writer & Strategist

This panel brings together professionals experienced in guiding firms through that critical moment. From strategic communications and public relations to content development and storytelling, panelists will share practical approaches for identifying a pivotal project early, planning the story before the project is complete, and capturing the right content along the way. Attendees will gain insight into how marketing and technical teams can work together to maximize visibility, strengthen market perception, and turn a single project win into sustained brand momentum.

Cracking the CMO Code: Building Your Business Acumen | Adam B. Kilbourne, FSMPS, CPSM & Kevin Hebblethwaite, FSMPS

Cracking the CMO Code: Building Your Business Acumen

Kevin Hebblethwaite, FSMPS | Director, Business Development | Stambaugh Ness
Adam B. Kilbourne, FSMPS, CPSM | President | Tec Inc. Engineering & Design

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.

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.

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.

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.

High Stakes, Smart Moves: Elevating Your Win Rate with AI

Kristin Kautz, FSMPS, CPSM | A Strategist, Consultant, Speaker, Trainer | JAM Idea Agency
Troy Parkinson | Principal | SagePresence

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.

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.

Prove It: Tools and Formulas to Justify Proposal Resources

Alexa Ramey, CP APMP | Pursuite Strategy Manager, Corporate Sales Enablement Team | Burns & McDonnell
Dhoreena Ventura | Senior Director of Product Marketing | OopenAsset

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.

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, endto- end framework for planning, facilitating, and executing effective color reviews that improve proposal quality, ensure compliance, and drive better outcomes. Drawing from realworld 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.

Fireside Chat: The Questions You Wish You Could Ask AEC Leaders | Wally Hise, CPSM, Sarah Hoff, Craig S. Galati, FAIA, FSMPS, CPSM, & Kate Attilio, CPSM

Fireside Chat: The Questions You Wish You Could Ask AEC Leaders

Kate Attilio, CPSM | Vice President, Marketing Communications | James G. Davis Construction
Craig S. Galati, FAIA, FSMPS, CPSM | Principal | LGA Architecture
Wally Hise, CPSM | Senior Vice President | HDR
Sarah Nolan Hoff | Principal, Marketing & BD | Trinity Consultants

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. 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.

From Chance to Choice: Building Authentic Networks that Drive Results

Shannon Stewart, CPSM | Director of Client Engagement | Design West Engineering
Kristin Studabaker, CPSM | Director of Business Development | Carpenter Marty Transportation

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.

The Culture Gap: Aligning Values, Behaviors & Teams During Change

Jerry Gennaria | President | TOKY
Dr. Will Percy | Executive Vice President | TeamOptix, LLC

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.

The Culture Jackpot: Building Your Full House

Briana Carter, CPSM | Senior Associate / Marketing Manager | Stantec
Kendra Cabler Rather, PhD | Senior Manager, 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.

Trendjacking the Moment: TSwift, the Louvre Heist & A/E/C Marketing

Emilie Austin | Director of Trainings + Marketing Strategist | TankGirl Marketing
Deirdre M. Booth, FSMPS, CPSM | President + Lead Strategist | TankGirl Marketing

This session examines how AEC 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.

Unlocking Fast Starters, Last Minuters, and Everyone In Between

Skot Waldron | Communications Strategist | Skot Waldron / giANT

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.