The road to success can be twisty, and there is no single route to take to achieve your goals. This panel discussion will feature four industry veterans who all started as proposal marketers and now hold leadership positions in their respective organizations. Some started their own firms, others jumped to related fields, but none of them took the traditional corporate route.  

If you are looking for ideas on how to move forward in your career, or even how to start the journey, this discussion is for you. True to form, our participants won’t offer the same formulaic advice you might hear elsewhere, but instead their candid insights will map out what they did right in their careers, and even where they sometimes took a wrong turn that still eventually led them to their destination.

What you'll learn:

Unlock your potential and take your career to the next level with insights from AEC industry veterans about:  

how you'll do more business:

Grow into the leader you want to be.

Who you'll meet:

You’ll have the opportunity to meet and mingle with like-minded go-getters like yourself.

agenda

Registration/BREAKFAST/Networking: 8:00-8:30 AM EST
Program: 8:30-10:00 AM EST

CPSM CEU's: 1.5 hours
Domains: 3 - Business Development, 6 - Organizational Structure

Speakers

Eric Keens, CPSM, has been marketing professional design services for more than 25 years and brings a wealth of experience and enthusiasm to the A/E/C industry. He got his start at a small engineering firm specializing in electrical engineering and commissioning. From there, Eric transitioned into marketing architectural design services, supporting projects across education, government, commercial, and industrial sectors. He truly understands the full pursuit lifecycle—from early research and pre-positioning to proposal development and shortlist presentations. Eric is also deeply committed to personal and professional growth. He currently serves as SMPS Atlanta’s Director of Chapter Development and is a member of the Past Presidents’ Council. In his leadership role, he oversees the chapter’s Mentor/Protégé Program and continuing education scholarships, helping others grow in their careers just as he has. His dedication has earned him recognition as Marketer of the Year in 2018, the chapter’s highest honor, and the Pacesetter Award in 2023 for his ongoing impact and service to the SMPS Atlanta community.

Malory Atkinson, CPSM, LEED GA, is the co-founder & managing partner of Shear Structural, Georgia's first and only 100% women-owned structural engineering firm. She holds a B.S. degree in Building Construction from Georgia Tech and an MBA in Marketing from Georgia State University.  Malory currently serves as the co-chair of the advisory board of Georgia Tech’s School of Building Construction as well as on the board of ULI Atlanta, Druid Hills Child Development Center, and SPIKE Studio. She is a 2019 graduate of the ULI Atlanta Center for Leadership. Malory was named ‘Small Business Person of the Year’ by the Atlanta Business Chronicle, one of Georgia State University’s 40 under 40, a CE News Magazine Rising Star, one of Georgia Tech’s 40 under 40, Atlanta Business Chronicle's 40 under 40, United Way's 'Toast to Her' award recipient, and she has been named one of ‘100 Influential Women in Engineering’ by Engineering Georgia in 2020, 2021, 2022, and 2023. She and her husband Cory also own The Zero Co, Atlanta's first non-alcoholic bottle shop located in Poncey-Highland. 

Founded in June 2014 by Ashley Dale, CPSM (lapsed), CIT, DB Consulting has evolved from a sole proprietorship into a trusted partner for organizations seeking innovative marketing strategies and exceptional execution. Under Ashley’s leadership, the firm has experienced continuous growth and successfully built a broad, loyal client base across both B2B and B2C sectors. Driving efficiency, innovation, and client satisfaction through strategic oversight and hands-on execution of key initiatives are cornerstones of the firm’s success.

Ashley brings over two decades of experience as a marketing and business development professional in the design, construction and association sectors. Her expertise spans graphic and web design, communications, strategy, event planning and management, customer relations, public relations, and database management. Ashley has successfully led all aspects of marketing initiatives—from creative and technical execution to client development, sales strategy, and long-term relationship management. Her leadership is instrumental in developing and executing comprehensive marketing campaigns, managing budgets, overseeing personnel, and ensuring the alignment of every initiative with the client’s business objectives.

Under Sarah Gonnella’s leadership, the marketing and sales team at Full Sail Partners has consistently achieved top-performing partner status in the Deltek ecosystem, securing 17 prestigious marketing and sales awards. As a results-driven executive, she has reached remarkable milestones, including a 222% increase in revenue over the past decade. Sarah has spearheaded the launch of three start-up departments and built a high-performing team, all while prioritizing a healthy work-life balance by setting clear expectations and boundaries in a fully remote environment.

She developed and implemented a comprehensive client experience and management program that has maintained a 95% retention rate for over 1,000 clients. Her expertise in digital marketing has significantly enhanced SEO rankings, establishing her company as the premier resource for Deltek Vision and Vantagepoint. Additionally, Sarah has provided consulting services to over 300 project-based clients and successfully launched and branded her firm within just 30 days. She is also a past president of SMPS Atlanta.

Beyond her corporate endeavors, Sarah is the founder and co-host of BOYBAS (Bring Out Your BadAss Self), a weekly online show dedicated to challenging negative thoughts and habits, which recently celebrated its 100th episode. Through sharing personal experiences, Sarah encourages her audience to embrace their inner badass by fostering vulnerability and creating fearlessly authentic interactions. She inspires others through her passion for authenticity and empowerment, both in her professional work and online outreach.

As a marketing and business development professional, Lee Jarboe, FSMPS, CPSM, has been an active member of SMPS Atlanta since joining in 2002 and was named New Member of the Year in 2003. She has served SMPS Atlanta as the Director of Membership, Treasurer, President-Elect, President and Immediate Past President. During her tenure as President, the Atlanta Chapter of SMPS was awarded Outstanding Large Chapter, First Place Website, First Place Newsletter, Outstanding Special Event, and Outstanding Educational Program. Additionally, Lee established the Georgia A/E/C Leadership Roundtable to provide a voluntary forum for the exchange of ideas and coordination of activities among A/E/C associations in Georgia. She has also served SMPS National on the Marketing and Communications Awards Committee including Co-chair in 2013-14, the National Certification Committee, and the Blueprints Task Force including Chair in 2021-22. Lee continues to give back to the A/E/C industry through her involvement with SPIKE Studio. She received her Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Houston, is a Certified Professional Services Marketer (CPSM) and SMPS Fellow.

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