Katie Cash

Smartegies, SVP

Katie has more than 15 years of AEC marketing experience. She is skilled in devising creative strategies to help companies develop, refresh, and integrate their M&A brand messaging. Katie is known for her ability to implement effective campaigns, combining traditional and digital platforms, and has led more than 30 branding initiatives since joining Smartegies.

Juli Mitchell IIDA, LEED AP

Principal, Walker Architects

Juli Mitchell is a licensed interior designer and principal at Walker Architects, where she leads the firm’s marketing strategy in addition to her design responsibilities. As the partner tasked with driving marketing efforts, Juli has embraced the challenge of learning and applying marketing strategies to grow the firm’s brand and impact. Her experience reflects the journey many AEC entrepreneurs face when taking on marketing for their firms—a steep learning curve that, with dedication and effort, can lead to remarkable success.

Why we asked Juli to speak:

We asked Juli to speak at SmartWIN25 because her story of mastering marketing while balancing her role as a licensed interior designer and firm principal resonates with so many in the AEC industry. Juli has successfully led Walker Architects through a rebrand and strategic initiatives that have delivered measurable returns. Her insights and relatable journey will inspire attendees to embrace the challenges of marketing and turn them into opportunities for growth.

Erica Fisher

Director of Marketing and Business Development, Arkitex Studio

Erica Fisher joined Arkitex Studio in January 2022 in the firm’s newly created role of Director of Marketing and Business Development, tasked with seeking bigger, better projects, growing the firm’s brand awareness, expanding its network, and increasing revenue. She successfully navigated these initiatives, giving the Arkitex brand a complete makeover while preserving the firm’s core values of improving lives through creative solutions and building community through architecture.

Arkitex Studio, a woman- and minority-owned business, saw a return on investment in Erica’s first year as she secured a project interview with The Texas A&M University System within four months—a goal the firm had pursued for years. In just two years, Arkitex was awarded its first Texas A&M project, opening doors to highly coveted opportunities exceeding $10 million across the state.

As a department of one, Erica has used her background in business communications and construction management to dramatically increase the number of RFQs the firm responds to annually, from three to over 25, with a win rate well above the industry average. She secured the largest project by dollar value in the firm’s history, achieved record-high revenue in year three, and won six IDIQ contracts with public entities. In addition to her marketing and business development responsibilities, Erica serves on the firm’s Leadership Team and occasionally acts as a Construction Project Owner’s Representative, bringing her construction expertise to clients.

Under Erica’s leadership, Arkitex has quickly become a leader in its local market sectors, including higher education, municipal, and faith-based projects, as well as private commercial work. The firm continues its strategic growth, elevating brand awareness and relentlessly pursuing impactful projects with owners who value vibrant design solutions and creativity.

Why we asked Erica to speak:

Erica is joining the Small Investments, Big Returns panel to share how aligning marketing and business development efforts has helped Arkitex Studio achieve measurable growth. Erica has taken a strategic approach to maximizing the firm’s impact. Her story of implementing targeted investments has led to significant ROI and will inspire attendees to think critically about where small changes can drive big results.

Jenn Friedman

Senior Project Manager, Smartegies

Jenn is a Senior Project Manager at Smartegies, where she combines her 11 years of digital marketing experience with a passion for building connections between people and brands through digital channels. Jenn brings a fresh perspective and a knack for making complex projects and campaigns run smoothly. Her role involves coordinating teams working on media, analytics, development, SEO, content, and UX design to ensure everything fits together seamlessly and supports big-picture goals.

Jenn has a talent for simplifying the complicated, guiding our AEC clients through their digital campaign endeavors. She leads our team of developers, strategists, and designers to deliver websites and digital marketing campaigns with clear measurement plans and ongoing performance insights.

Why we asked Jenn to speak:

We asked Jenn to join Scott Steiding for the Talk Data to Me session at SmartWIN25. Specializing in digital marketing, Jenn brings a wealth of expertise in turning metrics into meaningful insights that drive growth. With her knack for uncovering hidden opportunities and crafting compelling stories through data, Jenn will share best practices and real-world examples to help firms demystify data and make it actionable.

Scott Steiding

Chief Growth Officer, Bennett & Pless, Inc.

Scott Steiding is a seasoned executive with nearly 30 years of experience in the Architecture, Engineering, and Construction (AEC) industry. He has held pivotal roles across sales, marketing, operations, and corporate communications for leading firms in Europe and North America. Currently serving as the Chief Growth Officer at Bennett & Pless Structural Engineering, Scott leads the strategic initiatives that drive client engagement, revenue growth, and profit improvement for the firm. Scott’s expertise lies in implementing and managing scalable, technology-driven systems for business development and operational success. He enjoys pinot noir and pivot tables.

Why we asked Scott to speak:

Scott Steiding has been a long-standing client, partner, and friend of Smartegies, always at the forefront of pushing what’s possible in every relationship we’ve shared with him. A master of building systems that drive value, Scott has an exceptional ability to understand and act on the story that data tells. His innovative mindset and strategic approach make him an invaluable voice at SmartWIN25.

Gregory Hart

President, PSMJ Resources, Inc.

Greg is the President of the worldwide A/E/C business improvement organization, PSMJ Resources, Inc. He leads much of PSMJ’s research on market trends and best practices and also provides advisory services in the areas of mergers & acquisitions, ownership transition, and business valuation. Additionally, Greg is the host of PSMJ’s live online monthly broadcast for A/E/C firm leaders – The $10,000 Hour – where he often interviews industry visionaries and firm leaders on emerging industry trends and success strategies. Greg has spent his entire career in and around the A/E/C industry, starting out as an Environmental Scientist with the national multi-disciplinary firm GEI Consultants, Inc.

Why we asked Greg to speak:

Greg brings his deep expertise and industry perspective to SmartWIN25. As a leader with a pulse on the trends shaping the AEC market, Greg will deliver a data-driven commercial real estate outlook in his keynote, offering actionable insights to help firms plan for success—whether they are looking to expand, adapt, or stabilize. We are honored to have Greg and PSMJ as our trusted partners in making this event possible.

Jennifer Acevedo

Principal, Vice President, Marketing & Brand Strategy, NELSON Worldwide

Jennifer is a 25-year-veteran marketer, journalist, and content strategist who has researched, spoken about, and written extensively on the strategy, experiential design, and marketing of retail and consumer brands.

A lifelong learner, Jennifer harnesses the power of storytelling and her innate curiosity to create future-forward, purposeful, and compelling internal and customer-facing brand communications. It’s this passion for storytelling that Jennifer applies across key audiences to communicate the NELSON purpose, brand voice, vision, and positioning as well as to disseminate focused insights that inform innovative and disruptive design solutions.

Prior to joining NELSON, Jennifer served as the Editor-in-Chief/Associate Publisher of Visual Merchandising + Store Design (VMSD) magazine, a media brand serving 40,000-plus professionals in the design, architecture, and visual merchandising space, and Chair of the brand’s annual International Retail Design Conference (IRDC), which draws 350+ retail design professionals from top brands and agencies around the world to explore and be inspired by thought leadership, emerging trends, and interactive collaborative experiences.

Jennifer has also held editor-in-chief titles at Retail Leader, which delivers strategy and management content for c-level executives at retail, and at BrandPackaging, exploring the marketing impact of packaging. She is a highly sought-after speaker and moderator at industry conferences in the U.S. and overseas and has served as a judge at countless retail, design, and marketing awards competitions.

Born in New York City, she has enjoyed time living abroad, in Mexico City and Caracas, Venezuela, and is currently based in Chicago. The opportunity to immerse herself in global culture from a young age contributed to her love of travel, design, art and architecture, and photography. In her free time, Jennifer competes in the sport of IGP, a canine triathlon of sorts, with her German Shepherd dogs.

Why we asked Jennifer to speak:

Jennifer Acevedo has brought her deep expertise in B2B content strategy to the AEC industry, transforming how NELSON Worldwide approaches marketing. Under her leadership, the firm has adopted smarter technologies, streamlined operations, and implemented innovative strategies to elevate brand awareness and drive lead generation. Jennifer’s ability to craft and execute impactful content strategies, coupled with her leadership in advancing account-based marketing efforts, has redefined what’s possible for NELSON. Her contributions exemplify the power of strategic marketing, making her an invaluable voice at SmartWIN25.

Vickie Oshima

Vice President, Marketing, AO Architecture

With over 20 years of marketing experience in the architecture and real estate industry, Vickie Oshima brings a strategic and innovative approach to AO’s marketing, communications, public relations, and branding efforts. Known for her ability to craft compelling narratives, develop creative solutions, and execute campaigns with precision and an eye for design, Vickie plays a pivotal role in driving AO's growth and establishing its reputation as a leading international design firm.

As Vice President of Marketing, Vickie provides the leadership, structure, and processes necessary to enhance AO’s business development efforts, enrich the company culture, and celebrate the achievements of its team, clients, and projects. Collaborating closely with Partners and studio leaders, she shapes strategies for marketing, branding, and public relations that align with AO’s vision and goals.

Operating from AO’s headquarters in Orange, California, Vickie supports the firm’s expansion across its seven offices nationwide. An active member of the Urban Land Institute, she is deeply committed to fostering connections within the industry and contributing to its ongoing evolution.

Why we asked Vickie to speak:

We asked Vickie Oshima to join the Marketing Leadership Panel at SmartWIN25 because of her unique ability to help firms overcome the common trap of overthinking their marketing strategies. As Vice President of Marketing at AO, one of the industry's most prominent architecture and design firms, Vickie has played a key role in aligning marketing with operational goals to drive measurable results. At AO, she has helped the firm cut through the noise, streamline decision-making, and focus on what truly matters to advance their brand. With over 20 years of experience, Vickie excels at guiding teams to act decisively and strategically, ensuring marketing efforts don’t stall in analysis paralysis. Her practical insights will inspire attendees to stop overanalyzing and take bold steps to move their marketing forward with confidence.

Carrie González

Director of Marketing, SSOE Group

Carrie González brings over a decade of experience in marketing to the AEC industry. As the Director of Marketing at SSOE Group, Carrie oversees a collaborative and energetic team of B2B marketers responsible for corporate/internal communications, social media, public relations, and the SSOE proposal process. She takes pride in connecting the big picture ‘why’ of the company’s goals to inspire and motivate her team, which is spread across the U.S. and Mexico.

Carrie directs the design and production of promotional materials, collaborates with the firm’s various SBUs on strategic marketing plans, and oversees a wide range of promotional activities. Her exceptional communication skills and strategic vision have been instrumental in building awareness and shaping SSOE’s brand through various marketing communication channels.

Why we asked Carrie to speak:

Carrie González is a remarkable example of a marketing leader driving transformation in the AEC industry. As Director of Marketing at SSOE Group, she has successfully led her teams through M&A integrations, innovative approaches to amplifying SSOE’s brand, and integrating AI into marketing strategies. Carrie’s ability to inspire collaboration and implement forward-thinking solutions has positioned her team as a model of adaptability and success. Her leadership exemplifies how embracing change and leveraging technology can elevate marketing impact, making her an invaluable voice on the Marketing Leadership Panel at SmartWIN25.

Emily Cannon, CPSM

Corporate Marketing Director, Brasfield & Gorrie

Emily oversees Brasfield & Gorrie’s marketing strategy and operations as corporate marketing director. With the company since 2010, she has been involved in many of the company’s largest pursuits, its hospitality and multifamily market sector teams, expansion into Texas, along with many other strategic corporate initiatives of a growing $6 billion company. She is passionate about empowering her team and streamlining the processes they use to support Brasfield & Gorrie.

Emily’s fascination with real estate began while growing up in Dallas, Texas, where she watched redevelopment and new development take place around her. After a decade in Atlanta, she quickly became a Birmingham enthusiast and is dedicated to devoting her time where it will make an impact.

Why we asked Emily to speak:

We asked Emily Cannon to join the Marketing Leadership Panel at SmartWIN25 because of her inspiring journey from an entry-level marketing position to an executive leadership role at Brasfield & Gorrie. Emily’s career growth has been shaped by exceptional mentorship and her experience working within a culture that values and invests in marketing. She brings a unique perspective on how fostering talent and creating a collaborative environment can empower marketers to thrive. Emily’s story and insights will inspire attendees to build strong teams, embrace mentorship, and create marketing cultures that drive success.